Mt Jefferson Wilderness, North – State Wildlife Action Plan

Mt Jefferson Wilderness, North area — Photo Credit: Susan Barnes, ODFW

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.

The Mt Jefferson Wilderness, North COA (57 mi²) is located directly east of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness. This area extends from just north of Olallie Lake south to Bear Butte and Waldo Glacier, and includes the headwaters of the Clackamas, North Santiam and Deschutes Rivers. The area is high elevation late successional mixed conifer forest with wetlands, open meadows, alpine lakes, flowing rivers and riparian habitats. This COA is adjacent to the Breitenbush River and Metolius River Area COAs.

Recommended Conservation Actions

Improve and maintain forest health; use prescribed fire to enhance wildlife habitat.
Improve in-stream habitat complexity for fish and wildlife.
Increase vegetated buffers on non-fishing bearing streams to protect water quality and micro-habitat for sensitive amphibians. Minimize road construction near these streams to reduce impacts on amphibians.
Maintain and protect instream flows.
Manage riparian areas to develop shade and stand species diversity.
De-commission unused roads to decrease sedimentation and improve wildlife movement potential.
Promote early detection and removal of invasive plants.
Reduce recreation impacts to fish and wildlife including from OHV.
Retain and protect forest openings and meadows for wildlife habitat diversity.

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Potential Partners

Special Features

General

This COA provides important habitat connectivity between the west and east regions of the state, as it straddles the crest of the Cascades.
This area was part of a Rocky Mountain goat reintroduction effort in 2010, which was a collaborative effort between ODFW and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. This Central Cascades reintroduction effort was largely successful, as a new population reestablished in the region following the reintroduction.
This area was heavily impacted by the 2020 Lionshead Fire, which burned severely over the greater portion of the COA. This high-intensity fire dramatically changed the landscape of this COA, resulting in increased prevalence of invasive and noxious plants as the area began to revegetate. As native vegetation starts to return, these forests also provide important early-successional forage for ungulate species.

Protected Areas

Deschutes National Forest
Mount Hood National Forest
Mount Jefferson Wilderness Area
Willamette National Forest

Previous COA Associations

Previously Associated with (2006 COA IDs)
- WC-04 (Bull of the Woods area)
Size Change from 2016 boundaries: -5.0 mi²(8% decrease)

Specialized Local Habitats

Alpine Habitat: Meadows
Headwater Streams
Rock Habitat: Talus

Ecoregions

West Cascades

The West Cascades ecoregion extends from east of the Cascade Mountains summit to the foothills of the Willamette, Umpqua, and Rogue Valleys, and spans the entire length of the state of Oregon. It is largely dominated by conifer forests, moving into alpine parklands and dwarf shrubs at higher elevations.

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.

Natural Lakes

Natural lakes are relatively large bodies of freshwater surrounded by land that were formed through geological processes, such as glacial scouring, tectonic movements, volcanic activity and river meander cutoffs. In Oregon, natural lakes are defined as standing water bodies larger than 20 acres, including some seasonal lakes. Depth is not a reference for characterization of …

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.

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.