The Willamette Valley: Oregon’s Fertile Heartland

Geography

A 150-mile (240 km) north-south valley in western Oregon, bounded by the Coast Range (west) and Cascade Range (east). The Willamette River flows north to the Columbia.

Climate

Mediterranean: warm, dry summers; cool, wet winters. Avg. 54°F (12°C), 40 in (1,000 mm) rain. Spring brings sharp temperature swings and strong winds.

Ecosystems

• Oak woodlands (low elevations)
• Coniferous forests (high elevations)
• Grasslands (central valley)
• Wetlands (margins)

Native Flora & Fauna

• Trees: Douglas fir, western hemlock, Sitka spruce, red alder, bigleaf maple.
• Animals: Black-tailed deer, Roosevelt elk, black bear, beaver, river otter.

The valley is Oregon’s population center and agricultural powerhouse (wine, berries, hazelnuts, grass seed).