Austin Hot Springs

The Tribes are working with the Clackamas River Basin Council to restore riparian conditions that have been severely impacted by ongoing trespass at the site. Work will remove roads and vehicle access to the area and extensively plant site with native vegetation.

Red Hills

The Red Hills Land Management Plan was completed in 2021. Once a forest management plan is completed, future timber sales will then be completed to remove Douglas-fir trees in order to free up room for existing and future Oregon White Oak. Weed control and site access development will also be planned.

Pine Creek

• The Lowland Restoration Project: This project is treating invasive vegetation in old farm fields and re-planting with native bunchgrasses, riparian trees and shrubs. This project is very large, time consuming, and will take years to complete.
• The Robinson Watershed Restoration Project, headed by the Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) will commence in 2026. This is a multi-year project involving restoration of the stream hydrologic functions of Robinson Creek, the main tributary to Pine Creek. Goals are to restore ground water, surface flow and riparian vegetation, improving the watershed for use by fish, beaver and other wildlife.
• Beaver in Pine Creek: human efforts are not alone in restoration work. The beaver population has increased steadily since the mid-2000’s. Beaver’s presence in the watershed is a boon to restoration work – their dams serve to hold water in the system, replenish ground water, prevent erosion and runoff, expand marsh and riparian areas, and create habitat for fish and other wildlife.
• Juniper removal continues in the Robinson Creek watershed. Juniper populations have greatly increased through a century of fire suppression. Projects like this have been shown to reduce fuel loads and increase water flows in creeks.

Middle Fork Forrest

• The second phase of the Vincent to Caribou project was completed in 2020. This project involved removing riprap from the river banks and adding large wood to the river for enhancing fish habitat. This project also connected side-channels by breaching a railroad grade in the floodplain. In 2021, a large deer- and elk-proof fence, along with thousands of trees were planted. Additional planting will continue at the site annually until a riparian forest is restored.
• The first phase of the Vinegar to Vincent reach was completed in late 2020, which included fencing, planting, and preparatory work for a very large project to restore the river back to its configuration before the railroad was constructed at the turn of the 20th century. Planting and plant management was the focus in 2021. In 2022, the river will be re-routed into the newly constructed channels, with additional planting, fencing and other elements being completed. The Tribes have partnered with the Bureau of Reclamation for design and technical assistance on this project. This project is managed by the Tribes’ John Day Watershed Restoration Program.