Land acquisition completes Mill Creek Ridge preservation

The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board provided $140,800 in funding for the acquisition, in addition to $50,000 from the American Bird Conservancy through funding from the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act. Local landowners also donated to make the deal possible, the trust reported.

Mill Creek Ridge is a scenic expanse of oak woodlands and wildflower meadows rising from the basalt flows that narrow the Columbia River west of The Dalles. The ridge’s woodlands and native grass prairies support pollinators as well as migratory and resident birds, including meadowlarks, bluebirds, and woodpeckers. It is located in the area of Seven Mile Hill Road.

“Mill Creek Ridge is home to a rich and diverse array of wildlife,” said Land Trust Executive Director Glenn Lamb, “wildlife that recalls a time when abundance flowed forth unconstrained by human forces.”

In a news release, Columbia Land Trust described the ridge as a “crucial feature” of a wildlife corridor that runs southwest to northeast.

Between 2006 and 2015, the Land Trust conserved more than 300 acres of the ridge across multiple properties, but one large intervening parcel still divided the protected areas.

On Feb. 26, the Land Trust acquired that key 115-acre parcel, completing the long-term goal of connecting up-ridge and down-ridge conserved lands.

After years of collaboration with area residents and funders, the conservation team has now protected more than 400 contiguous acres of striking vistas and increasingly rare native habitat for wildlife at the edge of the East Cascades.

With this project completed, the Land Trust’s work now turns to stewardship of the land. Staff will get to work controlling weeds, monitoring tree health, and planting where necessary to support wildlife in the area.