The Environment & Habitat

As I mentioned in part one of my Silvies Valley Ranch blog post, the environmental conservation efforts occurring throughout this 140,000-acre ranch were incredible. When Scott Campbell and his wife Sandy first purchased the ranch, they started working right away to restore streams, meadows and wildlife populations. Beavers once populated the streams on the ranch including Camp Creek, which feeds into the Silvies River. Years of trapping had demolished the population which had a dramatic impact on the creek. Beaver dams were no longer holding back the water and allowing vegetation to grow along the banks. The stream had essentially become a ditch thus lowering the water table and impairing any sort of riparian zone.



Artificial beaver dams were constructed, the water table began to rise, and the stream began to take on a new look. Native red-band trout once again gathered in the pools, and the banks of the creek began to support all kinds of wetland and riparian growth.

I had the privilege to visit this property back in 2010 and I can see the dramatic changes that have occurred over the years. Not only has the ranch become a fabulous resort, it has also become a sustainable ranch operating cattle and goat (chevon). Tons of high-quality grass is harvested each season which is sold around the world and supports the livestock throughout the winter. The beef and chevon that is grown on the property is 100 percent organic as well.

What struck me was the amount of wildlife on the ranch. Just off the top of my head I can name, deer, elk, antelope, bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, mountain blue birds, badgers, pollinators of all kinds, cougars, bobcats, rainbow trout, black birds and crows. I know this is just the top of the list.

Bird houses are a big part of the ranch operation. I saw them on the trees in 2010 and I saw even more in 2019. These are predominantly for the mountain blue birds but there are others in them as well. There are over 4000 bird boxes and 1000 bat boxes. Everywhere you go on the ranch, you will see them. As you can imagine, cleaning them out each year is a large task.

Animal Production

Wildfires can always be a threat in Eastern Oregon and the Silvies Valley Ranch isn’t immune. A few years ago, a controlled burn got away and almost tore through part of the property. Grazing cattle is one way of controlling the grass which grows beneath the trees, but the Campbells have learned that grazing goats can also control wildfires and they don’t compete at all with the cattle. In fact, they work together in harmony. As a lot of golf courses have learned, goats make for great brush control. Once the brush is out of the way the grass can grow and the cattle benefit.

The cattle are moved around the ranch systematically each day by regular cowboys on horseback. Their job is to protect the heard, deliver calves and make sure they are close to water and food. The goats are managed by real Peruvian goat herders which are brought in from Peru on H-2B visas. With the aid of Great Pyrenees and Border Collies, they also keep the heard on the move. There are typically three herds each roaming the ranch. We were lucky to run into a herd of goats where I was able to snap some great photos.

Historical Preservation

The ranch not only protects the environment, but the heritage and history are important, as well. As Sean drove us around the ranch in their four-seat Razor, I couldn’t help but notice how every feature, stream, or old homestead had an information sign next to it. There were originally over 70 homesteads within the ranch. Some just had a few walls left standing while others were still relatively intact. Below is the home of John Hopper. It is said that he and his wife raised eight children in this small, one-room building.

                                      
                                                  John Hopper Homestead

What remains of the Myles McVeigh homestead now overlooks part of the 8^th hole on the Craddock and the 9^th hole on the Hankins Course.             

                                                    
Each golf course was named after a predominant settler in the area. John “Jack” Craddock bought up many of the small parcels of land by the late 20's. Later, after the railroad went through the valley, his son Chet put much of the ranch together as it is today. Roland Hankins came to Oregon in 1883 and settled in Silvies in 1884. The Hankins Cemetery is located just above Sean’s home on top of a hill. There are 9 known grave sites listed. Sean said Oregon State University came out and did a ground penetrating radar which located several unmarked graves.

Hankins Family Cemetery

The Ranch Experience

Upon arriving to the resort, guests will trade in their car keys for a beefed-up EZ-GO which will be their mode of transportation while on the property. The four golf courses are obviously a huge attraction for those that want to come out to the Silvies Ranch, but there are also many other things that will offer the guest an opportunity to experience the entire property. You could probably spend a week out there and still leave with things that you didn’t do. Here is a list of some of the activities and experiences available:

• Eco Razor tour (I call it the Ranch Safari)
• Fly fishing
• Pistol and rifle shooting range
• Goat and cattle herding
• Photography tour
• Hiking
• Horseback riding
• Full spa and workout facility
• Scotch tasting
• Ice fishing
• Snowshoeing
• Snow biking

Scott and Sandy Campbell are native to the area and were raised in Burns. Eastern Oregon residents were hit hard by the recession and it was their dream to bring life back to the economy. Like the effect the Bandon Dunes Resort had on the city of Bandon, Scott and Sandy hope the Silvies Valley Ranch will have the same effect on the cities of John Day and Burns. They hope to attract travelers from all around the world who will spend half of their time at the ranch and the other visiting artisans, musicians and shops.

Oregon is blessed to now have a new golf resort destination on the eastern side of the state. I would not down Bandon by any means, but the Silvies Ranch offers a completely new experience. Sean Hoolehan has landed himself in a pretty magical place. He told me that getting used to the remoteness of the ranch was tough, but when he takes a moment and looks around him, he appreciates where he is.