“Our national monument–It’s public and it’s ours,” said fifth generation Oregonian and author William Sullivan at the Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument annual fundraising dinner. While sharing the recent updates to his book, 100 Hikes / Travel Guides Southern Oregon & Northern California he urged protection for designated monuments from threats.

Friends’ boadmember Susan Roudebush introduced William Sullivan by reading from his book, Listening for Coyote: A Walk Across Oregon’s Wilderness, selected in 2005 by the Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission, as one of the 100 most significant books in Oregon.

“Man’s duty is to take care of the land where he lives. This is the essence of loving they neighbor—for God’s earth is our most cherished neighbor.” September 2 quote from Roger Murray about taking care of the Soda Mountain Wilderness. 

William proceeded to highlight his 30-year hiking Oregon trails story, illustrated by his slideshow. Featuring the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and southern Oregon, he showed the connected network of public lands and their natural treasures. He said, “We need to stiffen our resolve to care and protect all that Oregon stands for.”

We appreciate our donor / dinner guests who supported the Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument 2nd annual fundraiser.

Cheers to our Volunteers for the Fundraiser!
Chouse hosts Corey Ross and Greg Conaway for use of their home
Volunteer chefs: Board member Susan Roudebush and Kent Pressman
Mushrooms collected by board member Scot Loring and Michael Biggs
Music provided by students of music teacher Lauren Trolley

Many thanks to these business supporters!

Ashland Food Coop      Dagoba Chocolate      Dunbar Farm      Fred Meyer North
Market of Choice      Medford Food Coop      Rise-up Bakery      Safeway Ashland
Shop N Kart      Northwest Outdoor Store      REI

We thank you all for your continued support!

Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument 

WChin 2017 photos

This fall we expanded our programming to reach more senior residents. The Rogue Valley is a hub for retirees. Some have moved recently and know little about the natural and cultural history of the region. Many others have lived here most of their lives and are still looking for new ways to connect with the world around them.

Last month, we partnered with The Springs of Anna Maria, a senior living community in Medford. We scheduled two events: an in house presentation, followed up the next week with a scenic drive through the monument.

The presentation introduced the 5 different ecoregions- the foundations for the diversity of life found in the monument. The following week, residents enjoyed driving through the gorgeous fall color and seeing firsthand the intertwining plant communities and scenic vistas. Throughout both events, cultural aspects and histories were shared. A favorite stop was at Tub Springs where bottles were filled, crisp clean water was enjoyed, and memories of days gone by were shared. 

There are many facets to Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. We would love to do more programs like this to educate those around us about the cultural, historic, and natural history of the region. If there is a resident or retired community you are involved in, feel free to reach out, we would love get them engaged!

Shannon Browne
Outreach Director
Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

TDickey 2017 photos

Students in grades kindergarten through 12 traveled to the monument’s Greensprings Loop Trail and the Hobart Bluff Trail. Along the way, they learned about the monument’s biological diversity through hands-on activities developed by graduate students at Southern Oregon University’s Masters in Science Environmental Education program. Fall in the Field is the capstone work of the graduate students.

“Thanks to SOU Fall in the Field program, kids from all over the Rogue Valley visited the monument since early September. Congratulations on a job very well done!” said Christine Beekman, BLM Interpretive Specialist.  

The year’s Fall in the Field theme allowed students of various grade levels to explore interdependent relationships in ecosystems and to discover the unique biodiversity that makes the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument such a special place.

Nine classes (grades kindergarten – 2) explored and observed the range of habitats at the monument. They discovered how unique habitat influences species diversity.

Twenty-eight classes (grades 3 – 5) explored important interdependent relationships on the monument by solving Nature’s Mysteries as they hiked on the Pacific Crest Trail. From dissecting speckled oak galls to becoming a pileated woodpecker, students were immersed in the monument’s diverse life.

Four classes (grades 6-8) used data collection methods to discover how abiotic and biotic factors influence ecosystems. On one trail, they were able to identify 4 different ecosystems and examine how this influences the biodiversity at the monument.

Students (grades 9-12) used data collection methods to explore the issues of land-use debates and conservation of resources. In a role as a rancher, a wildlife biologist, or a forester, students were challenged to develop their own land ethic as they learned about biodiversity in the Cascade-Siskiyou bioregion.

We served a total of about 1,100 students plus teachers and chaperones during this year’s Fall in the Field program!

