Pollinators Return to Walker Point Meadow After Major Oregon Habitat Restoration Effort

By Diane Megaw On Dec 8, 2025

A group of volunteers pull out invasive foxglove from the Walker Point meadow habitat project site. | Courtesy: Oregon Dept. of Forestry

After an energetic group of volunteers and staff of several agencies and organizations completed the Walker Point meadow habitat project site to remove invasive vegetation earlier this year, summertime pollinators have returned to the restored meadow.

Walker Point Meadow Attracts Pollinators After Project Helps Restore Natural State

Walker Point meadow lies at an elevation of 2,300 feet about 13 miles west of Veneta. The 2020 wildfires prompted a timber sale to reduce fire risk and limit potential damage to infrastructure from falling trees from the 84-year-old timber stand on the point.

Tidings Data Snapshot

Walker Point Meadow / project scale

4 acres

Walker Meadows restoration site

13 miles

West of Veneta in the Coast Range

2,300 ft

High elevation meadow location

4.3 acres

Stumps removed and ground leveled

Source: State of Oregon agency partnership overview of Walker Meadows restoration
Dailytidings.com

At the time, ODFW was seeking suitable sites for an upland meadow, and the clearing project aligned with the meadow plans.

ODF and ODFW worked together to prepare the site after ODFW received grant funding to remove 4.3 acres of stumps and level the ground, making the area ready for replanting. Native pollinator species were then seeded last year in the levelled ground.

The Walker Point meadow habitat project, led by a team from the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), the Oregon Hunters’ Association—Emerald Valley Chapter, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Wildlife Division, removed invasive vegetation, including foxglove and thistle.

Tidings Data Snapshot

Oregon Bee Project / habitat expansion targets

35 growers / training to increase habitat on farms

25 Bee Innovators / identified for high-impact habitat work

35 land managers / expected to expand habitat next

Source: Oregon Bee Project Strategic Plan habitat objectives
Dailytidings.com

Randy Smith, ODF State Forests Wildlife Biologist, said:

“All the partners came together for the day to remove the invasive plant species to reduce competition with the native pollinator plants that we seeded the previous year.”

Partner	Role at Walker Point
Oregon Department of Forestry / ODF	Project lead on state forest land / invasive removal coordination / monitoring support.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife / ODFW	Grant-backed site prep / stump removal support / seeding and mowing to favor native plants.
Oregon Hunters' Association / Emerald Valley Chapter	Volunteer labor to hand-pull invasive plants and protect new pollinator habitat.

It takes a lot of work to keep the native pollinator plants thriving at the meadow as the teams remove everything by hand, eliminating the need to spray herbicides.

This group of snag trees that were intentionally left standing in the middle of the meadow project provides a place for nest boxes, a trail camera, and even the pollinator habitat sign for this special project. The snags provide critical habitat for a variety of species. | Courtesy: Oregon Dept. of Forestry

The meadow was seeded with native plants, and they grew quickly the first year. | Courtesy: Oregon Dept. of Forestry

The meadow was mowed this summer, the second year of the project, to promote native plant development, improve forage quality for wildlife, and further reduce invasive plant competition. | Courtesy: Oregon Dept. of Forestry

ODF summertime pollinator monitoring has now found the restored meadow was buzzing with native pollinators, including five bumble bee species, as well as numerous butterfly and other various bee and insect species during this, the second year, of the meadow.

Recently, after the new native plants finished flowering, ODFW mowed a large portion of the meadow to promote native plant growth, improve wildlife forage quality, and further reduce invasive plant competition.