On Saturday, June 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., SOLC New Members are invited to explore this beautifully conserved, privately-owned, mountain property that supports an older working forest with outstanding wildlife habitat, aspen groves, a 20-acre wet meadow adjacent to the Howard Prairie Reservoir, and a cabin that is on the National Register of Historic Places.

In order to accommodate social distancing and safety, we are planning staggered, small-group self-guided tours throughout the day. Groups of eight will arrive at the scheduled times below and meet at the picnic tables. After a brief greeting and orientation, guests are welcome to explore designated paths with SOLC staff camped out at points along the way who can share with you some of the special qualities of this property. For those interested in learning about the property, but not able to hike, we have created a “no hike” option at 2 p.m.

Saturday, June 19, 2021 Options:

• 10 a.m. – 1 group of 8 people

• 10:30 a.m. – 1 group of 8 people

• 11 a.m. – 1 group of 8 people

• 11:30 a.m. – 1 group of 8 people

• 12 p.m. – 1 group of 8 people

• 12:30 p.m. – 1 group of 8 people

• 1 p.m. – 1 group of 8 people

• 1:30 p.m. – 1 group of 8 people

• 2 p.m. – 1 group of 8 people – NO HIKE OPTION – Special presentation

Current CDC and Oregon COVID-19 safety guidelines will be observed. Because of limited capacity, we encourage New Members to register early for the start time of their choice. The RSVP deadline is Monday, June 14. We will send a confirmation with directions to those who RSVP. Call us at 541-482-3069 or email info@landconserve.org if you have any questions or need assistance.

Register by Thursday, June 17

If you are interested in becoming a New Member or need to check your membership status, contact Kelly Gonzales at 541-816-5646 or email her for more information. Membership information can be found here.

Register to RSVP:

If you’re having trouble with the checkout box above, use this Register button and you will be sent to EventBrite to register:

Waiting List:
Folks on the waiting list often get invited to the hike, so please add your name if the hike is full.

MORE ABOUT THE PROPERTY

The162-acre Howard Prairie property has been managed by the Parsons family for a host of values, including wildlife and sustainably harvested timber since 1937. It’s a beautiful example of a working forest and a legacy of balancing conservation with harvesting timber. New members will have the opportunity to tour the land and learn more about this unique property.

The property is located on the Indian Memorial Plateau in the Southern Cascades ecoregion, a gently sloping region of around 100,000 acres. Historically, paleo-hunters used the area and numerous archeological sites show continuous use by Native Americans. The plateau was a trading crossroads for the Takelma, the Klamath, and the Shasta people.

Europeans first came to the area in the 1840s. After the Gold Rush began, ranching, grazing, and logging ensued. Today, the property contains state-listed sensitive and vulnerable species such as the White-headed Woodpecker, breeding Sandhill Cranes, and the Keene Creek pebblesnail. Common birds heard in the forest include Brown Creeper, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee, Common Raven and Golden-crowned Kinglet. Black bear, coyote, elk, cougar, and black-tailed deer also use the property.

This property has been selectively logged since 1954 and some logging occurred before then. A conservation easement protects a mixed conifer forest, several springs, a 20-acre meadow and several small aspen stands. Aspen stands in southwest Oregon west of the Cascade Crest are uncommon, small, and often threatened due to fire suppression and overgrazing. Mature conifers are widely scattered and some trees are more than 400 years old. One sugar pine tree is greater than five feet in diameter. The forested area also supports small openings and dry meadows.

The easement is bordered to the north by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and part of the eastern border is adjacent to Bureau of Reclamation land, also managed by the BLM. As a result, connectivity for species dispersal is excellent through the forests and large meadow to Howard Prairie Lake. Howard Prairie Lake is an important flyway for migratory birds such as Bald Eagles, Great Gray Owls, and Osprey. Approximately 40 to 50 percent of the nearby Jenny Creek Watershed has been clearcut since World War II, which removed the largest ponderosa and sugar pines, incense-cedar, and Douglas–fir trees. Frost pockets resulted in reforestation challenges and, around 1963, clearcuts were generally replaced with shelterwood cuts on public lands in the area.

SOLC works with landowners to keep forests intact and vibrant. We provide a way for willing land owners to protect these forest resources through conservation easements. Conservation easements such as the one on Jud Parsons’ Howard Prairie property ensure the land remains in a natural state, no matter who owns it. We would love to share it with you.

Banner image: Owner Jud Parsons enjoying the view of Howard Prairie.