Story by
Rebekah Campbell, Fall-in-the-Field  
SOU Environmental Education graduate student

Photos by Christine Beekman, BLM Medford Office

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Dr. Jeff LaLande, historian and US Forest Service archeologist, lead us on an exploration retracing the Applegate Trail through the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. We spent the day following historical markers and listening to stories from emigrants that rode the trail from the east to get to the Willamette Valley. (“The Applegate Trail, first laid out and used in 1846, was a southern alternative to the western-most segment of the Oregon Trail…” more by Jeff LaLande at Oregon Encyclopedia)

We started the morning at Pinehurst Inn, alongside Jenny Creek. This was not a stop along the original trail, but Jenny Creek was the location of the first of three wagon slides that emigrants using the trail had to navigate to get through the mountains and into the valley that would later become Ashland. We listened to pigmy nuthatches in the incense cedars overhead as Dr. LaLande read accounts of different travelers coming through this area, anticipating their destination after being on the trail for months.

Our next stop was Tub Springs where we actually found ourselves in some wagon ruts that might have actually been part of the original Applegate Trail. There is also an old wagon road here that was built in the 1860s as a route to the Klamath Basin. Tub Springs was very important to many emigrants as a source of fresh water for them and their livestock.

At Green Springs Summit, we looked out across Keen Creek where the third and final wagon slide was located, where the dam is now. Emigrants would use rope to slide their wagons down to Keen Creek and then they would use two teams of oxen to pull their wagons out of the valley. The trail then followed what is now Tyler Creek Road down to Emigrant Creek.

We loaded back up into our modern day wagons and turned onto Tyler Creek Road to follow the trail back into the valley. Along our way down the mountain, we stopped along the road to observe a yellow post. These markers were placed in 1976, as part of America’s Bicentennial celebration, to mark the historic Applegate Trail. During this commemoration, a group of individuals rode in wagons up the Applegate Trail from the Humboldt Valley to reenact an 1860s emigration. 

Our final stop was at Hill Dunn Cemetery, overlooking Emigrant Lake. Dr. LaLande read more accounts from travelers as they entered the valley. These pioneers described their first impressions of the valley as they spent their first night at the Mountain House, Hill House, or Walker House. The peace and resources of the valley were very welcoming to these, who had been traveling for months. 

Our hike came to a close as we listened to the emigrants’ plans for the future and stories about what happened to them. What a great way to wrap up our Hike & Learn season, on a beautiful day, after enjoying our public lands.

Story and photos by
John Ward, Hike and Learn Coordinator

September 22.
Hike Recap: Who Lives in the Creek with Chris Volpe and Tim Montfort

The Box O Ranch was acquired by the US Bureau of Land Management in 1995 as part of a land swap with a private property owner. The property was of interest because, among other reasons, it contained two stream miles of Jenny Creek. This special watershed has been monitored by the BLM since 1990 to keep track of its special ecology.

Jenny Creek is part of what is known as an upside down watershed. A typical watershed starts narrow with larger substrate consisting of pools and boulders near its source. As the watershed flows downward, combining with tributaries, the streams contain smaller substrates causing them to widen and flatten out. This is not the case with Jenny Creek’s watershed. In fact, just three river miles from its mouth on the Iron Gate Reservoir, Jenny Creek has a large series of falls that create a natural barrier. Any aquatic organisms spawned downstream of the falls have no way of making it above them. 

Because of all this, the Jenny Creek watershed is home to a number of aquatic species that are genetically distinct from similar species found in the wider Klamath and Rogue watersheds. We set out on the morning of September 23, 2017 to find some of these species and observe some of the restoration efforts at Box O Ranch. Guiding our exploration were aquatic ecologist Chris Volpe and hydrologist Tim Montfort, both of the BLM Medford district office..

Chris and Tim led us down to Box O parking area, from Copco Road, where we left our vehicles and hiked into the ranch. Our hike leaders were very familiar with the Box O, as it was one of the locations where Chris monitors species like the Jenny Creek sucker and Tim has restored habitat by planting trees and making changes to the landscape.

