Vee Pasture RNA is located in Lake and Klamath Counties, Oregon. The natural area is situated on a plateau due east of the confluence of the south fork of the Sprague River and Brownsworth Creek, which steeply dissect the area on two sides. The 303.5 ha tract lies in the transition zone between shrub-steppe and forest zones, and elevations range from 1555 m to 1585 m. Most of the natural area is dominated by low sagebrush (Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula). Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis) is the major associate on deep soils, followed by Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda) on rocky shallow soils, and one-spike oatgrass and junegrass in poorly drained depressions. There are also large areas of juniper-low sagebrush savannah on portions of the rocky scablands. These areas have the same common grass associates, but scattered juniper trees are also present. No low sagebrush is found in areas of deeper soil due to the canopy shade from dense stands of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and juniper. There are examples of bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata) biscuit swale microtopography, mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus) thickets, mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) thickets, and several vernal wetlands densely vegetated with perennial graminoids and forbs. In some areas along the RNA boundary the ponderosa pine-western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) woodland grades into closed canopy ponderosa pine forest outside the RNA. Limited livestock grazing occurs within the RNA boundaries.

Township/Range/Section:

Parts of secs 1 and 2, T37S, R15E; sec 6, T37S, R16E; sec 36, T36S, R15E; and sec 31, T36S, R16E.

Latitude:

42,23N

Longitude:

120,53W

Quad Map:

Campbell Reservoir and Gearhart Mtn., Oreg. 7.5".

Threatened or Endangered Species:

Thought to be present: Long-eared bat (Myotis evotis), uncommon in Oregon; and long-legged bat (Myotis volans), rare in Oregon.

Exotic Species Present:

A few exotics are present, such as Cirsium arvense (Bull thistle), Lactuca serriola (Wild lettuce), Melilotus alba (sweet clover), Agrostis interrupta (Interrupted apera), Alopecurus pratensis (meadow foxtail), Dactylis glomerata (orchardgrass), Phleum pratense (timothy), Poa bulbosa (bulbous bluegrass), Poa pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass), Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) and Bromus japonicus (Japanese brome).

Plant Communities:

The area represents a typical scabland with transitions to deeper soils. Plant associations include: Low sagebrush/bluegrass-onespike oatgrass, Low sagebrush/fescue-squirreltail, Western juniper/low sagebrush/fescue, Big sagebrush/bunchgrass, Hairgrass-sedge-moist meadow, Low sagebrush/bluebunch wheatgrass, and Mountain-mahogany thickets.

Aquatic Features Present:

Large, vernally-wet depressions are present.

Soils:

Soils fall into 2 main types - either very shallow to shallow, very stony soils assoc. with "scabrock" flats" or shallow to moderately deep stony residual soils. Both soils have dark brown loam to clay loam surface layers with fine granular structure, and subsoil layers ranging from dark reddish brown to strong brown clay to silty clay loams. For more information, see the ER.

Other Physical Features:

There is an abundance of mosses and lichens.

Past Disturbance History:

Grazing in the past was minimal.

Other Comments:

Access by road