The Nature Conservancy has established a new 272-acre nature preserve in rolling hills east of McMinnville in rural Yamhill County.

The Yamhill Oaks Preserve will protect rare plants and wildlife among native prairie and oak habitats increasingly imperiled across the Willamette Valley.

Healthy populations of Fender’s blue butterfly and Kincaid’s lupine are found on the preserve. Both are federally protected – the butterfly is listed as endangered and the plant as threatened. The new preserve provides the first protected reserve for the butterfly in the northern Willamette Valley.

Ecologists have long identified the Gopher Valley area of Yamhill County where the new preserve is located as harboring some of the best remaining oak and prairie habitats in the Willamette Valley.

At least 27 at-risk species are known to depend on habitats found at Yamhill Oaks Preserve. Oregon oak habitats provide food and cover to over 200 species of wildlife, biologists say. Remnants of Willamette Valley native prairie harbor rare plants that grow nowhere else on Earth, as well as many songbirds including the western meadowlark, Oregon’s state bird.

In addition to prime oak and prairie habitats, the preserve includes 1.5 miles of stream habitats important to fish and wildlife in the headwaters of Deer Creek, a tributary to the Yamhill River.

Ecologists have identified the Gopher Valley area of Yamhill County where the new preserve is located as containing some of the best remaining oak and prairie habitats in the Willamette Valley. The official state Oregon Conservation Strategy includes the site as a conservation opportunity area. The Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District is working to restore key habitats and brought the Yamhill Oaks property to the Conservancy’s attention.

The Conservancy’s initial tasks on the new preserve include completion of a biological assessment and development of a management plan for the site. Management actions will include removal and control of invasive plants and other efforts to restore native prairie, oak savanna and streamside habitats.

Public access to the preserve will require prior permission from The Nature Conservancy. There are no trails, public parking or other visitor facilities at the site, and sensitive habitats or wildlife can be harmed by unguided visitation. The management plan for the site will address opportunities to provide trails or other visitor access in the future.

“As with all of The Nature Conservancy’s preserves, we want this natural area to be an asset to the community,” said Soll. “We’ll lead guided trips for landowners, scientists and others so they can see what we’re doing, and we want to learn from them, too. We’re looking for opportunities to cooperate with other landowners who want to conserve and restore fish and wildlife habitats on their land,” he added.

For years the property was farmed and used as pasture. A pioneer cemetery contains the graves of the original homesteaders, James and Cordilia Agee, and some of their 14 children. The Conservancy will ensure the cemetery is maintained and made accessible to family members and researchers.

The Conservancy purchased the 272-acre property from a private estate for $1.1 million, taking out a loan from the group’s revolving loan fund. In addition to repaying the loan, the nonprofit is also raising private and public funds for a stewardship and research endowment of $255,000 to support long-term management of the preserve. The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board has made a major commitment to assist with the purchase.

• See a slide show of Yamhill Oaks Preserve – please contact us at 503-802-8100 for high-resolution images and credit information
• Download a preserve map (.pdf)
• Learn more about conservation in Oregon's Willamette Valley (.pdf)
• Get fast facts about The Nature Conservancy in Oregon (.pdf)