We spent the morning in the grassy valley looking at pictures from before the restoration efforts and being amazed at the amount of change that has occurred over such a short time. A large amount of effort has gone into replanting trees based on old photographs from before the valley was homesteaded; trees like white oak, Oregon ash, ponderosa pine, and willow.
Chris set up his backpack shocker and pulled some fish from the stream. This interesting device works by having a wire dangling into the water and then a wand with an anode on the end. This creates a current of electricity in the water, exciting the fishes’ muscles. The muscle twitching forces the fish to swim toward the anode where it gets a stronger amount of electricity and is stunned. The stunned fish are then scooped up with a net and counted to survey the number of fish in any given area of stream. On the day of our hike, Chris was able to pull some Jenny Creek suckers and some speckled dace from the stream for us to look at.

The Jenny Creek sucker is an isolated population of the Klamath small-scaled sucker, which is endemic to the Jenny Creek watershed above Jenny Creek Falls. This small bottom feeding fish is not its own subspecies, but is different from the larger population, primarily in size, due to the different it habitat it finds itself in above the falls.
Upon further examination, Chris realized that one of the dace had a parasite. Making a small field dissection, he freed the parasite from the small fish. The worm unfolded from the abdomen of the fish to an impressive length. Identified as Ligula intestinalis, this parasitic worm starts as an egg in the stomach of copepods on the stream bottom, where a small fish eats it. It then grows and bloats the small fish until it cannot swim well and begins to struggle near the surface of the water. This makes it easier to get eaten by a bird, such as a heron or kingfisher, which is the final host for the parasite.

We ate our lunch on a grassy bank, and then hiked down the creek enjoying the beautiful valley, discussing the future of Box O and Jenny Creek. We then made our way out along the old irrigation canals and back to our vehicles. 

Story and photos by
John Ward, Hike and Learn Coordinator

In 2002, the East Antelope Fire travelled across part of Grizzly Peak, igniting trees both living and previously burned. This left behind an open landscape of charred trunks and sculpted snags. An event such as this changes the ecosystem and creates new habitats.     

On Friday, August 25, 2017, we met at the Ashland Public Library to discuss the fire ecology of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument with Dr. Dennis Odion, ecologist with the National Park Service. Dr. Odion used illustrations and photos to discuss the plants that make up much of the habitat of the monument and how they have adapted to fire. This, in turn, led to how these adaptations have shaped the biodiversity of our public lands.     

When a fire of mixed intensity burns through a forest, it creates a diverse landscape. Some areas experience low intensity, fast moving flames that have little effect on the trees. Others experience higher intensity flames that burn the foliage of the trees, but only weaker trees and saplings die. Still other areas experience extreme intensities that kill most, if not all, of the plant life. Together, this creates a mosaic of habitats throughout the forest, each benefiting different groups of species and increasing the biodiversity.     

On the day of the hike, we set out for Grizzly Peak to observe this pyrodiversity in one of the newly expanded portions of the monument. It was a morning hazy with smoke, and we saw at least one area on the trail that had burned during recent lightning strikes. Even though the conditions did not bode well for the scenic views along the hike, they were conducive to our fire ecology discussions.     

As we hiked we discussed the differences between Douglas-firs, white firs, and ponderosa pines. The white-firs burn easily in fire, but are also quick to sprout from seeds in an affected area. The Douglas-firs and ponderosa pines are much harder to burn. The ponderosa pine, especially, has thick, scaly bark that is hard to ignite and can easily flake off if it does catch fire. Some trees, like knob-cone pines, have sealed cones, called “serotinous,” that require fire to open the cones and release the seeds.     

Much of our hike up was through conifer forest, largely untouched by fire. As we neared the halfway point, we found ourselves surrounded by landscape that had been touched by fire. Trees with interesting branching, growing green from branches that had somehow survived the flame, stood tall among twisted and charred snags of trees that were not so lucky.     

Further along, Dr. Odion pointed out that white oaks and elder berries now flanked us. Oak trees have epicormic buds, meaning their buds are protected by bark and, after a fire burns off the foliage of the tree, these buds quickly sprout into new branches and leaves. This newly open landscape with dead trees is host to wood beetles, woodpeckers, Lazuli buntings, and many other species you would not find in the unburned conifer forest we hiked in earlier. Some research has shown that areas with frequent fires are less prone to sudden oak death, a disease that has been affecting Oregon forests. Researchers speculate perhaps smoke helps fight off the illness and protect the trees.     

