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Hobart natural area: committee hears survey results on Bradshaw’s lomatium, cautioned against volunteer disturbance
Summary
OSU researchers surveyed the Bradshaw’s lomatium at Hobart; staff and researchers said the plant remains in localized patches but is state-listed, requires careful timing and specialist methods for management and restoration, and the city is coordinating with multiple agencies.
Sweet Home — Researchers surveyed Bradshaw’s lomatium at the Hobart natural area and reported the population persists in localized patches, but committee members and staff cautioned that work in the site requires specialist timing and methods because the plant remains state-listed and sensitive to disturbance.
Adam, who attended OSU’s field survey, described participating in lomatium counts and said the plant is “tiny” and often looks like a small wild carrot. Staff said the plant had been delisted at the federal level but remains protected at the state level, which continues to impose restrictions on site work.
Staff emphasized that management actions — including mowing, mechanical disturbance or prescribed burns — must be timed and executed by qualified personnel using specified equipment. The state-recommended approaches include targeted mowing with specific deck heights or, historically, prescribed burns in suitable areas, and staff said some state agencies could assist with appropriate mowing equipment.
Why this matters: Hobart is a locally important natural area with native and protected species; the committee said careless volunteer work (for example, weed whacking during the wrong season) could harm the lomatium and jeopardize the population.
Discussion and next steps
Committee members said they will coordinate with the fire department and state agencies to develop management procedures and possible fuel-break work near homes. Staff said they will obtain the OSU survey results and recommended practices and will work with regulatory agencies — including Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife and state conservation partners — before scheduling volunteer or maintenance work.
The committee also discussed future low-impact improvements such as raised boardwalks and benches where appropriate, but said any physical changes will require agency coordination and careful timing to avoid damage to the plant colonies.
