City plans decade-long transformation to restore Minto Island Conservation Area

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Visitors to Minto-Brown Island Park may see healthier forests and wetlands, fewer invasive weeds and new seasonal trails as Salem public works officials plan to revamp the area over the next decade.

A Dec. 12 draft land management plan for the Minto Island Conservation Area lays out work to restore fish, mammal and bird habitats that have been degraded by invasive plants, while keeping the area accessible to the public.

The 307-acre space, which makes up about a quarter of the park on its north side, is Salem’s largest natural area and home to a variety of animals, from bald eagles to a recently spotted cougar.  

Its diverse ecosystem along the Willamette River include marshes, riverbank forests, ponds and sloughs.

Salem’s Public Works Department plans to begin the work in April 2025 and continue for 10 years.

While the city restores the area, public access will be restricted to “guided tours, planned experiences and educational opportunities” in specific areas and times of the year, according to the draft plan.

The project builds on other restoration work the city has performed in recent years, such as clearing the invasive Ludwigia plant from the Oxbow and Willamette sloughs.

The Minto Island plan includes input from a committee of experts, including representatives from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Salem Audubon Society. 

The city wants public input on the plan and will accept comments through Jan. 10. People can provide feedback by emailing Salem’s natural resource planner, Jeff Johnson, at [email protected].

“Input could be related to goals, public use, existing conditions, desired future conditions, and identification of funding opportunities,” according to city spokesman Trevor Smith.

READ: Draft land management plan

The state Watershed Enhancement Board recently awarded the city around $546,500 for restoring and expanding the western and southern sides of the conservation area.

The work will include planting over 36,000 plants and 300 pounds of native seeds, the city said in a news release Wednesday. 

Crews will remove invasive species such as blackberries, and plant native trees and shrubs.

That work is slated to continue until 2029. It’s one of 71 restoration projects to receive the state grant. 

The city is also currently developing a strip of native plants to act as a “buffer” along the area’s paved trail. That’s intended to protect wildlife, especially birds, from impacts of larger recreational events using the trail, according to the draft plan.

Work on the trail buffer comes from the city’s Conservation Area Management Fund.

“Future projects must align with the updated plan, and securing funding for these initiatives will be essential,” Smith said in an email. “Funding for the other projects in the plan is not currently secured, however, staff will continue to apply for grants and other funding opportunities to implement additional projects.”

Smith said the city could potentially develop a new unpaved trail along the eastern side of the area as well as several other small trails.

Any new trails will be designed to blend in with surrounding habitats, “minimizing disturbance and maintaining the ecological integrity” of the conservation area, according to the plan.

Wildlife surveys will inform where new trails are placed, and the city will schedule vegetation clearing and construction during periods where bird and wildlife activity is minimal.

“Developing new unpaved trails requires substantial planning, design, and permitting, and will therefore proceed slowly, as funding allows,” the plan said.

The city also plans to install “strategically placed wildlife viewing blinds” where visitors can observe wildlife along the trails without causing disturbance, according to the plan. “Where vegetative buffers are not feasible, split rail fence or similar barriers serve as visual reminders that trail users need to stay on trails.”

The city will monitor its progress by tracking data on habitat conditions, species populations and impacts of public use of the area, according to the plan. 

Contractors will assess how effective the restoration work is and provide feedback as it continues. Other agencies and organizations, such the Audubon Society and regulatory bodies, will periodically provide input and recommendations.

The plan said city crews also plan to work with the Audubon to “conduct field observations of wildlife behaviors” both one week before and after large events, such as the Ironman triathlon.

“We hope to continue to enhance the natural beauty and biodiversity of the Minto Island Conservation Area,” Smith said.

Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.

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