The Little Deschutes is the southernmost of the Deschutes River’s principal tributaries.

Paulina Creek is a tributary to the Little Deschutes. Much of the stream is protected inside the Newberry Crater National Volcanic Monument and Deschutes National Forest. However, a short reach from the forest boundary to where Paulina Creek meets the Little Deschutes is privately owned.

At this confluence, WRC has purchased the 655-acre Paulina Meadows property, which contains the lowest 2.3 miles of Paulina Creek and nearly 1.5 miles of the Little Deschutes.

Once Paulina Meadows is conserved, the entire length of Paulina Creek will be protected, complementing significant habitat restoration happening immediately upstream. For recreationists, transferring the property to the BLM will mean improved access for boating, hiking, fishing, hunting and birdwatching.

The stretch of the Little Deschutes that runs through Paulina Meadows has some of the densest occurrences of Oregon spotted frog in the entire basin. A federally threatened species, Oregon spotted frog populations have seen a steep decline in recent years due to predation by non-native bullfrogs, water withdrawals and habitat alterations. Conserving the property will help with bullfrog eradication, while switching to compatible grazing practices on the property will benefit spotted frog populations.

WRC’s work will also safeguard important big game habitat within the state’s largest mule deer migration corridor.

With funding provided by the Tide SW Foundation in June 2024, Western Rivers Conservancy was able to purchase the Paulina Meadows Ranch. WRC will hold and manage the property until it can be conveyed to the Bureau of Land Management.