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• 1. [Article] Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon

  In July 2012, we sampled 131 plots in wet meadow habitat at the southern end of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Analysis of the data identified eleven different plant associations: Alopecurus pratensis, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Year: 2013 In July 2012, we sampled 131 plots in wet meadow habitat at the southern end of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Analysis of the data identified eleven different plant associations: Alopecurus pratensis, Carex aquatilis var. aquatilis, Carex nebrascensis, Carex pellita, Carex praegracilis, Carex sheldonii, Distichlis spicata, Juncus balticus, Leymus triticoides, Phalaris arundinacea, and Sparganium eurycarpum. Plant associations spanned a wetland gradient from seasonally moist to seasonally or perennially flooded, but surface water had left most stands at time of sampling. Mean Wetland Indicator Status scores help to place the plant associations within gradients in soil moisture and alkalinity. The Alopecurus pratensis and Phalaris arundinacea associations are dominated by exotic, invasive species and appear to be outcompeting native plant associations. Phases of the Carex praegracilis association appear to be replaced by the Alopecurus pratensis association, while the Carex pellita, Juncus balticus, and Leymus triticoides associations may be replaced by the Phalaris arundinacea association. The Carex aquatilis and Sparganium eurycarpum associations were undersampled and provide only an estimate of composition. Most associations are consistent with what has been included in the National Vegetation Classification. Title: Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Year: 2013 In July 2012, we sampled 131 plots in wet meadow habitat at the southern end of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Analysis of the data identified eleven different plant associations: Alopecurus pratensis, Carex aquatilis var. aquatilis, Carex nebrascensis, Carex pellita, Carex praegracilis, Carex sheldonii, Distichlis spicata, Juncus balticus, Leymus triticoides, Phalaris arundinacea, and Sparganium eurycarpum. Plant associations spanned a wetland gradient from seasonally moist to seasonally or perennially flooded, but surface water had left most stands at time of sampling. Mean Wetland Indicator Status scores help to place the plant associations within gradients in soil moisture and alkalinity. The Alopecurus pratensis and Phalaris arundinacea associations are dominated by exotic, invasive species and appear to be outcompeting native plant associations. Phases of the Carex praegracilis association appear to be replaced by the Alopecurus pratensis association, while the Carex pellita, Juncus balticus, and Leymus triticoides associations may be replaced by the Phalaris arundinacea association. The Carex aquatilis and Sparganium eurycarpum associations were undersampled and provide only an estimate of composition. Most associations are consistent with what has been included in the National Vegetation Classification. Close

• 2. [Article] History, Current Conditions, and Wetland Restoration at Killin Wetlands Natural Area, Washington County, Oregon

  In September 2014, the Metro Natural Area Program engaged The Wetland Conservancy to develop a scientific assessment of Metro’s 590-acre Killin Wetlands Natural Area. Metro acquired the lands comprising ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: History, Current Conditions, and Wetland Restoration at Killin Wetlands Natural Area, Washington County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Year: 2015 In September 2014, the Metro Natural Area Program engaged The Wetland Conservancy to develop a scientific assessment of Metro’s 590-acre Killin Wetlands Natural Area. Metro acquired the lands comprising the KWNA between 2000 and 2012 with funds from two voterapproved open space bond measures. Since 2000, Metro has sought to advance natural area restoration at the site, focusing on the suppression of non-native pasture weeds and planting of native trees and shrubs in higher parts of the floodplain and its edges. Most uplands in Metro ownership have been maintained in agriculture through leased partnerships with local farmers. Metro and its partners have observed the effects of persistent flooding at the site, which began prior to Metro’s acquisition of the property. Most notable has been the decline of the once abundant Geyer willow stand, a prominent and valued feature of the site. In February 2014, Metro convened several key scientists familiar with the wetland, and its underlying Labish soil, to discuss what was known about the Killin Wetlands and possible next steps in advancing restoration there. That discussion focused on the subsidence of organic soils, caused by artificial drainage, and led to the recommendation that a review of regional peat soil wetlands would be an important step in developing an informed plan for preserving and restoring Killin Wetlands. This report presents that review. Title: History, Current Conditions, and Wetland Restoration at Killin Wetlands Natural Area, Washington County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Year: 2015 In September 2014, the Metro Natural Area Program engaged The Wetland Conservancy to develop a scientific assessment of Metro’s 590-acre Killin Wetlands Natural Area. Metro acquired the lands comprising the KWNA between 2000 and 2012 with funds from two voterapproved open space bond measures. Since 2000, Metro has sought to advance natural area restoration at the site, focusing on the suppression of non-native pasture weeds and planting of native trees and shrubs in higher parts of the floodplain and its edges. Most uplands in Metro ownership have been maintained in agriculture through leased partnerships with local farmers. Metro and its partners have observed the effects of persistent flooding at the site, which began prior to Metro’s acquisition of the property. Most notable has been the decline of the once abundant Geyer willow stand, a prominent and valued feature of the site. In February 2014, Metro convened several key scientists familiar with the wetland, and its underlying Labish soil, to discuss what was known about the Killin Wetlands and possible next steps in advancing restoration there. That discussion focused on the subsidence of organic soils, caused by artificial drainage, and led to the recommendation that a review of regional peat soil wetlands would be an important step in developing an informed plan for preserving and restoring Killin Wetlands. This report presents that review. Close

