The Upper Willamette Soil & Water Conservation District Explores Land Acquisition Opportunity

The Upper Willamette Soil & Water Conservation District, which serves central and eastern Lane County, is considering the acquisition of a 200+ acre hazelnut farm located on the lower McKenzie River. The property, known as the Rice Farm, is the second-oldest working hazelnut orchard in Lane County after Dorris Ranch in Springfield, which is owned by Willamalane Parks & Recreation District. The landowner, Arlene Dietz, first approached the District in 2024.

Along with a working hazelnut orchard, the farm includes river and stream environments that are a vital source of habitat for fish and wildlife along Cedar Creek and the McKenzie.

According to our District Manager Lily Leitermann, “This property has unique and important habitat values that create public conservation benefits, including improving and protecting the source of drinking water for many Lane County residents.”

The Rice Farm is directly upstream from EWEB’s sole drinking water intake source. It has long been identified by local conservation organizations as an irreplaceable piece of the puzzle for local water quality protection and restoration projects, according to Leitermann.

The property has been valued at approximately $5.8 million. Ms. Dietz is offering UWSWCD a gift of $1.8 million, reducing the asking price to $4 million.

From the time that the District received voter approval for a tax base in 2020, we have been developing a reserve fund to acquire property for conservation projects and an office. Our reserves are enough to cover the cost of this purchase.

While researching the land and various funding opportunities, we found many potential conservation projects as well as various funding sources to pursue long-term stewardship of the property. Our first priority will be to focus on restoring riparian areas, improving water quality near EWEB’s water intake, which will be an immediate benefit to fish and wildlife species as well as Eugene and parts of Springfield’s drinking water quality.

The Freshwater Trust’s shade credit program would fund the removal of invasive plants, replacing them with native plant species along the McKenzie River and Cedar Creek. Applied farming research opportunities with Oregon State University and the University of Oregon would help to reduce pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals, improving the soil health of the hazelnut orchard.

We are committed to keeping the majority of the hazelnut orchards in production, working with a local farmer to manage the farm and using conservation practices that improve both soil health and water quality.

As a tax-funded local government, we use our funding to support local soil and water conservation efforts, working with partner organizations and private landowners. In purchasing the Rice Farm, we intend to protect crucial working lands and wildlife habitat while continuing to support Eastern Lane County landowners, community-based organizations, and their regional partners in a wide variety of conservation projects.

The District leverages our tax-based funding to raise additional funds from federal, state, and local granting agencies, including EWEB’s innovative Source water protection program. Senior Restoration Specialist Daniel Dietz (no relation to Arlene Dietz) stated that this practice allows us “to do more together than any one of us could do alone.”

Our District board is expected to make a final decision on the property acquisition in November.

We also plan to shift the hazelnut orchard operations to organic and apply sustainable practices throughout the farm. The District is seeking additional partnership support and funding options for the interim and longer-term sustainable management of the farm and riparian areas.