| Butte Valley National Grassland | |
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| Location | Siskiyou County,California, United States |
| Nearest city | Dorris, CA |
| Coordinates | 41°53′57″N122°01′31″W / 41.899211°N 122.025146°W /41.899211; -122.025146 |
| Area | 18,425 acres (74.56 km2)[1] |
| Established | July 1991 |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
| Website | Butte Valley National Grassland |
Butte Valley National Grassland is a 18,425-acre (7,456 ha) United StatesNational Grassland located in northernCalifornia.[1] Administered by theUnited States Forest Service,Klamath National Forest, it is located in northernSiskiyou County, near theOregon border, between the communities ofDorris andMacdoel alongU.S. Highway 97. It was dedicated in July 1991 as the nation's 20th National Grassland. It is administered as part of theKlamath National Forest, and is the sole National Grassland in California and in Region 5 (Pacific Southwest) of the Forest Service. Administrative offices are located inMacdoel, California.[2][3]
The area is located in theKlamath River basin at an elevation of approximately 4,200 feet (1,280 m). The annual precipitation is approximately 12 inches (300 mm). It consists primarily of flat, sandy soils and a dry lake bed. The area includes sweeping views of theCascade Range andMount Shasta.
The area attractedhomesteaders in the late 19th century who ditched, drained, plowed, and grazed the land. Overuse caused a decline in productivity that was exacerbated by the drought of the 1930s. The U.S. government purchased submarginal lands in 1937. The lands were then administered by theSoil Conservation Service (now the Natural Resources Conservation Service) which began stabilizing the land by planting of over 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) of crestedwheatgrass. In the 1940s a portion of the area was used as bombing range. Grazing of the land continued until its designation as a National Grassland in 1991.[2][3]
The current habitat of thegrassland consists of opensagebrush,rabbit brush,juniper and nativebunch grasses.
Bird watching is a popular recreational activity. Birds found in the grassland includesage thrasher andBrewer's sparrow in the spring, summer and fall. Resident bird species include thehorned lark andlark sparrow. Nesting raptors includegolden eagle,prairie falcon,red-tailed hawk andSwainson's hawk, drawn by residentrodents in the fields.Ferruginous hawk have successfully nested in recent years.[4]
