Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
The Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge is a 1856 acres (751.1 ha) wetlands and lowlands sanctuary in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Oregon
. Established in 1992 and opened to the public in 2006, it is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
. Located in southeastern Washington County
, 15 miles (24.1 km) southwest of Portland
, the refuge is bordered by Sherwood, Tualatin
and Tigard
. A newer area, extending into northern Yamhill County
, is located further west near the city of Gaston
surrounding the former Wapato Lake
.
Part of the network of National Wildlife Refuges (NWR), the Tualatin River refuge is one of only ten urban refuges in the United States. Habitats in the refuge include forested areas, wetlands, oak and pine grassland, and meadows, with mixed deciduous and coniferous forests common to Western Oregon. The refuge was established as an urban refuge to provide wetland, riparian, and upland habitats for a variety of migratory birds, threatened and endangered species
, fish
and other resident wildlife. The refuge is home to nearly 200 bird species and more than 70 other animal species.
A visitor center
with exhibits and information about the refuge was opened in 2008 off of Oregon Route 99W near Sherwood
in the Portland metropolitan area
. Next to the center is the refuge's headquarters and an observation deck overlooking seasonal ponds. The refuge has nearly five miles of wildlife interpretive trails open to the public. Up to 50,000 waterfowl can be seen at the refuge during the winter months when officials flood portions of the refuge.
began looking at creating a national wildlife refuge along the Tualatin River near Sherwood at Rock Creek. The original plans called for a 2500 acres (1,011.7 ha) refuge near Sherwood and Oregon Route 99W and then grew to a 3000 acres (1,214.1 ha) proposal that would have unconnected parts, with the additional wetlands near Scholls
to the west. To press for the creation of the proposed Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, citizens groups lobbied Congress
for funding, which included a video narrated by actor Robert Wagner
. Initial estimates for the completion of the project were up to 30 years at a cost of USD
$10 million for land acquisitions.
In late 1992, area residents Tom Stibolt and Lisa Brenner donated the first 12 acres (4.9 ha) to the project, with the Fish and Wildlife Service then accepting the donation to officially create the refuge. They had purchased the 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) of woodland which adjoined their own property and donated it to the refuge. Sherwood donated the second parcel to the refuge, 1 acre (0.404686 ha) in 1993. Congress approved $2 million for the project to purchase more land in November 1993. In January 1994, the Department of the Interior
granted the Fish and Wildlife Service the authority to spend the money in order to begin buying land for the refuge. Congress gave the project an additional $2.5 million in 1995.
In the early years, the facility was only open to the public for a songbird festival in May and National Wildlife Refuge Week in October. A program to restore the habitat to its original state began in 1997. During that year, twenty water flow systems and dikes were added at the refuge to allow managers to flood
parts of the land. The refuge grew from what was once a former dairy farm that spanned 400 acres (161.9 ha) to more than 800 acres (323.7 ha) by September 1998. In the spring of 1999, the $1.1 million system for flooding parts of the refuge was completed. In total, the refuge grew to 1066 acres (431.4 ha) in 1999, and increased the number of bird species from 18 to 146. The facility was further enlarged to 1268 acres (513.1 ha) in 2003, and received nearly $750,000 to build a new safe entrance to the planned visitor's area.
In November 2004, Congress appropriated $700,000 for the NWR to cover the costs of designing a public visitor’s center. By 2005 construction had progressed on public facilities at the site that included trails, observations decks
, parking, and an entrance from Oregon Route 99W with plans for permanently opening to the public in 2006. In July 2005, the refuge received $3.9 million from the federal government to complete a visitor’s center and new headquarters for the facility. In February 2006, construction began on the main observation deck at the visitor’s plaza, with plans to open the refuge to the public in June.
Regular public access began on June 3, 2006, when roughly 450 acres (182.1 ha) of more than 1300 acres (526.1 ha) of the refuge was opened on a permanent basis; Construction on the visitor’s center began later that month. In March 2007, the Wapato Lake Unit was created to the west near Gaston. In the same month, the refuge received the 2007 Sunset
Magazine Environmental Award, with the magazine honoring the refuge as a "preserved paradise". The number of annual visitors to the refuge totaled 40,000 in 2007.
The Wildlife Center at the refuge was finally completed and opened in January 2008. A dedication ceremony was held at the Wildlife Center on March 29, 2008; 500 people attended the event including Congressman David Wu
and author Richard Louv
. In 2008, the refuge had attracted 50,000 birds in a single day, with 20,000 birds wintering in the refuge. As of December 2008, the federal government had spent $10.4 million on the refuge and it had grown to 1358 acres (549.6 ha). The refuge submitted a proposal to start collecting user fees in February 2009, with a planned start date of August 2009.
and dairy farms, and crops such as corn (maize) and onions. Today, the refuge spreads out over ten miles (16 km) along the Tualatin River, Rock Creek, and Chicken Creek, and is managed in five main sections (units): Rock Creek, Onion Flats, Riverboat, Tualatin River, and Atfálat´i
.
