CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE  2009 Green Island Map  

One of the major facets of our floodplain restoration on Green Island is the removal of man-made flood control structures.  These levees were built up around the property to keep flood waters and migrating channels from inundating the agriculture fields.  Since 2007, MRT has been active removing these impediments and promoting floodplain function on the property.   

Flood control levee along the Willamette River. The levee was removed in Sept 2007.

Willamette River reclaims the floodplain for the first time since levee removal.    

Green Island is the pride and joy of the McKenzie River Trust. This island, over 1,000 acres in size is located just west of the town of Coburg and is formed by the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette Rivers. It was purchased from the Green Family by MRT in 2003.

This area is critical habitat for a plethora of listed threatened and endangered as well as non-listed species. Inhabitants include osprey, American beaver, spring Chinook salmon, bull trout, Oregon chub, great blue heron, western pond turtle, red-legged frog as well as a myriad of migratory song birds and waterfowl. Motivated to protect the species of the area, MRT began setting objectives and designing and implementing restoration projects to enhance and expand habitat.

Green Island Restoration Objectives

• Protect and restore native vegetation on site within the broader context of Willamette River riparian ecosystem restoration.
• Restore the area's historic hydrologic processes in an effort to create a dynamic connection between the river and the floodplain, enabling flood events to alter the course of the river to create new habitats, including islands, side channels, alcoves, wetlands, and sloughs.
• Identify, protect and promote native fish, wildlife and invertebrate species and their associated habitats with an emphasis on listed and at-risk species.
• Protect and enhance over 20 miles of riparian habitat.

Vegetation

To date over 50,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted on Green Island with many more to come. Since 2006, over 200 acres have been converted from agriculture field back into floodplain forest. These trees will grow to become a gallery forest and provide refuge for terrestrial animals. The Trust continually relies on the strong backs of volunteers and partners to help us control invasive weeds like Scot's broom, Himalayan blackberry, Japanese knotweed and tansy ragwort.
Hydrologic Process
In attempts to limit flooding, levees and revetments were constructed over the decades on the property.  The removal of these obstructions to floodplain processes are a key component to the planning and implementation of restoration efforts on the property.  Earthen levees were removed in fall of 2007 allowing high-flow waters to breech banks and recapture natural floodplain areas which increases floodplain function.  Additional levees and revetments continue to be analyzed and planned to be modified and/or removed. 

 Wildlife Species 

Fisheries research and monitoring are actively being conducted by Oregon State University and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.  Since 2006, the Trust has monitored avian species through point count and general surveys one to two times per month. Western pond turtle and amphibian surveys are conducted throughout the property’s backwater alcoves. 

Research

As a component of the EPA’s Willamette Ecosystem Services Project, 50 shallow ground water monitoring wells were installed on Green Island in July 2008.  The four year study will examine ground water in a variety of locations ranging from young to old riparian systems, to the agricultural areas of the island that are still protected by levees. Water quality parameters, water levels and temperature are being monitored as is the development a ground water flow model.