7:45 am – Steve Denney’s Oak Restoration Work and Bird Hike

Umpqua Valley Audubon Society Field Trip

Steve Denney’s Oak Restoration Work and Bird Hike

When: Saturday, May 23, 2026, 7:45 am to 11:30 am

To: Lookingglass Property of Host Steve Denney

Trip Details: After carpooling up to Steve’s house, we will hike down through his oak-mixed conifer forest. Steve will share last year’s extensive oak restoration work while also watching for birds that are reacting to the habitat changes.

Meet and Park: At 7:45 am, meet at 303 Nandy Drive at the 3^rd driveway on the right after you have turned off Lookingglass Rd. Someone will be there to direct cars to park. Participants will then be shuttled up to the house. As part of the hike you will be walking back to your cars.

Physical Conditions: For hiking down the oak-mixed conifer habitat, hiking boots are strongly recommended. The field road is a downward slope with some ruts and slippery gravel areas.  Mindfulness is needed for foot placement. We will be walking all the way back down to the cars.

Restrooms: a bathroom will be available at the house before the start of hike. It is not ADA accessible.

The Denney family has owned this 100 acre farm in Lookingglass since 1989.  Steve and Kris have raised three boys on the farm, and all have graduated college and are employed in the medical field.  They have raised hay, pigs, some timber and also had a commercial vineyard for 20 years.  In 2004 they converted the vineyard to a Wetland Mitigation Bank to offset loss of wetlands in the Umpqua Basin.  Steve has spent most of his time on the property eliminating and controlling invasive species such as Scotch broom, English hawthorn, blackberry and meadow knapweed and has been pretty successful in controlling them.  Steve has been interested in planting and re-establishing white and black oak as well as ponderosa pine on the property.  There are several different and important habitats on the farm including oak savannah grassland, oak-mixed conifer, oak wetland and wetland prairie where different species of birds can be observed.

For questions prior to the field trip contact Stacy Burleigh at stacymb13@gmail.com.  For questions the morning of 5/23, call Steve at 541-671-1803.

Directions: From Roseburg, go west on Harvard, and turn south on Lookingglass Rd–continue for 5.7 miles to 303 Nandy Rd.

From Melrose, head west on Melrose Rd, turn south on Colonial Rd, and turn east on Lookingglass Rd where sign indicates to Roseburg- continue 1.2 miles to 303 Nandy Rd.