Umpqua River Estuary – Oregon Conservation Strategy

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Area focuses on the Umpqua River Estuary, bounded by the coastline to the west and Highway 38 to the east

COA ID: 038

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain and restore tidal wetland habitats

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Important Bird Areas of Oregon
Oregon Habitat Joint Ventures

Potential Partners

Special Features

General

High restoration potential for tidal wetlands
Important shorebird and waterfowl site

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID CR-27 (Siltcoos - Tahkenitch Basin)
2006 COA ID CR-29 (Umpqua River Estuary)
2006 COA ID CR-30 (Wassen Creek)
2006 COA ID CR-31 (North Bend Dunes)
2006 COA ID CR-32 (Elliot State Forest)

Protected Areas

Bolon Island Tideways State Scenic Corridor
Oregon Dunes
Oregon Islands Wilderness
Siuslaw National Forest
SPC Stewardship
Umpqua Lighthouse State Park
Umpqua State Scenic Corridor

Ecoregions

Coast Range

Oregon’s Coast Range, known for its dramatic scenery, is extremely diverse, with habitats ranging from open sandy dunes to lush forests and from tidepools to headwater streams. It follows the coastline and extends east through coastal forest to the border of the Willamette Valley and Klamath Mountains ecoregions

Strategy Habitats

Coastal Dunes

Occurring along the Oregon coastline, coastal dunes provide habitat for species that prefer open, sandy habitats with a high degree of disturbance from winds and tides.

Estuaries

Estuaries occur where freshwater rivers meet the oceanic salty waters, are influenced by tidal flooding, and experience frequent periodic changes in salinity, water levels, sunlight, and oxygen.

Grasslands

Grasslands include a variety of upland grass-dominated habitats, such as upland prairies, coastal bluffs, and montane grasslands.

Late Successional Mixed Conifer Forests

Late successional mixed conifer forests provide a multi-layered tree canopy, including large-diameter trees, shade-tolerant tree species in the understory, and a high volume of dead wood, such as snags and logs.

Natural Lakes

Natural lakes are relatively large bodies of freshwater surrounded by land. For the purposes of the Conservation Strategy, natural lakes are defined as standing water bodies larger than 20 acres, including some seasonal lakes.

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats include all naturally occurring flowing freshwater streams and rivers throughout Oregon as well as the adjacent riparian habitat.

Ducks on a wetland in Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area, Oregon

Wetlands

Wetlands are covered with water during all or part of the year. Permanently wet habitats include backwater sloughs, oxbow lakes, and marshes, while seasonally wet habitats include seasonal ponds, vernal pools, and wet prairies.