Chetco River-Winhchuck River Estuaries – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Photo Credit: Curtis Edwards, ODFW

This diverse area includes habitats ranging from coastal dunes and estuaries to mature upland conifer forests.

COA ID: 052

Recommended Conservation Actions

Conduct remote camera surveys to examine occupancy and collect genetic samples from Humboldt Marten and Pacific Fisher.
Conduct surveys for Sudden Oak Death (Phytophthora ramorum) and quarantine/eradicate where found.
Minimize vehicular traffic and/or new road construction where potential exists to spread Port Orford Root Rot.
Place large wood and rocks in estuaries for Fall Chinook habitat.
Thin small diameter conifer and use controlled burns to restore historic meadow and prairie habitat.

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Potential Partners

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Wild Rivers Land Trust

Special Features

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID CR-42 (Chetco River)
2006 COA ID CR-43 (Winchuck River Estuary)
2006 COA ID KM-04 (Kalmiopsis area)

Protected Areas

Alfred A. Loeb State Park
Chetco River
Crissey Field State Recreation Site
Oregon Islands Wilderness
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Winchuck State Recreation Site

Ecoregions

Coast Range Ecoregion

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

Klamath Mountains Ecoregion

Klamath Mountains

The Klamath Mountains ecoregion covers much of southwestern Oregon, including the Umpqua Mountains, Siskiyou Mountains, and interior valleys and foothills between these and the Cascade Range. The Rogue watershed has the largest population of any coastal watershed in Oregon (Jackson County, Josephine County, and a portion of Curry County). Several popular and scenic rivers run …

Strategy Habitats

Oregon Coastal Dunes

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.

Estuary Strategy Habitat, Siletz Bay

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.

Grassland Strategy Habitat

Grasslands

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

Coast Range Ecoregion

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.

Example of Oak Woodlands, which is a Strategy Habitat within the Oregon Conservation Strategy

Oak Woodlands

Oak woodlands are characterized by an open canopy dominated by Oregon white oak.

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.

Strategy Species

Black Oystercatcher (Observed)

Haematopus bachmani

California Myotis on tree

California Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis californicus

Caspian Tern

Caspian Tern (Observed)

Hydroprogne caspia

Chinook Salmon - Spring/Summer Run

Chinook Salmon (Documented)

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

Clouded Salamander

Clouded Salamander (Observed)

Aneides ferreus

Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Documented)

Oncorhynchus clarki clarki

Coastal Tailed Frog (Observed)

Ascaphus truei

Coho Salmon (Documented)

Oncorhynchus kisutch

Del Norte Salamander (Observed)

Plethodon elongatus

Fisher (Modeled Habitat)

Pekania pennanti

Foothill Yellow-legged Frog (Observed)

Rana boylii

Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel (Observed)

Oceanodroma furcata

Fringed Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis thysanodes

Harlequin Duck (Observed)

Histrionicus histrionicus

Hoary Bat (Observed)

Lasiurus cinereus

Leach's Storm-Petrel

Leach’s Storm-Petrel (Observed)

Oceanodroma leucorhoa leucorhoa

Long-legged Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis volans

Marbled Murrelet (Observed)

Brachyramphus marmoratus

Northern Red-legged Frog (Observed)

Rana aurora

Northern Spotted Owl (Observed)

Strix occidentalis caurina

Olive-sided Flycatcher (Observed)

Contopus cooperi

Peregrine Falcon (Observed)

Falco peregrinus anatum

Pink Sandverbena (Observed)

Abronia umbellata var. breviflora

Purple Martin (Observed)

Progne subis arboricola

Red Tree Vole (Modeled Habitat)

Arborimus longicaudus

Ringtail

Ringtail (Modeled Habitat)

Bassariscus astutus

Photo is needed for this Strategy feature.

Robust Walker (Observed)

Pomatiopsis binneyi

Silver-haired Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Silvery Phacelia (Observed)

Phacelia argentea

Southern Torrent Salamander (Observed)

Rhyacotriton variegatus

Townsend's Big-eared Bat

Townsend’s Big-eared Bat (Observed)

Corynorhinus townsendii

Tufted Puffin (Observed)

Fratercula cirrhata

Northwestern Pond Turtle (Observed)

Actinemys marmorata

Western Snowy Plover (Observed)

Charadrius nivosus nivosus

Western Toad (Observed)

Anaxyrus boreas

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