Conservation easement permanently protects East Moraine

Published 5:30 pm Thursday, February 9, 2023

ENTERPRISE — After more than a decade of work, what is being deemed the final step to ban all future commercial and residential development on the East Moraine Community Forest was put to rest in a matter of 10 minutes Thursday, Jan. 26.

Wallowa County Commissioners John Hillock, Todd Nash and Susan Roberts joined Wallowa Land Trust Board Chairman Benjamin Curry at the Wallowa Title Co. to sign the East Moraine Community Forest conservation easement. Such an easement is a voluntary legal agreement that limits certain uses of the land in perpetuity. The easement serves as an additional layer of protection on the 1,824-acre property.

At the time the property was acquired and transferred into Wallowa County ownership in January 2020, minimal restrictions were placed on the title. While these restrictions stopped the chance of any development on the property, the restrictions were broad in nature with no one obligated to make sure that the terms were met.

It’s been more than a dozen years since Wallowa County acquired the Wallowa Lake East Moraine property from the Ronald C. Yanke Trust and began working on a management plan for the land. The commissioners gave final approval to the management plan Sept. 21.

The final conservation easement defines prohibited and allowed uses on the property and assigns the permanent obligation of watching over the property to the Wallowa Land Trust and the Oregon Department of Forestry. The easement, the trust and the Forestry Department will work with Wallowa County and the East Moraine Community Forest Management Team to ensure that the terms of this binding, legal document are honored.

“We are lucky to have a team of committed individuals and organizations that all care deeply about the future of the East Moraine,” said Kathleen Ackley, the trust’s executive director. “Having this property in county ownership, managed as a multiple-use landscape, creates an incredible asset for our community.”

The team that came together to acquire the forest (Wallowa County, Wallowa Resources, Wallowa Land Trust and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department) is now turning its efforts to the task of long-term management. Guided by a management plan, the team is joined by newly hired property manager, Katy Nesbitt. Together they are overseeing the various uses on the property. Most recently, a guided forest health tour was arranged for the public to learn about a planned commercial thinning to address grand fir die-off.

“This is a community-owned forest that will be a model for public land stewardship,” Nesbitt said. “To that end, we are working on a carrying-capacity study to better understand the impact of recreation on the moraine’s plants and animals. In the coming years we will also conduct a comprehensive wildlife and plant inventory. Starting in 2024, to ensure livestock best utilize the grass on the moraine and to protect sensitive habitat and species, we will be using virtual fencing — radio-controlled collars — to manage the cattle.”

Going forward, ample recreation opportunities can be expected on the forest, with no threat of future development, thanks to the easement. 

“Recognizing the amount of hard work and persistence that has gone into this project over the last 15 years is key to appreciating this moment’s significance,” Ackley said. “We wouldn’t be here without the many supporters, project partners and community members who have advocated for the East Moraine’s protection for many years. This is a historic moment we should all be proud of.”

For more information about the East Moraine Community Forest, visit https://co.wallowa.or.us/east- moraine-community-forest/ or email Katy Nesbitt at knesbitt@co.wallowa.or.us.