Category Overview
The State Lands Restoration and Enhancement category provides funding to two state agencies to help repair damaged plant and animal habitat. These grants focus on resource preservation and protection of public lands. Projects in this category help bring important natural areas and resources back to their original functions by improving the self sustaining and ecological functionality of sites.
Project Highlights
The Department of Natural Resources treated 80 acres of oak woodlands and mixed conifer-oak forests within the White Salmon Oak NRCA. This work restored the critically imperiled east cascade oak-ponderosa pine forest and woodland and benefited two priority spices: western grey squirrel and Surkdorf’s desert-parsley. Along with the benefits to these species, the work increased climate change resiliency and fire resiliency in this portion of the NRCA by reducing fuel loads and stocking rates of conifers. Restoration work included removing Douglas fir and ponderosa pine trees that were overtopping mature oak trees. Many of the oaks were shaded out by the conifers. Thinning these trees reduced competition for sunlight and nutrients and increased oak growth. Some of the larger conifers were girdled to create snags for future wildlife habitat. During the initial planning process all Western Gray Squirrel nests were identified so they would not be removed during the thinning. The cut material was either scattered or piled and burned later. All remaining unburned piles will be burned in 2025 by DNR fire staff. In addition to the thinning, scattered invasive species were removed manually throughout the treatment area. Permanent monitoring plots were established before the treatment. Pre and post treatment data was collected to determine effectiveness of the thinning prescription. In the future DNR staff will continue to monitor these plots to determine long term changes over time. Monitoring protocol was developed by the East Cascades Oak Partnership and this information will inform future management activities at this site and other similar areas in the Columbia Gorge region.