• 3. [Article] Historical and Existing Vascular and Bryophyte Flora, Former Blue Heron Paper Mill, Willamette Falls, Oregon City, Oregon

  Willamette Falls has long been a focus of botanical interest, but industrial development at the site has limited public access for over a century. The closure of the Blue Heron paper mill on the south ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Historical and Existing Vascular and Bryophyte Flora, Former Blue Heron Paper Mill, Willamette Falls, Oregon City, Oregon Author: Christy, John A., Gaddis, Philip Year: 2015 Willamette Falls has long been a focus of botanical interest, but industrial development at the site has limited public access for over a century. The closure of the Blue Heron paper mill on the south bank of the river, and proposed redevelopment of the site, has given planners an opportunity to revisit this part of the falls and identify its current flora. As part of the preconstruction planning process for public access to the falls, Metro contracted John Christy to document the historical and existing vascular flora on the site, and Philip Gaddis joined us to document the bryophyte flora. For millennia, the falls has been a magnet for fishing, settlement, and more recent industrial development. Photographs by Carleton Watkins show that the south bank of the river at Willamette Falls had been modified for industrial uses as early as 1867. Infrastructure included dams and spillways to create a boat basin, and millraces to power a sawmill, gristmill, and woolen mill. Later, paper mills and electrical generating stations were built on both sides of the falls. These activities concentrated at the falls have impacted all native habitat except vertical cliff faces on basalt outcrops along the river. Significant portions of the shoreline at the Blue Heron site have been modified by fill. Remaining habitat in natural or semi-natural condition includes areas hydrated by tidal action of the Willamette River, areas of seasonal or perennial seepage below spillways and the old grinders, and basalt outcrops with varying exposures. The basalt outcrops are a relic of the Bretz or Missoula Floods (Allen et al. 1986), and exposures along this part of the Willamette River provide outlier habitat for both mesic and xeric species more common in the Columbia River Gorge (Detling 1958). Willamette Falls has a similar history to that of Niagara Falls in terms of industrial development, presence of a rock substrate supporting disjunct populations of rare plants, and botanical exploration that occurred primarily between 1885 and 1915 (Eckel 2013). Title: Historical and Existing Vascular and Bryophyte Flora, Former Blue Heron Paper Mill, Willamette Falls, Oregon City, Oregon Author: Christy, John A., Gaddis, Philip Year: 2015 Willamette Falls has long been a focus of botanical interest, but industrial development at the site has limited public access for over a century. The closure of the Blue Heron paper mill on the south bank of the river, and proposed redevelopment of the site, has given planners an opportunity to revisit this part of the falls and identify its current flora. As part of the preconstruction planning process for public access to the falls, Metro contracted John Christy to document the historical and existing vascular flora on the site, and Philip Gaddis joined us to document the bryophyte flora. For millennia, the falls has been a magnet for fishing, settlement, and more recent industrial development. Photographs by Carleton Watkins show that the south bank of the river at Willamette Falls had been modified for industrial uses as early as 1867. Infrastructure included dams and spillways to create a boat basin, and millraces to power a sawmill, gristmill, and woolen mill. Later, paper mills and electrical generating stations were built on both sides of the falls. These activities concentrated at the falls have impacted all native habitat except vertical cliff faces on basalt outcrops along the river. Significant portions of the shoreline at the Blue Heron site have been modified by fill. Remaining habitat in natural or semi-natural condition includes areas hydrated by tidal action of the Willamette River, areas of seasonal or perennial seepage below spillways and the old grinders, and basalt outcrops with varying exposures. The basalt outcrops are a relic of the Bretz or Missoula Floods (Allen et al. 1986), and exposures along this part of the Willamette River provide outlier habitat for both mesic and xeric species more common in the Columbia River Gorge (Detling 1958). Willamette Falls has a similar history to that of Niagara Falls in terms of industrial development, presence of a rock substrate supporting disjunct populations of rare plants, and botanical exploration that occurred primarily between 1885 and 1915 (Eckel 2013). Close

• 4. [Article] Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Double O Unit, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon

