Silver Creek Research Natural Area Burns District , BLM Blue Mountains, Oregon Ecoregion Cell(s): Ponderosa pine-western juniper/low sagebrush vegetation mosaic

Access by an all-weather gravel road.

The 291 ha Silver Creek RNA is located west of Burns in Harney County, Oregon. Silver Creek represents a first to third order stream, originating in the ponderosa pine zone. The RNA was designated to protect the stream and its associated riparian zone, which supports mature willow and mountain alder, and a terrestrial cell for a big sagebrush/bunchgrass community in the forest zone. Approximately 41 to 46 cm of precipitation is received annually, primarily in the form of snow. Soils series comprise Vitale, Merlin, Stinkingwater (south), Ateron (north), Welch (dry), and Roschene, with Cumelic Haploxerolls and rubble lands. Elevation ranges from 1,300 to 1,500 m. Past disturbances include a 1990 wildfire, livestock grazing 75 years ago and off-site upper watershed logging. Current and past research include Preliminary Plant Species List and Some Related Observations for Three Natural Areas, Harney County, Oregon; Description of Plant Communities for Silver Creek Research and Natural Area, Harney County, Oregon, 1990; Final Report, Silver Creek Research Natural Area Monitoring Project (The Nature Conservancy and Vander-Schaaf 1992).