Written by Jim Merzenich, 12/6/11

The Oak Basin Tree Farm contains two blocks. The Oak Basin block consists of 956 acres, located in the Coburg Hills, south of Brownsville, Oregon. It is comprised of two intermingled ownerships, belonging to Jim Merzenich and Karen Wilson and Ed and Nancy Merzenich. The Providence block contains 50 acres of forestland in the Willamette valley near Scio, Oregon.

The Providence block was initially purchased jointly by both families and is now owned by Jim and Karen. Upon purchase in 1990, approximately 22 acres were non-stocked or contained non-native conifers. These areas were cleared and planted to Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine. Most of the remainder of the area contained overstocked Douglas fir stands that were commercially thinned. Some thinned stands were subsequently blown down in severe winter storms and have been salvaged. Clear-cutting of stands to the south and west of this property contributed to this blowdown. More than 300 thousand board feet of timber has been sold from the Providence block during the last 20-year period as a result of thinning and salvage. Significant legacy trees, downed logs, and unique botanical areas have been retained. The result is an ecologically diverse area that now contains 40 acres of well-stocked pine and fir stands and ten acres of oak, ash, and cottonwood bottomland. Attesting to this diversity, over 180 species of fungi have been identified and photographed on this property by local mycologist Britney Wharton.

The larger Oak Basin block includes small valleys and ridges ranging in elevation from 550 feet to 2160 feet in the foothills of the Cascades. South and west aspects, which occupy half of the total acreage, generally support oak and oak savanna. Many areas have also been planted with native ponderosa pine which grows well on droughty soils. North and east aspects support Douglas fir, grand fir, and big leaf maple. Moist and dry meadows are dispersed throughout the property. Many of the valleys provide secluded areas attractive to deer, elk, and bear. Silver gray squirrels, ruffed grouse, wild turkeys, and both mountain and valley quail abound on the property.

Prior to our ownership his block was part of a large cattle operation and was heavily logged. Since our initial purchase in 1994, we have planted more than 350 thousand ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, western red cedar, and incense cedar seedlings to reestablish forest stands. We have also commercially thinned 70 acres of Douglas fir and have removed invasive conifers from over one-hundred acres of oak woodland.

Oregon white oak stands are one of the rarest natural habitats in the Northwest. Less than two percent of the Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) habitat, that once dominated the Willamette valley, remains, and most of this habitat is contained on private land. Oak Basin contains some of the largest intact parcels of oak and oak savanna habitat remaining in the southern Willamette valley with some stands exceeding 150 years of age (presettlement oak). Oak Basin is home to the endangered Fender’s Blue butterfly (Icaricia icarioides fenderi) and many other rare plant and vertebrate species associated with Oregon white oak woodlands and savanna. We are actively restoring these areas by removing the competing vegetation, mowing the brush, prescribe burning, and reestablishing native grasses and forbs.

Our primary objective is to demonstrate that a sustainable flow of harvestable timber can be produced from a property that is managed for native species protection. We believe that habitat protection can best be achieved by active management. We follow practices which will sustain and improve habitat for threatened and endangered species. This includes the restoration, maintenance, and expansion of existing oak habitat and the responsible management of all forested types. We strive to be an example to others that management can be ecologically sustainable while returning profits and services to the landowner.

Our management is consistent with the goal of ecological sustainability nurtured by the Forest Stewardship Council. We have chosen to join and retain our membership in the Northwest Natural Resource Group (NNRG) to insure that our management continues to meet the highest possible ecological standards. We are working to establish a Conservation Easement on all or a portion of our property and desire that it remains undeveloped in perpetuity. Being an actively managed tree farm, we also sell logs, lumber, and other forest products that are certified as being green and sustainably produced by FSC.

The management of Oak Basin tree farm would not be possible without the assistance of many active partners. Oak Basin tree farm is certified by both the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) and by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Ed Merzenich was the western Oregon runner-up in the ATFS competition in the year 2000. We will continue to work closely with both of these associations. We aspire to be Oregon Tree Farmers of the year based on our restoration work.

We have signed long-term management agreements with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) “Partners for Fish and Wildlife” program to protect rare, threatened, and endangered species. In return we receive assistance identifying areas of environmental concern, controlling noxious weeds, and restoring native habitats.

Since 2005 we have worked with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to restore oak savanna and upland prairie habitat. TNC botanists have compiled a list of native and non-native vascular plants on our property and the adjoining BLM property. Jean Jancaitis of TNC has done invaluable work writing and administering grant proposals and doing on-the-ground surveys and native seed collections.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODF&W) has provided us with “green forage” funds to improve wintering habitat for Elk and Blacktail deer. Most of this work involved mowing and control of non-native blackberries and other noxious weeds in our native grasslands.

In 2006 we received a $60,000 grant to restore oak and upland habitats for the endangered Fender’s Blue butterfly. Our cost-share contribution to this project was $30,000. The US Fish and Wildlife Service, Nature Conservancy, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife were all involved in the implementation of this work which concluded with a 20 acre prescribed burn in 2010.

Critical Fender’s Blue butterfly habitat is also present on adjoining Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land and the BLM has designated our combined site as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). In 2009 we received an $80,000 grant to jointly restore these lands. Work on this grant is now in process.

In 2010 and 2011 we received Wildlife Habitat Improvement (WHIP) grants from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to restore ecological conditions in our oak and conifer woodlands, and to remove exotic plants. We have treated more than 150 acres under this grant.

Raelene Gordin of the Corvallis Audubon Society has helped us set up a Bluebird trail on the property and is helping to monitor nesting success; Bob Altman of the American Bird Conservancy is conducting surveys to determine the effects of oak habitat restoration on bird distribution; and Dr Bart Johnson and his students from the University of Oregon have established permanent transects across portions of our property to assess the effects of management treatments to restore oak woodlands. Dr Johnson has also provided detailed maps showing historic (pre-European settlement) vegetative conditions.

Through outreach and assistance we support our local community. For the past sixteen years co-owner Ed Merzenich has operated a portable Wood-Mizer sawmill utilizing wood harvested from our farm. Virtually all of the interior wood work contained in the Baxter Hill Community Hall in Salem Oregon was sawn by Ed. In addition Ed oversaw the construction of the center and solicited donations of time and materials from other donors. For this work Ed was selected as the 2011 Grand Champion of the “for the good of others” award by the Wood-Mizer Corporation.

We have given several presentations to outside groups to encourage restoration of oak habitats and to demonstrate that sound timber management can be compatible with endangered species protection. These include presentations to:

•    The Northwest Ecology Group; Salem OR; April, 2008
•    The Wildlife Society; Newport, OR: Feb, 2006 and Bend, OR; March, 2010
•    Federal Land Managers (USFS, BLM, USFWS); Finley Refuge; June, 2010

In March of 2009 a cover article called “Saving the endangered oak savanna” was included in the Linn County Extension Association newspaper. This article, written by Charlene Vecchi, describes the work we are doing on Oak Basin Tree farm.

In conjunction with the American Tree Farm System, the Oregon Small Woodlands Association, the Oak Working Group, and the Willamette Valley Ponderosa Pine Conservation Association we have given several tours of both the Oak Basin, and Providence properties. We have also attended tours on many other properties to see how our management can be improved. We will remain active in these organizations and continue this outreach.

Links:

• Mushroom photos from Providence Block
  

• NRCS report on Oak Basin Tree Farm Tour (May, 2011)
• Photos of Baxter Hill Community Hall, Salem, Oregon.