Wassen Creek – Oregon Conservation Strategy

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Connects to the northern portion of Umpqua River Estuary. Focuses on Wassen Creek and surrounding upland and riparian habitats. Includes some Siuslaw National Forest land

COA ID: 039

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain high quality wetland and wet meadow habitat
Maintain or enhance in-channel watershed function, connection to riparian habitat, flow and hydrology
Maintain or restore riparian habitat and ecological function; ensure sufficient habitat complexity for wildlife

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds

Potential Partners

Bureau of Land Management
Natural Resources Conservation Service
The Nature Conservancy

Special Features

General

Area offers high diversity of Strategy Habitats and offers high quality habitat to many Strategy Species

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID CR-30 (Wassen Creek)

Protected Areas

Siuslaw National Forest
Wassen Creek
Wetlands Reserve Program

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

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.

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.