By the time we returned to the parking lot it was evident that Dr. Dennis Odion had shown us how pyrodiversity produces opportunity and change for a new round of plant and animal succession until the next fire. So much goes into creating the diverse area we are lucky to call home here in Southern Oregon. We were all so happy that we managed to endure the smoke and enjoy our public lands.

Text and images (unless otherwise noted)
John Ward, Hike and Learn Coordinator

Labor Day weekend capped our inaugural season of interpretive programs at the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument for 2017.

Christine Beekman, BLM Interpretive Specialist said, “Our interpretive ranger interns this summer really brought the monument to life!  Because they delivered over 60 dynamic programs many more visitors have a greater appreciation and understanding of the Cascade-Sisikyou National Monument.”

Since July 1, Ranger Interns Morgyn Ellis, Elizabeth Schyling, and Becky Yaeger met over 1,000 visitors at the contact station, the campground program, or on a guided walk. Notable visitors included Governor Kate Brown and Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke. They also presented Junior Explorer programs for children focused on the monument, BLM and public land stewardship.

In Ashland, Christine Beekman spotted a boy wearing his Junior Explorer badge, and diligently working on his Junior Explorer workbook while waiting for an Oregon Shakespeare Festival evening performance to begin. He told her about the monument’s biodiversity and all he learned at Ranger Morgyn’s Junior Explorer program. After Christine identified herself as a ranger, he said, “I want to be a ranger when I grow up!”

“Yes Monument!” was often written in the comment book, located at the contact station, to show support for the monument expansion. Visitors also mentioned hiking on trails to Hobart Bluff and the Greensprings Loop, particularly during wildflower season. Monument visitors were able to discover the biodiversity of the region’s plants and animals; use a geologic map to build Oregon from the ground up; and create nature journals to preserve memories from their experiences. The guided hikes and programs accommodated a range of ages, interests, and skill levels for visitors from throughout the world.

Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is the only monument established for its biodiversity. A sampling of our programs included the unique geologic history from When Mountains Meet Biodiversity Blooms. Meet Trees of the Forest showed how a transitioning fire forest and snow forest shifts to the drier oak savanna and chaparral. A hike to Pilot Rock shows how Great Basin plants encroaches into parts of the conifer forest. Creatures of the Night was a popular evening talk about the bats.

Ranger intern Morgyn reports, “My personal highlight occurred after presenting an evening talk–I saw a mountain lion on my way home!”

“I also loved seeing one family three days in a row! I met them at Hobart Bluff on a Friday morning. They came to my Saturday evening program about bats; and to a Sunday morning Junior Explorer nature journal session. Before they left the monument for Portland, their five-year old son made the family stop by the contact station to ask me “why are bats wobbly?”

Road closures didn’t seem to deter visitors from driving up to the monument to get above the valley smoke caused by nearby fires. By the end of August the air quality became unhealthy and fewer folks came up to hike.

Ranger intern Morgyn summarized, “We have had an amazing experience interacting with visitors from all walks of life and look forward to seeing our programs continue to provide meaningful experiences to monument visitors next season!”

Story with
Morgyn Ellis, Ranger Intern
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

Although Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is only 17 years old, the struggle continues. Reports show a leaked memo a 30-year advocacy for a monument by Dave Willis, four lawyers views, cultural and economic conflict, and an artist’s personal experience.

Interior chief urges shrinking 4 national monuments in West
By Matthew Daly | AP  Washington Post September 18 at 12:22 PM

The Fight For Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument
By Leah Sottile. Outside Online, September 13, 2017
“National monuments aren’t created overnight. Just ask Dave Willis, a 65-year-old outdoorsman in Southern Oregon who started advocating for protection of the area now known as Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument when he was 30 years old.”

Trump Will Have a Hard Time Shrinking the Monuments
By Jake Bullinger. Outside Online, September 8, 2017  
“Four lawyers about the four monuments most likely on Zinke’s chopping block“

Trump’s day of doom for national monuments approaches
By Jimmy Tobias. Guardian, August 2017 13.13 EDT
“The debate over Cascade-Siskiyou presents a snapshot of the cultural and economic conflict that so often characterizes public land management in the American west.”

My Adventure: Monumental Art
By Matt Witt. Mail Tribune, August 20, 2017  
“Much has been said in recent months about the monument in terms of biodiversity, climate change, at-risk species and reconnecting habitat for wildlife mobility, but perhaps not enough about its beauty.”