Illinois River-Silver Creek – State Wildlife Action Plan

Photo is needed for this COA. — Submit photos to: OCS.Revision@ODFW.Oregon.gov

Geographic boundaries of the COAs were updated for the 2026 State Wildlife Action Plan and the associated COA profiles are intended to provide additional information. Content of each COA profile is being refined and will be updated to reflect current conditions when feasible. Please help us by submitting information on Local Conservation Actions, Plans, or Potential Partners to: OCS.revision@odfw.oregon.gov.

This large and diverse COA includes mature conifer forests as well as dense manzanita and Ceanothus brush fields created by the 2002 biscuit fire, which burned 500,000 acres in the Siskiyou National Forest. More recent fires, including the 2023 Flat Fire and 2018 Klondike Fire, have also impacted the structure of this area. This is a fire adapted landscape, and historically fire occurred in mixed-severity patterns that create a patchwork mosaic of habitat types that support rich biodiversity. The COA contains serpentine soils that are home to the rare and endemic plant that make the Klamath Mountain Ecoregion an area of Global Botanical Significance.

Recommended Conservation Actions

Acquire instream water rights to augment streamflows downstream of areas with high coho rearing densities, such as Deer Creek, to produce more fish.
Conduct remote camera surveys for Humboldt Marten, Ringtail, and Pacific Fisher and collect genetic samples when possible.
Promote the development of mature riparian habitat in natural bar or floodplain areas such as the mainstem Illinois River to improve junvenile Fall Chinook habitat.
Remove encroaching conifers to maintain meadow habitat.
Restore ambient streamflow, riparian vegetation, and in-stream structure.
Support the natural development of mature riparian habitat in natural bar or floodplain areas to improve juvenile Fall Chinook habitat.
Restoration actions to address erosion and wildlife habitat goals
Promote early detection and rapid response to invasive species, including American bullfrog
Promote restoration treatments to improve wildfire resiliency and climate resiliency

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Conservation Plan for Fall Chinook in the Rogue Species Management Unit
Important Bird Areas of Oregon
ODFW Coho Expert Panel Summary
Oregon Native Fish Status Report
USFS Upper Briggs Watershed Restoration Project

Potential Partners

Oregon Hunters Association
US Forest Service
Siskiyou Field Institute
Illinois Valley SWCD
KS Wild
Friends of the Kalmiopsis
Siskiyou Chapter of the Native Plant Society

Special Features

General

Serpentine soils host a number of endemic plant species.

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID KM-03 (Rogue area)
2006 COA ID KM-04 (Kalmiopsis area)
2006 COA ID KM-05 (Taylor Creek area)

Protected Areas

Big Pine
Fall Creek
Hoover Gulch Research Natural Area
Illinois River
Kalmiopsis Wilderness
Lower Rogue River
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

Ecoregions

Klamath Mountains

The Klamath Mountains ecoregion covers much of southwestern Oregon, including the Klamath Mountains, Siskiyou Mountains, the interior valleys and foothills between these and the Cascade Range, and the Rogue and Umpqua river valleys. Several popular and scenic rivers run through the ecoregion, including the Umpqua, Rogue, Illinois, and Applegate rivers. Historically, this ecoregion is known …

Key Habitats

Grasslands

Grasslands include a variety of upland grass-dominated habitats, such as upland prairies, coastal bluffs, and montane grasslands.

Late Successional Mixed Conifer Forests

Late successional mixed conifer forests provide a multi-layered tree canopy, including large-diameter trees, shade-tolerant tree species in the understory, and a high volume of dead wood, such as snags and logs.

Example of Oak Woodlands, which is a Strategy Habitat within the State Wildlife Action Plan

Oak Habitats

There are several oak habitat types in Oregon, where oaks comprise most of the canopy. These can include oak woodlands, oak forest, oak chaparral, and riparian oak. Oak savanna is covered in the Grasslands Key Habitat. Oaks may also co-dominate a canopy in oak/fir, oak pine, and oak hardwood habitats.

Ponderosa Pine Woodlands

Ponderosa pine woodlands are common in Oregon’s eastside ecoregions. While dominated by ponderosa pine, these woodlands may also have lodgepole pine, western juniper, aspen, western larch, grand fir, Douglas-fir, mountain mahogany, incense cedar, sugar pine, or white fir, depending on ecoregion and site conditions. Known for their open forest structure, these woodlands generally have fewer …

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats include all naturally occurring flowing freshwater streams and rivers throughout Oregon as well as the adjacent riparian habitat.

Ducks on a wetland in Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area, Oregon

Wetlands

Wetlands are habitats that are inundated or saturated by surface water or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support vegetation typically adapted for life in sodden soil conditions. While dominated by periods of inundation, the natural ecological cycle may also include dry intervals. Permanently wet habitats include backwater sloughs, oxbow lakes, peatlands, …