Deschutes Land Trust Preserves 4500-Acre Central Oregon Ranch, Includes Spawning Grounds For Wild Steelhead

The Deschutes Land Trust has purchased Priday Ranch, a new conservation project on 4,500 acres north of Madras, Oregon that includes steelhead spawning streams.

“Priday Ranch is one of the signature properties of Central Oregon, long recognized for its outstanding natural values. It includes 10 miles of steelhead spawning streams, making it important to the survival of Deschutes River wild steelhead. Priday Ranch’s rugged topography is also home to nesting golden eagles, mule deer, and Rocky Mountain elk, and will remain an important refuge for plants and animals in a warming climate,” said Brad Nye, the Land Trust’s conservation director.

Annan and Marla Priday worked with the Land Trust to conserve Priday Ranch. “We chose to work with the Land Trust because their goals for the land were similar to ours. The main ranch had been part of our family’s ranching operations for more than 100 years and we wanted to keep it intact. We felt the Land Trust valued that history and would build on our efforts to help keep Trout Creek healthy for steelhead,” said Annan Priday.

The Land Trust is working with partners and neighbors to develop a management plan that will guide its long-term stewardship of this private property

One management priority will be working with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District to maintain and expand their long-term restoration efforts on Trout Creek. Other priorities include planning for wildfire risks and responses and slowing the spread of noxious weeds.

The trust says it will also work with the Wasco and Jefferson county planning departments to bring local communities onto the property through its guided Walks + Hikes, educational activities with local schools, and other avenues.

Like many Land Trust projects, Priday Ranch is within the lands ceded to the United States by the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation in the 1855 Treaty with the Tribes of Middle Oregon, and the Land Trust will look to involve the Tribes in developing management strategies.

The Land Trust noted the Pelton Round Butte Mitigation Fund, the Pacific Northwest Resilient Landscapes Initiative, and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for their initial support in conserving Priday Ranch forever.

The Deschutes Land Trust is Central Oregon’s locally-based, nationally-accredited land trust. Celebrating 25 years of conserving and caring for land in Central Oregon, the Deschutes Land Trust has protected more than 17,523 acres for wildlife, scenic views, and local communities.

For more information on the Deschutes Land Trust visit www.deschuteslandtrust.org

More news from CBB: