Canemah Bluff, formed by ancient lava flows and carved by the force of the Missoula floods, stands tall surrounded by the hustle and bustle of daily life in Oregon City and the Willamette River below.
A view from Canemah Bluff. This summer, Metro’s efforts to preserve this unique stretch of nature took a major step forward with the purchase of two critical pieces of land. The $2.2 million investment nearly triples the size of this protected natural area from 90 acres to some 271 acres. That’s 181 additional acres that will now be publicly owned, conserving habitats and water quality.
“Metro’s Natural Areas Program looks for strategic additions in key areas identified for their critical habitat and restoration possibilities,” said Metro Council President Tom Hughes. “Obtaining this amount of high-quality land, in this urban setting, is an important achievement that will benefit generations to come.”
Canemah Bluff: Piecing together preservation
The new purchase involves two sections of land. The one on the northern portion of Canemah Bluff fills a gap between pieces of land bought earlier by Metro’s Natural Areas Program, which voters tasked with preserving and protecting critical habitats, natural resources and open spaces.
The other new section is south of Metro’s existing property, separated by privately owned land. The Natural Areas Program, which buys land only from willing sellers, has spent the past 15 years protecting land on the bluff piece by piece as opportunities come up.
The agency made its first purchase in the area, 22 acres, in 1996. Money from the voter-approved 1995 natural areas bond measure funded that deal. That bond measure, along with the 2006 follow-up bond measure, led to additional purchases in the area. Now at more than 271 acres, the Canemah Bluff natural area – once destined to become a housing development – will remain a natural treasure for the city and neighbors to enjoy.
Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette, whose district includes the Canemah Bluff area, has walked through the natural area and along the top of the ridge above the Willamette River many times. “It’s a spectacular place – breathtaking. It is truly a legacy, given by the region’s voters who approved the bond measure to purchase this land for future generations. I know it is much loved by the people in Oregon City, and it will be loved by everyone who visits it.”
Restoring nature now, paving the way for access tomorrow
The northern section of Canemah Bluff is home to a mixed forest including rare Oregon white oaks and Pacific madrone, as well as the heartier and faster-growing Douglas fir, maple and alder trees. Metro scientists use forest management practices in that area such as tree thinning and invasive plant removal to help the valuable oaks and other native species thrive. Camas and Brodiaea lilies, white larkspur, rosy plectritus and many other native wildflowers bloom in spring. Birders can find chipping sparrows, red-breasted sapsuckers, white-breasted nuthatches and orange-crowned warblers as well as hawks and eagles soaring over the river.
Click the image to download an acquisition map for Canemah Bluff. Metro and Oregon City officials are working to assure public access to the bluff. The northern portion connects to Oregon City’s Canemah Neighborhood Park, which reopens this fall with upgraded amenities, including new landscaping, stonework, walkways, restrooms and more. Walking paths lead visitors through the park and into Metro’s Canemah Bluff natural area, where plans are being finalized for natural resource conservation and trails. Neighbors were invited to weigh in this summer on which trails were most useful and what new trails might be needed. Future informational signs will explain the fragile habitat and restoration work, the diverse plant and wildlife species found here, and the geological significance of the land.
Providing access to the southern part of Canemah Bluff natural area will take longer. It had been logged for decades, and red alder, big leaf maple, scattered Douglas fir, Western red cedar and cottonwood now dominate the forest there. Pockets of white oak and madrone exist but need some human help to flourish as they once did. In protected areas like this, Metro’s science team crafts short- and long-term plans to help the native habitat thrive.
Oregon City Mayor Doug Neely believes Metro’s work to preserve land not only in Canemah Bluff, but also in the nearby Willamette Narrows and Newell Creek areas, leads to great possibilities for the region down the road. “The hope is one day to have trails along the Willamette River and Canemah Bluff that connect,” he said. “It would be a great way for people to experience both the river habitat and rare oak habitat in Oregon City.”
Preserving the past
Canemah Bluff is one of 27 high-priority areas targeted by the 2006 natural areas bond measure because of the unique biological, geological, scenic and historical values of the area. Hundreds of years ago, Native Americans from throughout the region, and as far away as the Plains, gathered here each year. They relied on and lived off the nature of Canemah Bluff. The camas, plentiful at the time, provided a vital potato-like food source. Rushes and reeds were used to make baskets for carrying traded goods.
“This land is an important part of the rich culture of the Grand Ronde tribes and an integral part of our knowledge of ourselves and our history,” said Siobhan Taylor, public affairs director for the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. “The Grand Ronde tribes are delighted the land will be preserved.”