Wildlife is one of the key priorities of the District, so we want to take every opportunity to evaluate wildlife habitat at the farm. We invited Habitat Conservation Biologist Elizabeth Ruther with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife out to the farm to observe the habitat in the farm’s current condition.
What we found was that there are great opportunities for terrestrial and aquatic wildlife species already present on the farm. We also discovered that there is always room for improvement. As seen in the pictures we have a mix of good and not-so-good critters roaming the place, and each one gives us clues as to how to enhance habitat at the farm. The absence of a few species was also a good indicator of the wildlife potential if we can improve habitat.
This visit helps us develop a foundation for future improvements. It was great to hear that there are plenty of ways to improve wildlife habitat without reducing the ability to effectively farm the property. That’s a win for everyone, and reinforces the message we provide to our landowners: farming and wildlife do not have to be mutually exclusive.
