Roberts Island and Preserve

Why They’re Important

Roberts Island and Roberts Preserve are some of the McKenzie River Trust’s earliest protected floodplain forest, wetland, and upland properties in the lower McKenzie River valley. Roberts Island has never been developed, and provides exemplary side-channel habitat for endangered fish such as Chinook salmon as well as steelhead. Once part of a larger forest property logged for conifers about 50 years ago, the Preserve contains numerous 100+ year-old large cottonwoods along with red alder, Western red cedar, Douglas fir, and large Big-leaf maples. Three intermittent streams cascade off a steep upper bench. A larger creek that passes through the property empties directly into the McKenzie River.

Animals on the property

A variety of species use the Roberts Island and Roberts Preserve properties, including Western pond turtle, red-legged frogs, many species of waterfowl, and other migratory birds. Snags on the properties allow for nesting sites for osprey, eagles and other raptors that perch while hunting along the river. The forested Preserve, with a complete native understory, north facing slopes, and moist soils, offers habitat for numerous salamanders and other amphibians.

Public Access

Access to Roberts Island can be difficult any time of the year, but it is often dangerous in high flows. Access to the Preserve is also challenging because of the steep terrain. No hiking trails exist on the properties, nor is there anywhere to pull off on the side of the road for parking. Because of our limited capacity to manage access and the undeveloped nature of the sites, public use of Roberts Island and Preserve is not permitted at this time. The McKenzie River Trust does rely on volunteers to help monitor and steward our properties. Please contact us if you are interested in this opportunity.