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Meadow Restoration Polk Phase 1

County: Polk

Primary Resource Concern Addressed: Terrestrial habitat - Terrestrial habitat for wildlife and invertebrates

Project Description
This project aims to restore meadows and wildlife corridors to improve the health and diversity of declining habitat types to benefit target species. These meadows are declining habitats throughout Polk County, primarily due to conifer encroachment, delayed management of dense woodlands, and increased agricultural and urban development. Food, cover and shelter in lower elevation oak meadows and upper elevation conifer meadows is inadequate to support Roosevelt elk, black-tailed deer, Fender’s blue butterflies, monarch butterflies, and grassland birds. Restoration will benefit native ungulate populations and a myriad of non-game species of conservation concern (including several federally listed threatened and endangered species), rare and declining plants/plant communities, invertebrates, reptiles, and numerous species of grassland and oak associated migratory birds.

Conservation Practices Offered

  • Forest Stand Improvement (666)
  • Woody Residue Treatment (384)
  • Brush Management (314)
  • Herbaceous Weed Control (315)
  • Conservation Cover (327)
  • Obstruction Removal (500)
  • Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645)
  • Structures for Wildlife (649)
  • Hedgerow Planting (422)
  • Critical Area Planting (342)
  • Wildlife Habitat Planting (420)
  • Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (490)
  • Tree/Shrub Establishment (612)
  • Prescribed Grazing (528)

Project Partners

  • Polk Soil and Water Conservation District
  • Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
  • Institute for Applied Ecology
  • NRCS Oregon
  • Private landowners

Application Questions

NRCS uses prioritization questions to evaluate applications for this initiative. See the list of workload prioritization questions on the Oregon EQIP page. Ranking questions below will also apply.

Ranking Questions

  1. Is the project area within 3 miles of a powerline easement, that will improve connectivity of restored habitat units and mingling of herds?
  2. Do restoration efforts include installation of wildlife structures for priority species identified in the funding strategy, (birds, butterflies, ungulates, threatened and endangered species or species of concern)?
  3. Is the project area adjacent to another forest/woodland restoration project that has been or is scheduled to be completed by NRCS or partners?
  4. Will restoration include planting only native species with 3 years of brush and/or weed treatment as needed to ensure success of the planting?
  5. Is the project area within 2 miles of known Fender’s blue butterfly presence and designed to restore prairie meadows beneficial to recovery of the species?
  6. Will forage species be planted to improve habitat for deer and elk to reduce grazing pressure on agricultural farmland?