If you have ever seen a Pacific Fisher (Pekania pennanti) in the wild, consider yourself one of the lucky ones. These elusive members of the weasel family den high up in old growth conifers and are mainly crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk). Standing at about the size of a large house cat, the Fishers’ diet consists mostly of small mammals and birds.
Finally, after a century of fire suppression, finally, a healing 32-acre managed grassland burn returned to the Rogue River Preserve on October 18, 2025. But it took some perseverance to make it happen. We are tremendously grateful for the professional crew from Grayback Forestry Inc. who conducted the burn and for all the preserve’s neighbors who provided input.
On our first visit to Eight Dollar Mountain near Cave Junction, we were greeted by the red brilliance of blooming Vollmer’s lily, the strange beauty of carnivorous cobra-lilies, and the flash of dragonflies and butterflies. From this colorful wetland, the view stretched south to the sparkling Illinois River. Now, this remarkable 71-acre site is permanently protected as Southern Oregon Land Conservancy’s newest preserve: Cobra-lily Springs.
If you have ever seen a Pacific Fisher (Pekania pennanti) in the wild, consider yourself one of the lucky ones. These elusive members of the weasel family den high up in old growth conifers and are mainly crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk). Standing at about the size of a large house cat, the Fishers’ diet consists mostly of small mammals and birds.
Moles are small and objectively cute mammals in the family Talpidae, a group best known for the raised tunnels and molehills they create in soil. These misunderstood velvet potatoes are often considered garden pests, although moles play an important ecological role in the environment and possess remarkable adaptations for life underground.
If you ever peer into a half-rotted log you might be so lucky to find a slippery pair of eyes staring back at you. If you’re extremely lucky those eyes could belong to a Pacific giant salamander (Dicamptodon tenebrosus). Usually seen wriggling through woody debris or eating a mildly toxic banana slug, these marbled beauties are found throughout western Oregon.
Our Annual Member Picnic is right around the corner!
Join us in June for Open Lands Day at the beautiful Rogue River Preserve.
We will be joining our friends from Vesper Meadow for beautiful surroundings, good company, and good deeds for the land. It's the 4th annual starthistle removal party… come help close in on the finish!
Join us in October for Open Lands Day at the beautiful Rogue River Preserve!
Nature Talks on YouTube
Enjoy recordings of our past Nature Talks. Each event has multiple presenters. From our local national trails, to new SOLC conserved lands, to special species, to tracking animals in the snow - you’ll gain knowledge to impress all your friends.
If you have ever seen a Pacific Fisher (Pekania pennanti) in the wild, consider yourself one of the lucky ones. These elusive members of the weasel family den high up in old growth conifers and are mainly crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk). Standing at about the size of a large house cat, the Fishers’ diet consists mostly of small mammals and birds.
SOLC hosted the annual Land Trust Education Leadership Summit, an event that brings together land-based education program staff for a week of connecting, visioning, and strategic planning. This year’s 22 participants (including two from SOLC!) represented organizations from Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, and Maine.
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84 Fourth Street (office)
PO Box 954
Ashland, OR 97520
info@landconserve.org
541.482.3069
