
Dance of the Duskywing: A Butterfly on the Brink
(6:02 minute video) This short film, Dance of the Duskywing: A Butterfly on the Brink tells the story of the Propertius Duskywing butterfly (Erynnis propertius), one of over 100 rare and endangered species that rely on the Garry Oak (= Oregon white oak) ecosystem for their survival. The butterfly needs an intact natural understory as well as the oak trees themselves. Many butterflies are in decline due to loss of habitat, including Northwest oak habitat. Butterfly health is t


Oregon White Oak: Cherished by human and butterfly alike
There are many reasons to love this mighty oak, it provides forage and shelter for wildlife, nesting materials for birds, attracts pollinato

Creating a Living Landscape (Wildflower Meadow): Why Native Plants Matter
(Includes 4:09 min. video clip) Bird-Friendly Communities Why Native Plants Matter Restoring native plant habitat is vital to preserving biodiversity. By creating a native plant garden, each patch of habitat becomes part of a collective effort to nurture and sustain the living landscape for birds and other animals. Over the past century, urbanization has taken intact, ecologically productive land and fragmented and transformed it with lawns and exotic ornamental plants. The c

Conserving Oak Habitats in the Southern Willamette Valley
Conserving Oak Habitats in the Southern Willamette Valley (4 page brochure) Topics: Willamette Valley Oaks Yesterday and Today, Oak Species, Change in Extent of Willamette Valley Strategy Habitats, Willamette Valley Oak Habitats, Wildlife, Restoring Oak Habitats, What Does Oak Restoration Look Like?, Partners Working to Preserve and Manage Oak Habitats (Rivers To Ridges Partnership), Oak Habitat Resource Links. #OregonWhiteOaks #CityofEugene #OakWoodland #OakSavanna #Wildlife
Willamette Basin Explorer
"Preserving and restoring natural ecosystems is one way citizens of the Willamette Valley choose to maintain their quality of life." "By 1850...[the] ecological mosaic that had seen relatively gradual change for a 1,000 years entered a period of rapid change. This change continues today, with population in the basin projected to reach nearly four million people by 2050, nearly double today's number. This is equivalent to adding 13 cities the size of Eugene." "Settlers fresh f

The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden
Many gardeners today want a home landscape that nourishes and fosters wildlife. But they also want beauty, a space for the kids to play, privacy, and maybe even a vegetable patch. Sure, it’s a tall order, but The Living Landscape shows how to do it. By combining the insights of two outstanding authors, it offers a model that anyone can follow. Inspired by its examples, you’ll learn the strategies for making and maintaining a diverse, layered landscape—one that offers beauty o


Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants
"The value of oaks for supporting [...] wildlife cannot be overstated. [...] Acorns fill the bellies of deer, raccoons, turkeys, mice, black bear, squirrels, and even wood ducks. Cavities that develop in living and dead oak giants supply vital nesting sites for dozens of species of birds [...] no other plant genus supports more species of Lepidoptera, thus providing more types of bird food, than the mighty oak." "Most compelling to me, however, is the use of native species to
What's So Special About Oregon White Oaks?
What's So Special About Oregon White Oaks? It’s now estimated that more than 99 percent of pre-settlement prairies and savannas in Oregon have been converted to urban areas, farms, and other developments. In addition to urban development, yet another challenge to this native tree is the spread of invasive plant species. Diversity of bird species is often higher in oak forests than in adjacent conifer forests. Oregon white oaks provide favorable habitat to a number of importan