Benton County Hosting First Public Meeting For Habitat Conservation Plan

The plan will give the county and private landowners flexibility to meet the legal requirements of the Endangered Species Act.

Streaked Horned Lark. Photo: Oregon Fish and Wildlife

(CORVALLIS) - The first public meeting for the Benton County Prairie Species Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) will be held Monday, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, Benton Plaza, Plaza Meeting Room, 408 SW Monroe Avenue, in Corvallis.

Benton County is developing a HCP to balance the needs of conservation and economic development within the County.

The HCP will cover eight rare and endangered species that occur in local prairie habitats.

The rare, threatened and endangered species include: two butterflies - Fender’s blue and Taylor’s checkerspot; one bird – Streaked Horned Lark; and four plants - Kincaid’s lupine, Nelson’s checkermallow, Willamette daisy, and Bradshaw’s lomatium.

These species are native to the Northwest, and many of them occur only in the Willamette Valley.

At the meeting, staff from Benton County and the Institute for Applied Ecology will explain the premise of the HCP; discuss work completed to date and the timeframe for completing the plan.

In addition, residents can participate in identifying conservation measures to be included in the HCP.

Anyone interested in learning more about the species or habitats covered by the HCP, or the HCP process itself should attend the meeting.

For more information contact Benton County Natural Areas and Parks at (541) 766-6871.