View of Mt Pisgah’s western slope, April 1972 Habitat Management Plan Howard Buford Recreation Area June 22, 2018 View of Mt Pisgah’s western slope, April 2017 Prepared by Lane County Parks Division, Public Works Department In partnership with Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah and Mount Pisgah Arboretum blank Acknowledgements Board of County Commissioners Lane County Parks Advisory Committee Buford Park Habitat Management Plan Technical Advisory Group Ed Alverson, The Nature Conservancy Paul Hoobyar, Watersheds Inc. (TAG Facilitator) Sandra Koike, Project intern Tom LoCascio, Mount Pisgah Arboretum Glenn Miller, Oregon Department of Agriculture Bruce Newhouse, Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah Roberta Swift and Garrett Dorsey, US Army Corps of Engineers Ben Tilley, Bonneville Power Administration Greg Wagenblast, Oregon Dept. of Forestry Jeff Ziller, Kelly Reis, Erik Moberly, Brian Wolfer, and Chris Yee, Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Lane County Public Works and Parks Division Ed Alverson Charlie Conrad Chad Hoffman Dan Hurley Fraser MacDonald John Moriarty Mike Russell Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah Jason Blazar Jeff Krueger Chris Orsinger Mount Pisgah Arboretum Brad van Appel Rich Kelly Photos provided by: Ed Alverson, Jason Blazar, Kate Blazar, Jeff Krueger, Chris Orsinger, Jim Reed. blank Table of Contents Chapter 1: Executive Summary ...........................................................................................................1 1.1 Conservation Vision ............................................................................................................................ 2 1.2 Management Goals ............................................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Moving Forward .................................................................................................................................. 3 1.4 Stakeholder Groups ............................................................................................................................ 3 1.5 The Planning Process .......................................................................................................................... 4 1.6 Methodology ....................................................................................................................................... 4 1.7 Public Input ......................................................................................................................................... 5 1.8 Chapter 1 References .......................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2: Purpose & Need ................................................................................................................7 2.1 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Regional Context: Mount Pisgah’s Importance .................................................................................. 7 2.3 Rare Habitats at HBRA......................................................................................................................... 7 2.4 Managing Conservation Targets & Fire Risk in a Changing Climate ................................................... 9 2.5 Relationship to Previous Plans ............................................................................................................ 9 2.5.1 HBRA Master Plan (1994) ........................................................................................................... 9 2.5.2 Confluence of Coast and Middle Forks Willamette River Project Area – Alternatives Team Recommendation (1997) ......................................................................................................... 10 2.5.3 South Meadow Management Plan (2002) ............................................................................... 10 2.5.4 Rivers to Ridges Open Space Study (2003) .............................................................................. 11 2.5.5 Oregon Conservation Strategy (2006, updated in 2016) ......................................................... 11 2.5.6 Willamette River Open Space Vision (2010) ............................................................................ 12 2.5.7 Lane County Parks and Open Space Master Plan (1981) and Lane County Parks Master Plan (revision in development) ....................................................................................................... 13 2.5.8 Other Plans and Assessments .................................................................................................. 13 2.6 Chapter 2 References ........................................................................................................................ 14 Chapter 3: Methodology .................................................................................................................. 15 3.1 The Conservation Action Planning Process ....................................................................................... 15 3.1.1 Why This Tool Was Selected .................................................................................................... 15 3.1.2 Other Conservation Action Plans developed in Western Oregon............................................ 15 3.2 Planning Process Overview ............................................................................................................... 16 3.2.1 Technical Advisory Group ........................................................................................................ 16 3.3 Public Involvement ............................................................................................................................ 17 3.3.1 Lane County Technical Review ................................................................................................. 18 3.3.2 Habitat Management Plan, Version 2 ...................................................................................... 18 3.3.3 Habitat Management Plan, Version 3 ...................................................................................... 18 3.4 Chapter 3 References ........................................................................................................................ 19 Chapter 4: Conservation Vision, Conservation Targets, and Other Habitats ........................................ 20 4.1 Conservation Vision Statement......................................................................................................... 20 4.2 Conservation Targets ........................................................................................................................ 20 4.2.1 Upland prairie and savanna ..................................................................................................... 21 4.2.2 Oregon Vesper Sparrow ........................................................................................................... 22 4.2.3 Oak Woodland .......................................................................................................................... 22 4.2.5 Bradshaw’s lomatium ............................................................................................................... 24 4.2.6 Buckbrush chaparral ................................................................................................................ 25 4.2.7 Willamette riparian systems and associated floodplain .......................................................... 25 4.2.8 Creeks and Streams .................................................................................................................. 26 4.2.9 Visitor Experience..................................................................................................................... 27 4.2.10 Other Habitats ........................................................................................................................ 27 4.3 Projected Increase in Extent of Focal Conservation Target Habitats and Resources ....................... 29 4.4 Chapter 4 References ........................................................................................................................ 32 Chapter 5: Viability and Threats to the Conservation Targets ............................................................ 32 5.1 Assessing the Viability of Each Conservation Target ........................................................................ 34 5.2 Assessing Threats to Each Conservation Target................................................................................ 34 5.3 Chapter 5 References ........................................................................................................................ 34 Chapter 6: Goals and Strategies ........................................................................................................ 44 6.1 Overview of Goals and Strategies ..................................................................................................... 44 6.2 Chapter 6 References ........................................................................................................................ 51 Chapter 7: Enhancing Visitor Experience While Managing Habitats .................................................... 52 7.1 Recreational and Educational Values of Healthy Native Habitats .................................................... 52 7.2 Balancing Visitor experience