June 24 & 25 Hike and Learn
A group of us had the pleasure of learning from Tim Montfort, a long time Hydrologist with the Bureau of Land Management. He presented on the acquisition and extensive restoration work of the former Box O' Ranch. Jenny Creek, a tributary of the Klamath flows through the site and is the main focus of the restoration work. Over years the ranch sustained damage from continuous cattle grazing which degraded the meadows and riparian habitat. Once the BLM acquired the property, restoration work quickly began recontouring the stream, removing ditches, and replanting riparian vegetation. The Soda Mountain Wilderness was designated in 2009 fully encompassing and further protecting the site. In 2019, Jenny Creek was designated as "Scenic" under The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. These numerous protections help preserve this fragile and diverse ecosystem as refugia for The Jenny Creek Sucker and other important species.
After our Friday evening talk, we ventured out on a hot Saturday in June to visit the site. Tim took us on a tour of the many obvious historical elements present there, barns, farm equipment, and now remediated irrigation ditches. We visited the banks of Jenny Creek to observe lush patches of Willow, Oregon Ash, and Ponderosa Pine. As we walked along, we compared before and after photos turning back time to examine how restoration truly works. It was amazing to witness the vast effort put in to restore and improve this landscape. A lot has happened in the last 30 years to see what we saw that day, and there is still more work to do. While not the most accessible site, if you are fortunate enough to visit, you can take in the sweeping meadows, interesting history, and rejuvenating Jenny Creek. While you're there, close your eyes and imagine what another generation of conservation will have in store for this landscape.
Words and photos by FCSNM Board Chair Daniel Collay.