  This report summarizes vegetation data collected in July 2015 in wet meadow and marshy habitats on the Double O Unit of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR). Because vegetation sampled at the Double ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Double O Unit, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Year: 2016 This report summarizes vegetation data collected in July 2015 in wet meadow and marshy habitats on the Double O Unit of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR). Because vegetation sampled at the Double O was wetter and more alkaline than wet meadows sampled at the south end of the refuge in 2012 and 2013 (Christy 2014), data from the Double O Unit were analyzed and summarized separately. A total of 83 plots were sampled in 2015, and analysis of the data identified 14 plant associations: Alopecurus aequalis - Juncus balticus, Alopecurus pratensis - Potentilla anserina, Carex praegracilis - Juncus balticus, Cicuta douglasii - Carex nebrascensis, Distichlis spicata - Amphiscirpus nevadensis, Distichlis spicata - Nitrophila occidentalis, Eleocharis palustris - Juncus balticus, Eleocharis rostellata, Juncus balticus - Glaux maritima, Hippuris vulgaris - Triglochin maritima, Leymus triticoides - Juncus balticus, Schoenoplectus americanus, Spartina gracilis, and Triglochin maritima. Plant associations spanned a wetland gradient from seasonally moist to seasonally or perennially flooded, but surface water had left most stands at time of sampling. Mean Wetland Indicator Status scores and species composition help to place the plant associations within gradients in soil moisture and alkalinity. Seven of the 14 plant associations are listed in the International Vegetation Classification, and the remaining types are provisional Title: Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Double O Unit, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Year: 2016 This report summarizes vegetation data collected in July 2015 in wet meadow and marshy habitats on the Double O Unit of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR). Because vegetation sampled at the Double O was wetter and more alkaline than wet meadows sampled at the south end of the refuge in 2012 and 2013 (Christy 2014), data from the Double O Unit were analyzed and summarized separately. A total of 83 plots were sampled in 2015, and analysis of the data identified 14 plant associations: Alopecurus aequalis - Juncus balticus, Alopecurus pratensis - Potentilla anserina, Carex praegracilis - Juncus balticus, Cicuta douglasii - Carex nebrascensis, Distichlis spicata - Amphiscirpus nevadensis, Distichlis spicata - Nitrophila occidentalis, Eleocharis palustris - Juncus balticus, Eleocharis rostellata, Juncus balticus - Glaux maritima, Hippuris vulgaris - Triglochin maritima, Leymus triticoides - Juncus balticus, Schoenoplectus americanus, Spartina gracilis, and Triglochin maritima. Plant associations spanned a wetland gradient from seasonally moist to seasonally or perennially flooded, but surface water had left most stands at time of sampling. Mean Wetland Indicator Status scores and species composition help to place the plant associations within gradients in soil moisture and alkalinity. Seven of the 14 plant associations are listed in the International Vegetation Classification, and the remaining types are provisional Close

• 5. [Article] History, Current Conditions, and Wetland Restoration at Killin Wetlands Natural Area, Washington County, Oregon

  Produced by The Wetlands Conservancy and Oregon Biodiversity Information Center, Institute for Natural Resources, Portland State University for Metro, August 2015.

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: History, Current Conditions, and Wetland Restoration at Killin Wetlands Natural Area, Washington County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Produced by The Wetlands Conservancy and Oregon Biodiversity Information Center, Institute for Natural Resources, Portland State University for Metro, August 2015. Title: History, Current Conditions, and Wetland Restoration at Killin Wetlands Natural Area, Washington County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Produced by The Wetlands Conservancy and Oregon Biodiversity Information Center, Institute for Natural Resources, Portland State University for Metro, August 2015. Close

• 6. [Article] Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Double O Unit, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon

  Jess Wenick and Chad Karges of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) provided guidance, logistical support, and funding to The Wetlands Conservancy (TWC) for this project. Esther Lev of TWC coordinated ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Double O Unit, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Jess Wenick and Chad Karges of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) provided guidance, logistical support, and funding to The Wetlands Conservancy (TWC) for this project. Esther Lev of TWC coordinated the project and provided guidance as a member of the Ecology Woring Group (EWG). Vegetation sampling was done by Bruce Newhouse, Richard Brainerd, Jess Wenick, and Barry Smith. Title: Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Double O Unit, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Jess Wenick and Chad Karges of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) provided guidance, logistical support, and funding to The Wetlands Conservancy (TWC) for this project. Esther Lev of TWC coordinated the project and provided guidance as a member of the Ecology Woring Group (EWG). Vegetation sampling was done by Bruce Newhouse, Richard Brainerd, Jess Wenick, and Barry Smith. Close

• 7. [Article] Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon

  Report by Portland State University's Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC), part of the Oregon University System's Institute for Natural Resources

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Report by Portland State University's Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC), part of the Oregon University System's Institute for Natural Resources Title: Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Report by Portland State University's Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC), part of the Oregon University System's Institute for Natural Resources Close