Walking the Metolius Preserve

Karen Allen leads hikers through the Metolius Preserve. Photo by Conrad Weiler

Most folks in the Sisters country have heard about the Metolius Preserve project of the Deschutes Basin Land Trust (DBLT).

The Trust has secured an option to purchase 1,240 acres of forestland in Jefferson County between Suttle Lake and Camp Sherman from Weyerhaeuser and manage it as a nature preserve.

Fewer people have actually walked in this wild forestland.

On a clear, sunny morning last week, a group of 20 people had the opportunity to visit the proposed nature preserve with Brad Chalfant, head of DBLT, and his staff. The experience of walking amongst tall Ponderosa pines -- hundreds of years old -- Western larch, Douglas fir, Western hemlock, incense cedar and white pine is breathtaking.

Thoughtfully harvested for timber in the 1940s, the careful land management is evident in this land that crisscrosses Lake Creek's multiple forks. Songbirds sing along the quiet forest trails and wild flowers such as Peck's penstemon, purple lupines and others make for enjoyable viewing.

Lake Creek leaves Suttle Lake, travels several miles through forested land until emptying into the Metolius River. The Land Trust staff hopes that historic salmon and steelhead runs may once again be seen in Lake Creek. A major goal is to improve the riparian areas along Lake Creek and enhance fish reproductive sites.

This land is also home to many wildlife species including a herd of Roosevelt elk that enjoy foraging in some of the open areas.

The DBLT hopes to enhance and protect this habitat, offer it for public use as an educational nature site, as a non-motorized group of walking and biking trails, as a forest research station and an area for wildlife viewing and nordic skiing.

After lunch, a larger group met at Black Butte Ranch's (BBR) firehall meeting room for a discussion and slide presentation of the project. The morning walk and afternoon meeting were hosted by the Friends of BBR and BBR Historical Society and organized by Jean Nave.

The obvious concern of many people is that if DBLT doesn't obtain this land as a preserve it may be sold for development.

To obtain this land, DBLT must raise $3 million by the end of July for purchase and restoration projects. At this point, the Trust has raised about $2.2 million.

Recent grants include $25,000 from the Robert W. Chandler II Fund; about $17,000 from the Flyfisher's Club of Oregon and $10,000 from the Bill Healy Foundation. For more information contact DBLT at 330-0017.