Wildlife refuge swells to 15K acres
Wednesday, March 24, 2004 7:31 AM PST
By Eric Apalategui
Printable version
E-mail this articleThe Willapa National Wildlife Refuge's latest land deal will protect 422 acres of habitat for fish and wildlife.
The land deal, completed during the winter at a cost of more than $800,000, is the largest single addition since the refuge adopted a land acquisition plan in October 1999.
Under its growth goals, the refuge expects to buy nearly 2,300 acres from willing sellers. Already, it has bought about 1,500 of those acres, pushing the refuge to roughly 15,000 acres.
"We've accomplished a pretty good chunk of that," Charlie Stenvall, project leader for Willapa and two nearby refuges, said Tuesday.
The new addition is east of the Bear River near Greenhead Slough, just off U.S. 101 between the refuge office and Long Beach. The acreage is more than half tidal wetlands, but it also includes a large tract of second- and third-growth timber.
Three unnamed creeks large enough to provide spawning habitat for cutthroat trout and chum and coho salmon run through the land. Years ago, during construction of the highway and private roads on the parcel, the creeks were routed through culverts, tidal gates and ditches, which has limited fish access, Stenvall said.
Refuge officials and other organizations plan to improve fish access to the streams and undertake other habitat restoration. However, work to Highway 101 itself will be delayed until Stenvall's staff finishes restoration plans and the tourist rush from Lewis and Clark bicentennial ends in 2006, Stenvall said.
Amphibians, birds and mammals, including deer and elk, also live on the property, but the area will provide better habitat when the streams, wetlands and forests are restored to a more natural condition, Stenvall said.
Hunting will be allowed on the land during regular big-game seasons.
Previously, owner Fred Pickering of Yacolt, Wash., controlled access. The refuge bought the property from Pickering's holding company, Bear River Investments.
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