Illinois Valley Salmon/Botanical Special Interest Area

A commonsense citizens’ recommendation for BLM lands in the Illinois River Basin

The Illinois Valley Salmon/Botanical Special Interest Area is a commonsense citizens’ recommendation for BLM lands in Oregon’s Illinois River Valley. The recommendation involves no private lands. It’s purpose is to preserve and enhance the Illinois Valley’s rich salmon habitat; world-renowned botanical values and biological diversity; clean drinking water sources; scenery; and opportunities for quiet recreation on BLM lands. See map below. An additional proposal is needed to protect the nationally outstanding National Forest lands surrounding valley in Illinois River Basin.

Social Values: The federal public lands of the Illinois River Valley are integral to the rural communities of the valley. They are the source of clean drinking water. They enhance the quality of life of residents, which in turn attracts new home owners and small businesses.

The wheelchair accessible boardwalk at the Eight Dollar Mountain Darlingtonia fen is an outdoor classroom for all. — The wheelchair accessible boardwalk at the Eight Dollar Mountain ACEC Darlingtonia fen is an outdoor classroom for all.

They draw visitors to the area because of their nationally outstanding scientific, scenic and recreational values. The federal public lands within and adjacent to the Illinois Valley are important to local livelihoods and are natural assets to our nation and Oregon.

Botanical, Fisheries and Scientific Values: These National Forest and BLM lands host one of the highest concentration of rare plants in North America and the highest concentration in Oregon. The Illinois River is one of two rivers in the state with strictly wild populations of salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout. The Illinois Valley’s federal public lands provide critical spawning and rearing habitat for the river’s native naturally reproducing coho and chinook salmon.

Illinois Basin's wild chinook salmon returning to spawning grounds in the Illinois Valley — The Illinois Basin’s wild chinook salmon must clear Little Falls before they can access their spawning grounds in the Illinois Valley.

Scope: National Forest and BLM lands are both parts of one ecological system. Their future needs to be addressed together. However, for the purpose of this proposal we address only lands managed by the BLM. The Illinois Valley Botanical/Salmon Special Interest Area consists of all BLM lands in the Illinois River Basin.

Purpose: To preserve and enhance the Illinois Valley’s rich salmon habitat; world-renowned botanical values and biological diversity; clean drinking water sources; scenery; and opportunities for quiet recreation on federal public lands.

Rough and Ready Creek, one of the botanical treasures of the Illinois Valley. — The Rough and Ready Creek ACEC wheel chair accessible trail. The ACEC is threatened by a proposed nickel smelting facility.

Management Recommendations

Areas of Critical Environmental Concern: Retain all existing and potential ACESs and RNAs listed in the 2008 Western Oregon Plan Revisions, Table N-1. Add additional ACECs and RNAs as new information becomes available. The following shall apply to all existing, potential and future ACECs and RNAs:

Off-highway vehicles: Close all areas to vehicle travel off BLM system roads, county roads or state and federal highways.
Locatable minerals: Withdraw all areas from location and entry under the mining laws of the United States.
Salable minerals: Close all areas to the sale and removal of non-locatable minerals.
Recreation: Provide opportunities for quiet recreation consistent with preserving the area’s high botanical and scientific values and rare plant communities.
The diverse uneven-aged forests of the Illinois Valley support old-growth dependent species like the rare fisher.
Timber Harvest: Limit harvest to manual fuel treatments that benefit existing habitat for listed plants and to reduce fuel loads and remove trees encroaching on meadows.

Riparian Habitat: Manage all riparian habitat under the applicable goals and objectives and standards and guidelines of the Northwest Forest Plan’s Aquatic Conservation Strategy.

Logging: Will be allowed in stands of 80 years and younger, restricted to trees 80 years of age or younger on suitable soils. This applies to post-fire logging also.

Rough and Ready Creek flows mostly through National Forest land, where it's an eligible Wild and Scenic River. The creek on BLM lands is beautiful and unique and should also be designated Wild and Scenic. — Rough and Ready Creek as it flows through the BLM ACEC should be designated a National Wild and Scenic River.

Off road vehicle use: All lands will be closed to OHV use unless posted open.

Mining: Withdraw from location and entry under the mining laws of the United States all rivers and major streams (i.e. BLM sections that include the Illinois River mainstem and its west and east forks; Deer Creek, Sucker Creek, Althouse Creek, Rough and Ready Creek, Whiskey Creek, and North Fork Silver Creek.

Wild and Scenic Rivers: Add Rough and Ready Creek on BLM land to the National Wild and Scenic River System with the highest potential classification of “Scenic,” and the following Outstandingly Remarkable Values: Botanical; Geological/Hydrological; Scenic; Water Quality.

Note: The recommendation is that Northwest Forest Plan applies except where the Illinois Valley Salmon/Botanical Special Interest Area is more restrictive or provides greater benefits to salmon habitat, rare plant communities and their habitat and old forest related species.