By Larry Mauter
LCSWA member
In a sequel to a tour three years ago, the story at Dragon Fly Ranch is the water is rising.
That’s a good thing.
Dan and Sandy Nelson have seen their pond along One Horse Slough growing in recent years as their restorative efforts and busy beavers have had their way.
The Nelsons opened up their 200 acres along Totem Pole Road northeast of Lebanon on May 30 for a hiking tour sponsored by the Linn County Small Woodlands Association (LCSWA).
About 45 people – grandkids to grandparents – were treated to a sunny walk through the woodland property. Songbirds were plentiful and springtime flowers were in full bloom in the wet prairie and oak woodlands that were traversed.
A highlight of the walk was viewing the expanding pond that feeds the slough. “Generational beavers” have enlarged the pond.
“It keeps growing,” said Dan Nelson. “They use mud, sticks, willow, everything,” said Nelson of the beavers’ building tools.
One Horse Slough eventually feeds into the South Fork of the Santiam River.
Working with federal and state agencies during the past decade, the Nelsons have thinned unproductive fir areas – producing oak woodlands – and enhanced a wet prairie environment by removing hawthorn and other invasives.
Work included diverting a ditch into fields now lush with camas, buttercups, narrow-leaf mule’s ear and daisies to slow the flow of water in the spring.
On the 9-acre pond, there are beaver houses and wood duck boxes for nesting.
Once the wood ducks finish nesting purple martins take them over for their young, said Nelson.
Overall, the Nelsons have 50 bird boxes scattered on their land.
“They need to be cleaned every year,” he noted. “But I don’t mind.”
The walking tour concluded with conversation, a sack lunch and cold drinks furnished by the LCSWA at the Nelson’s shop.