Resources
Klamath Siskiyou Oak Network Strategic Conservation Action Plan and Companion Summary
The Klamath Siskiyou Oak Network (KSON) is a regional collaboration that works to conserve oak ecosystems on private and public lands in southern Oregon and northern California. KSON is striving to meet continental and regional conservation priorities in one of North America’s most significant biodiversity hotpots and climate refugia. This Strategic Action Plan (SAP) outlines specific conservation foci for KSON over the short (6 year), medium (12 year), and long (30 year) term. We used the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation (CMP 2020) process to develop this plan.
Here, strategic planning elements are presented as a road map for achieving continued and accelerated oak woodland conservation in southern Oregon and northern California. This plan focuses on four oak woodland targets – Oak Savanna, Oak Chaparral, Oak Woodland, and Oak Conifer. Collectively, the conservation of these targets is intended to ensure the conservation of all native species associated with deciduous oak (e.g., Oregon White Oak and California Black Oak) ecosystems within the KSON geography.
This plan recognizes the importance of indigenous cultures and their land stewardship. The oak ecosystems of southern Oregon and northern California were shaped by traditional, time-tested, ecologically appropriate and sustainable indigenous cultural practices. As such, the conservation of these systems must be guided by ecocultural restoration approaches and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). This guidance will ensure the survival of both indigenous ecosystems and cultures.
In summary, we have prioritized seven strategies that will enable us to work more effectively by increasing the partnership’s capacity (hereafter enabling strategies) and seven conservation implementation strategies. These strategies will be implemented simultaneously to reduce the eight highest and medium rated threats to the oak targets. The strategies and threats outlined in this SAP are in line with those outlined in the Integrated Conservation Strategy For Western Temperate, Mexican Pine‐oak, and Tropical Cloud Forest Birds: North America to Central America (Alexander et al. 2020).