Pacific Northwest Natural Areas
 

 

 


 

North Myrtle Creek Research Natural Area

Roseburg District , BLM

Klamath Mountains Ecoregion

Cell(s):

  • Douglas fir-Ponderosa pine forest with poison oak, hairy snowberry or Piper's Oregon grape understory
  • White fir/dwarf Oregon grape moderately dry site forest with twinflower and vanilla leaf
  • Douglas fir-bigleaf maple forest

North Myrtle Creek Research Natural Area

 

  The North Myrtle Creek RNA protects 191 ha of a steep-sided hilltop 13 kilometers southeast of Roseburg, Douglas County, Oregon. The area was designated to represent an Umpqua Valley mixed conifer forest and an upland mixed oak and conifer forest. The RNA also includes small grassy balds surrounded by Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana), wedgeleaf ceanothus (Ceanothus cuneatus) chaparral, and riparian forest along a short stream. The maritime climate, modified by the rain shadow of the Coast Range, averages 100 cm of annual precipitation. Summers are characteristically warm and dry, and winters, cool and wet. Elevation ranges from 315 to 615 m. Soil series include Abegg, Vena, Holland, and Lettia. The five plant communities described in the RNA include wedgeleaf ceanothus/dogtail (Ceanothus cuneatus/Cynosurus echinatus), Oregon white oak-Douglas fir/poison oak (Quercus garryana-Pseudotsuga menziesii/Toxicodendron diversilobum), Douglas fir/oceanspray/whipplevine-SWO (Pseudotsuga menziesii/Holodiscus discolor/Whipplea modesta-Southwest Oregon), Douglas fir/dwarf Oregon grape/western swordfern (Pseudotsuga menziesii/Berberis nervosa/Polystichum munitum) and white fir/salal-dwarf Oregon grape (Abies concolor/Gaultheria shallon-Berberis nervosa). Spring phacelia (Phacelia verna), a special status species is present. Past disturbance is primarily from wild fires. An ecological site classification was completed by Brad Smith in 1986.

Township/Range/Section:

Latitude:

Longitude:

Quad Map:

Threatened or Endangered Species:

Exotic Species Present:

Plant Communities:

Aquatic Features Present:

Soils:

Other Physical Features:

Past Disturbance History:

Other Comments:

Access by county road.