Oregon's Oak: A Vanishing Legacy
(8:28 minute video) Oregon white oaks or Garry oak (Quercus garryana) is an iconic tree of the Willamette Valley and Pacific NW. Its...
Restore Oregon Oak Habitat
(2-page brochure.) Walama Restoration Project: Restore and Protect a Native Ecosystem in Your Backyard; A Vanishing Ecosystem; Oaks and Their History in the Willamette Valley; How Should I Restore and Preserve My Oak Habitat? #Northwest #Oregon #Restoration #WillametteValley #OakSavanna #OakWoodland #Biodiversity #OregonWhiteOaks
Oregon Explorer
You can search the Oregon Explorer website (OSU Institute for Natural Resources) for a wealth of information about the natural history and landscapes of the Willamette Valley. Here are some snippets we gleaned on earlier explorations. "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
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,...
Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants
( book by Doug Tallamy, several versions available in papeback and hardback) "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
Northwest Prairies: What is a Prairie?
(16:46 minute video) An educational documentary about Puget Sound prairies: what are prairies; Native American use of prairies; loss of...
City of Eugene Native Plant Alternatives
(6-page PDF document) Native Plant Alternatives. "There are many beautiful native species that are readily available from local native plant nurseries. Below is a list of some of the more common species that are found in the southern Willamette Valley. While native species generally require less water and care than non-native species, this is only true when planted in the appropriate soil moisture and sunlight conditions. We have tried to include brief notes on habitat requi
Western Oregon Prairies
(2-page brochure) What are prairies?; Animals and plants of upland prairies; Are prairies in trouble?; How can you help? Native prairies are a severely endangered habitat in Western Oregon... Oregon State University and US Fish and Wildlife Service. Western Oregon Prairies
What's So Special About Oregon White Oaks?
(1-page article by Cynthia Orlando, Oregon Dept. of Forestry.) " 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. O
Native Herbaceous Plants in Our Gardens: A Guide for the Willamette Valley
(40-page booklet) Excerpts from Native Herbaceous Plants In Our Gardens: "Growing native herbaceous plants in our gardens may preserve or re-introduce many of the diverse plants that weave natural tapestries across the Willamette Valley. Herbaceous plants are annuals and perennials that lack woody stems; they include bulbs, grasses, sedges, rushes, evergreen and deciduous ferns, and broad-leaved flowering plants. Historically, these native plants thrived in the Willamette V
