Conservancy expands habitat reserves in Tillamook and Clatsop counties

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North Coast Land Conservancy expanded two of its existing habitat reserves when it closed on two land acquisitions in November.
A gift of land northeast of the community of Neskowin, in southern Tillamook County, has increased the size of North Coast Land Conservancy’s Butte Creek Habitat Reserve to nearly 46 acres. On Nov. 14 Jane and Jack Casey donated to NCLC a 10-acre parcel of forested land running through Butte Creek, a tributary of Neskowin Creek, along with a financial donation that will support the property’s perpetual stewardship. The Caseys are friends of Sue Gabriel, who in 2016 donated two parcels of land totaling 35.9 acres, both of which are bisected by Butte Creek, to establish the habitat reserve.

Butte Creek runs through the expanded Butte Creek Habitat Reserve, northeast of the community of Neskowin, in southern Tillamook County.
Butte Creek supports populations of coho salmon and Pacific lamprey. NCLC expects to partner with the Sand Lake, Neskowin and Nestucca Watershed Council in its stewardship of the land.

“The biggest draw was further protection of Butte Creek, since it’s a coastal coho stream,” said NCLC Project Manager Amy Hutmacher. “It’s a great way to expand our impact in southern Tillamook County.”

The expanded Neacoxie Prairie Habitat Reserve is characterized by grassy coastal prairie.
On Nov. 28, NCLC acquired 8 acres of prairie habitat on the east side of Neacoxie Creek, north of Gearhart. Neacoxie Prairie Habitat Reserve now spans both sides of the creek. The acquisition expands protection of native plants and animals in the Neacoxie Wildlife Corridor, where NCLC already conserves more than 800 acres of native habitat in nearly a dozen reserves. The National Park Service partnered with NCLC to acquire the land through a transfer of conservation credits.

“This is a great result for the Neacoxie and the people who live in the Clatsop Plains,” said NCLC Associate Director Jon Wickersham. “The project is an example of how private conservation, private developers, and the federal government can work together to implement on-the-ground conservation benefiting people and the land.”

Read about how North Coast Land Conservancy protects coastal habitat at NCLCtrust.org.