Sweet Creek Forest
Easement
In 2023 the Purvis family donated the 78-acre Sweet Creek forest to McKenzie River Trust. After caring for the area for more than 50 years, the family wanted to ensure a conservation future of this special forest parcel that supports seasonal salmon spawning in the Siuslaw watershed.
A family legacy lives on in Oregon's coast range
Meet Sweet Creek FOrest
Why It’s Important
The Sweet Creek Forest property protects nearly 80 acres from slope to stream on Sweet Creek, a major tributary to the Siuslaw River. The area was clear-cut in the 1960s before being replanted by Mat Purvis, in the 1970s. Mat and his family donated the property to McKenzie River Trust in 2023.
Fish and wildlife on the property
Sweet Creek Forest offers a haven for the finned and furred. Black bear, elk, deer, and smaller mammals utilize the tree cover for food and shelter. In stream, Coho salmon spawn annually among trout and other aquatic life who rely on this area to thrive.
A Living Legacy at Sweet Creek Forest
When Mat Purvis moved to Oregon in the early 1970s, he was excited to spend more outdoors. Growing up in urban Atlanta, Mat was accustomed to camping, hiking, and fishing but had always dreamed of owning a wilderness property. As a young physician with spare time, Mat leapt at an opportunity to pursue his dream when a colleague offered to sell him a tract of forest on Sweet Creek.