Columbia Land Trust Adds to Eagle Sanctuary

Columbia Land Trust recently conserved 75 acres of shoreline and tidal wetlands adjoining the Twilight Eagle Sanctuary on the lower Columbia River just east of Astoria, Oregon. The purchase nearly quadruples the size of the Sanctuary, which was established in 1992 by other local non-profit and government groups. North Coast Land Conservancy owns 12 acres, and Clatsop County owns another 15 acres, which is managed by the Oregon Eagle Foundation. The Sanctuary now totals over 100 acres, with almost a mile of Columbia River shoreline.

"With Columbia Land Trust's acquisition, the Eagle Sanctuary is now not just a "postage stamp" protected area, but an important conservation area with landscape-scale ecological significance,” says Neal Maine, Executive Director of the North Coast Land Conservancy. “The conservation area has it all – old growth forest, tidal wetlands, and shoreline."

The shoreline property is invaluable to salmon, which use the wetlands to rest and feed on their way to the ocean. Bald eagles live there year-round, with 30 active nesting sites. The area also provides important habitat for wintering waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds. The property is also across from the off shore islands of the Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge that covers 35,000 acres of mudflats, tidal marshes, and islands on the lower Columbia River. These islands are home to beaver, raccoons, weasels, mink, muskrats, and river otters. Harbor seals and California sea lions feed in the rich estuary waters.

Visitors can easily experience the natural area. The viewing platform that overlooks the Sanctuary has interpretive panels about the wetlands, eagles, and the local history of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

The Sanctuary is located between Astoria and Svenson, Oregon, just off of Highway 30 on Burnside Loop Rood.

“It‟s exciting to be part of such an important conservation project that also provides educational benefits to both residents and visitors,” says Glenn Lamb, Executive Director of Columbia Land Trust.

Funding for the acquisition came from the Collins Foundation, U.S. Fish & Wildlife (North American Wetlands Conservation Act), the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership, Bonneville Power Administration, and Columbia Land Trust members.

Columbia Land Trust is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to conserving signature landscapes and vital habitat together with the landowners and communities of the Columbia River region. The Land Trust conserves lands in both Oregon and Washington, from the east side of the Cascades to the Pacific Ocean. For more information contact Columbia Land Trust at (360) 338-5263, (503) 224-3601, or www.columbialandtrust.org.