Heceta Head – Oregon Conservation Strategy

A coastal headland with nearby steller sea lion haulouts. A large portion of the Siuslaw National Forest is included.

COA ID: 031

Recommended Conservation Actions

Preserve balds and buttes from encroachment of non-native vegetation
Protect and promote late successional uneven aged forest habitat
Protect silverspot butterfly habitat near Big Creek
Reduce road density and access along streams, floodplains, wetlands, and ridges that are not artery mainline roadways
Survey for rare forest mammals (e.g., martens, fishers)

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Potential Partners

Special Features

General

Eagle nesting sites
Marbled Murrelet nesting sites
Spotted Owl nesting sites
Stellar sea lion haulouts

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID CR-23 (Siuslaw River area)
2006 COA ID CR-24 (Heceta Head)
2006 COA ID CR-25 (Sutton Lake area)

Protected Areas

Big Creek
Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park
Cummins Creek Wilderness
Cummins/Gwynn Creeks
Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint
Muriel O. Ponsler Memorial State Scenic Viewpoint
Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint
Oregon Islands Wilderness
Rock Creek Wilderness
Siuslaw National Forest

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.