Lone Star Ranch is an incredible 199 acre upland prairie property permanently protected by Greenbelt Land Trust in 2008 through a conservation easement. Located west of Philomath, Lone Star Ranch is being actively managed alongside the landowners as a working cattle ranch and for the enhancement of important prairie species. The property lies within an important corridor of upland prairie conservation, and has been identified as a keystone site for protection and restoration within Benton County’s Habitat Conservation Plan.
Lone Star Ranch consists of native upland prairie, oak savanna, oak woodlands, grasslands and wet prairies, and is located within a priority conservation area for oak woodlands and provides habitat for several imperiled species and plant communities. The property contains high quality native upland prairie habitat and oak woodlands, both identified as rare plant communities in the Willamette Valley and identified in the Oregon Wildlife Conservation Strategy adopted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Consequently, it provides habitat for wildlife and plant species and several migratory and resident bird species such as the Acorn woodpecker, Streaked-horned lark, and White-breasted nuthatch.
Lone Star Ranch is part of a vast complex of private and publicly protected lands in the Wren-Philomath area, focusing on upland prairie conservation. Nearby protected lands include Fitton Green Natural Area, Philomath Prairie (The Nature Conservancy) and a number of private landowner restoration projects within the Wren area.
The acquisition of Lone Star Ranch was made possible through a strong partnership with the landowners, Lee and Patricia Noble and their family, and funding agency Bonneville Power Administration in partnership with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Management and restoration practices will be performed with the goal to maintain, restore, and enhance the native composition and structure of the prairies, oak savannas, oak woodlands, and grasslands and their associated wildlife values. Continuing ranching and grazing activities on the site, following the Interim Management Plan, will help support the goals of habitat protection and restoration.
Access to Lone Star Ranch is limited to GLT-led tours and events at this time.
