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Duck Slough Habitat is a privately owned 25 acre wildlife
habitat located in the Willamette Valley in SE Polk County,
5 miles south of Independence, 1 ½ mile north of
the Buena Vista Ferry, one of three small ferries crossing
the Willamette River. It is a non spray, completely organic
property. The long range goal of the owners is the restoration
and maintenance of the property to preserve the ecosystems
and varied micro-climates that once dotted this part of
the Willamette Valley.
The southeast portion of the property contains a turn of
the century barn and house. This 5+ acre portion includes
numerous fruit and nut trees, big leaf maples, old growth
firs, perennial flower and shrub plantings/gardens, an herb
garden and a 40+ bed year round kitchen garden.
The east edge of the habitat, running south to north, is
on the bench of American Bottom, the vast river bottom delta
between Independence and Buena Vista. This site on the bench
is above the 500 year flood plain. The east edge is dominated
by a stand of over 100 old growth Pseudotsuga menziesii
(douglas-fir) with a Quercus garryana (Oregon white oak)
understory, part of the original gallery forest. This climax
stand has a variety of native trees, shrubs, herbaceous
perennials, flowers, ferns and mosses under the canopy and
surrounding the edges of the stand.
The west edge of the habitat is where the seasonal branch
of Duck Slough drains to the north into the Willamette River.
This is a Class C stream.
Inside the entire west edge of the property is a series
of vernal ponds bordered by a rich variety of native herbaceous
perennials, grasses, annuals (including wetland and emergent
plants), native trees and shrubs. Deschampsia cespitosa
(Tufted hairgrass), Cornus sericea (Red osier dogwood),
Sambucus cerulea (Blue elderberry), Amelanchier alnifolia
(Serviceberry), Populus balsamifera spp. Trichocarpa (Black
cottonwood), Crataegus douglasii (Black [douglas] hawthorne,
Thuja plicata (Western red cedar), Alnus rubra (Red alder),
Rhamnus purshiana (Cascara buckthorne), Acer macrophyllum
(Big leaf maple), four varieties of Salis (willow), Juncus
(Rushes), Carex (Sedges), Spiraea douglasii (Douglas spiraea-hardhack),
Camassia quamash (Common camas), Fraxinus latifolia (Oregon
ash), Malus [pyrus] fusca (Pacific crabapple), Rosa nutkana
(Nootka rose), Rubus spectabilis (Salmonberry), Symphoricarpos
albus (Snowberry), Physocarpus capitatus (Pacific nine bark),
are just part of this native plant vernal landscape. The
north vernal pond is surrounded by Thuja plicata (Western
red cedar).
The outer western boundary, on the other side of the vernal
ponds, is a seasonal stream, a branch of the larger Duck
Slough to the west. This area includes a rich riparian zone
with a variety of native plants, including a large corridor
of mature Crataegus douglasii (Black [douglas] hawthorne)
and Prunus emarginata (Bitter cherry). Within this zone
are Oenanthe sarmentosa (Water parsley), Tellima grandiflora
(Fringe cup), Carex obnupta (Slough sedge), Carex dewayana
(Dewey’s sedge), Rhubus spectabilis (Salmonberry),
Physocarpus capitatus (Pacific ninebark), Malus [pyrus]
fusca (Pacific crabapple), Fraxinus latifolia (Oregon ash),
Oemleria cerasiformis (Indian plum), Lysichiton americanum
(Skunk cabbage), Sambucus cerulea (Blue elderberry), and
Thuja plicata (Western red cedar) among others.
A large grassland to the east of the ponds extends the
length of the property (north to south) and runs up to the
stand of old growth fir with an oak understory to the east.
This grassland is a wet prairie approaching the ponds and
as the slight elevation rises to the top of the bench it
becomes drier and it becomes a upland grassland habitat.
For the past decade the main management practice on this
approximately 13 acre piece has been regular mowing and
seeding grasses and planting native perennials. The purpose
of the mowing practice has been to prevent exotic and invasive
weeds and grasses from going to seed, providing the native
seeds the light and opportunity to germinate and reducing
the competition so the native plants can become established.
Within this grassland are two vernal ponds. Some plants
of interest in this varied grassland forest edge; Sidalcea
nelsoniana (Nelson’s checker-mallow), Geum macrophyllum
(Large-leaf avens), Potentilla gracilis (Northwest cinquefoil),
Deschampsia cespitosa (Tufted hairgrass), Iris tenax (Oregon
iris), Aquilegia formosa (Red columbine), Viola sempervirens
(Evergreen violet), Elymus glaucus (Blue wildrye), Ribes
sanguineum (Red flowering currant), Corylus cornuta (Hazelnut),
Festuca roemeri (Roemer’s fescue), Sisyrinchium augustifolium
(Blue eyed grass), Festuca idahoensis (Idaho fescue), Ranunculus
occidentalis (Western buttercup) and Camassia quamash (Common
camas).
On the north end of the grass land is a planting of mixed
coniferous and deciduous trees including a large stand of
Pinus ponderosa (Willamette valley ponderosa pine), and
smaller stands of mixed Pseudosuga menziesii (Douglas fir),
Sequoia sempervirens (Coastal redwood), Sequoiadendron giganteum
(Giant sequoia), Abies procera (Noble fir), Abies grandis
(Grand fir), and Populus trichocarpa (Black cottonwood).
Both riparian zones and areas within the grassland have
well established beetle banks and insectary plantings. Varied
hedgerows are maintained around the property and within
many of the inner areas of the habitat.
Over 120 species of birds; migratory and residents, have
been identified within the habitat. There has been a dramatic
increase in the bird populations over the years due to the
restoration of the varied micro-climates and eco-systems
throughout the property. This non mono-culture, non spray
environment benefits wildlife. Click
here for a list of birds seen in the Duck Slough Habitat.
A large bat population is present as well as a large seasonal
barn swallow colony. Numerous newts and salamanders have
been identified as well as a three varieties of frogs, including
a large population of red-legged frogs. No bullfrogs are
present on the property due to the fact that there is no
year round standing water, due to the vernal ponds and seasonal
stream structure. This also eliminates a habitat for the
Western Pond Turtle.
Projects: These are all ongoing projects many initiated
in the late 1980s and continue today. The main activity
is continual seeding and planting of native materials and
cultural practices to remove and reduce exotic and invasive
weed species. Another important activity is the identification
of many grasses, ferns, mosses, forbs and other plants within
the property.
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