Drury Meadow

Owned Property

Size: 23 Acres
Acquired: December 2006
Location: Upper McKenzie River Valley, southwest of McKenzie Bridge
How it was Protected:

Jim and Mary Jane Drury donated the property to the McKenzie River Trust.

These wetlands support a host of sensitive species including Western Pond Turtles and Red-legged Frogs, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon and Brook Lamprey.

Meet Drury Meadow

Why It’s Important

Drury Meadow is home to a wet prairie, meadow, and forests made up of mature hardwood and conifer trees. Two healthy streams run through the property before feeding into the upper McKenzie River. Taylor Creek drops out of a thick, forested landscape to fill several wetlands in the middle of the meadow. These wetlands support a host of sensitive species including Western Pond Turtles and Red-legged Frogs, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon and Brook Lamprey.

The property was owned and enjoyed by the Drury family for more than 65 years before being gifted to the Trust to ensure the land’s protection in perpetuity.

Animals on the property

The two streams running through the property – the west fork of Horse Creek and Upper Taylor Creek, which is a tributary to Horse Creek – are designated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife respectively as large and medium fish-bearing streams. They provide suspected spawning and rearing habitat for native Bull Trout, Cutthroat Trout, and Rainbow Trout. The meadow provides habitat for a herd of resident Roosevelt Elk, numerous deer, and their predators. Sensitive species documented in the area include Red-legged Frog, Western Pond Turtle, Spotted Frog, Harlequin Duck, and Townsend Big-eared Bat.

Looking for Fish

In July 2009, MRT land stewards Jodi Lemmer and Chris Vogel were joined by US Forest Service Biologists Kate Meyer and Dave Bickford to conduct a fish inventory on Drury Meadow. Starting at the confluence of Horse Creek and Taylor Creek, Jodi and Kate snorkeled down Taylor Creek while Chris and Dave netted fish and set small traps. They found Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Chinook Salmon in Taylor Creek. Brook Lamprey were also found spawning in small cobbles on the property. This native eel-like fish is a remnant species of the oldest vertebrates in the world.