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Restoration

Camp Polk Meadow Preserve

Camp Polk Meadow Preserve, a 151-acre meadow near Sisters, Oregon, is protected through a partnership between the Deschutes Land Trust and Portland General Electric. One of the preserves most outstanding features is Whychus Creek, a salmon-bearing stream that has recently been restored, allowing salmon to migrate along the creek for the first time in almost fifty years. The land within the Camp Polk Meadow Preserve has been used by humans for more than ten thousand years. Native Americans, such as the Wasco tribe, camped in the meadow. "Whychus" means "a place to cross water" in the Wasco language. European settlers also used the area as a place to rest. The preserve protects the the Hindeman barn, built in 1871, which is Deschutes County's oldest structure.

The Deschutes Land Trust has partnered with several educational organizations, such as Oregon State University-Cascades, Wolftree, and University of Oregon, to provide opportunities for students to learn about Oregon's natural and historical resources. At the Camp Polk Meadow Preserve, students can view wildlife such as elk, cougar, otter, deer, and many bird species. The preserve is host to hundreds of species of plants, including the rare Peck's Penstemon. Students can also view an ongoing restoration project at Whychus Creek.

Source

Deschutes Land Trust. Camp Polk Meadow Preserve.

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