The area is a late successional mixed deciduous and conifer forest with wetlands, flowing water and riparian habitats in the Gales Creek watershed. The 46 square mile area is conterminal with Nehalem and Salmonberry River Headwaters and Tillamook Bay and Tributaries COAs.
COA ID: 013
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
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley ecoregion is bounded on the west by the Coast Range and on the east by the Cascade Range. This long mostly level alluvial plain has some scattered areas of low basalt, and contrasts with productive farmland and large urban areas. It has the fastest-growing human population in the state resulting in challenges due to land-use changes.
Strategy Habitats
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.
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.
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
Acorn Woodpecker (Observed)
Melanerpes formicivorus
California Myotis (Observed)
Myotis californicus
Chinook Salmon (Documented)
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Chipping Sparrow (Observed)
Spizella passerina
Clouded Salamander (Modeled Habitat)
Aneides ferreus
Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Documented)
Oncorhynchus clarki clarki
Coastal Tailed Frog (Observed)
Ascaphus truei
Coho Salmon (Documented)
Oncorhynchus kisutch
Columbia Torrent Salamander (Modeled Habitat)
Rhyacotriton kezeri
Common Nighthawk (Observed)
Chordeiles minor
Cope’s Giant Salamander (Observed)
Dicamptodon copei
Fisher (Modeled Habitat)
Pekania pennanti
Fringed Myotis (Modeled Habitat)
Myotis thysanodes
Hoary Bat (Modeled Habitat)
Lasiurus cinereus
Long-legged Myotis (Modeled Habitat)
Myotis volans
Marbled Murrelet (Modeled Habitat)
Brachyramphus marmoratus
Northern Red-legged Frog (Observed)
Rana aurora
Northern Spotted Owl (Observed)
Strix occidentalis caurina
Olive-sided Flycatcher (Observed)
Contopus cooperi
Oregon Vesper Sparrow (Observed)
Pooecetes gramineus affinis
Purple Martin (Observed)
Progne subis arboricola
Red Tree Vole (Modeled Habitat)
Arborimus longicaudus
Short-eared Owl (Modeled Habitat)
Asio flammeus flammeus
Silver-haired Bat (Modeled Habitat)
Lasionycteris noctivagans
Townsend’s Big-eared Bat (Modeled Habitat)
Corynorhinus townsendii
Western Bluebird (Observed)
Sialia mexicana
Western Gray Squirrel (Modeled Habitat)
Sciurus griseus
Western Meadowlark (Observed)
Sturnella neglecta
Western Painted Turtle (Modeled Habitat)
Chrysemys picta bellii
Northwestern Pond Turtle (Observed)
Actinemys marmorata
Western Toad (Modeled Habitat)
Anaxyrus boreas
Willow Flycatcher (Observed)
Empidonax traillii
Steelhead / Rainbow / Redband Trout (Documented)
Oncorhynchus mykiss ssp
Yellow-breasted Chat (Observed)
Icteria virens auricollis