The refuge also includes the Tonquin scablands created by the Missoula Floods
to the southeast of the river. These scablands were scoured of the top layers of soil, leaving a marsh-filled valley. There is also the Wapato Lake Unit approximately 15 miles (24.1 km) to the west. Located along the Pacific Flyway
for migratory birds, this shabitat includes seasonal wetlands, streams, forested wetlands, savanna, riparian zones, forested uplands, and the Tualatin River
and portions of its floodplain
.
The refuge is home to almost 200 species of birds, more than 50 mammal species, and 25 species of reptiles and amphibians. Tree species include red alder, aspen, maple, oak, Oregon white ash, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, Pacific yew, and cedar. A pair of 350 year-old oak trees can be found at the visitor center. Plant species in the refuge include bulrushes, wapato, water plantain
, as Oregon grape, wild trillium, camas, iris, snowberry, cattails, wild millet, wild rose, thimbleberry, and others. Wildflowers include Blue chicory, Douglas spirea, and purple crocuses.
Waterfowl
at the refuge are great blue herons, Canada geese, wood ducks, swans, Northern Pintail
s, green herons, teals, mergansers
, belted kingfishers, and American wigeons among others. Birds that spend time there include, sandhill cranes, Oregon juncos, wren, common starlings, blackbirds, nuthatches, Pacific-slope flycatchers, red-tailed hawks, American goldfinch, peregrine falcons, Yellow warblers, Western flycatchers, killdeer, northern harriers, osprey, egrets, quail, pheasants, golden-crowned kinglets, owls, and Black-headed Grosbeak
s to name a few. There is also a pair of bald eagle
s. The year it was created officials counted 24 different bird species. By 2008 there were 185 birds species represented at the refuge.
River otter, beaver, nutria, mink, weasel, red fox, deer, elk, coyotes, raccoons, and rabbits make up a portion of the terrestrial animals. Other wildlife
includes painted turtles, frogs, salamanders, crawfish, fish, and alligator lizards. The refuge is one of only ten national wildlife refuges in the United States located in an urban area
. Groups have suggested that the refuge be expanded all the way to the Willamette River
to provide a greenway
through a heavily populated area. The Tualatin's floodplain is the largest of any of the Willamette River’s tributaries.
s, and hands-on exhibits, plus the classroom contains skins and skulls of wildlife that live in the refuge. From inside the center, visitors can view the scenery using a viewing scope through a large window overlooking the pond.
The 6300 ft2 Wildlife Center was designed to give basic information and encourage visitors to then explore the wildlife in their natural habitats. The building is sienna in color and was built with a flat roof that has gravel on top to provide nest
ing habitat for birds, one of the features designed to be environmentally friendly
. Built at a cost of $4.6 million, the Wildlife Center also has a large arced skylight and atrium in the center to provide lots of natural light. Builders used local wood in the Wildlife Center, which has large, exposed beams. The center and headquarters are adjacent to each other off Oregon Route 99W on a knoll above a seasonal pond.
Original plans called for a $5 million dollar headquarters and wildlife visitor’s center. Refuge headquarters were previously in old farm buildings to the west on Roy Rogers Road. The new building was awarded honorable mention by the Department of the Interior in its 2008 Environmental Achievement Awards. It was designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
standards at the silver level, but did not receive certification from the United States Green Building Council
. The administration building and visitor structures were constructed by Wade Perrow Construction.
A variety of people-oriented amenities are spread outdoors across the part of the refuge open to the public. One feature is an outdoor deck overhanging an embank that overlooks ponds at the refuge. This 50 feet (15.2 m) long concrete deck is of a cantilever
ed design that extends 30 feet (9.1 m) over the embankment. Other amenities include footbridges, education sites, and walking trails. There are nearly five miles (8.0 km) of trails, but they are closed in the fall and winter. Centennial and River are two of the viewing areas along the trails, each offering a place to view wildlife. Photographers have access to blinds
which allow them to take pictures without disturbing the wildlife.
along Oregon Route 47 in Washington and Yamhill
counties. The area was once the site of Wapato Lake, whose soil held an organic-rich peat that sustained a shrub swamp
ecosystem. The wapato plant (Sagittaria fasciculata
) grew in the upper marsh of the Wapato Lake Basin and was harvested by Native Americans
. In 1892, attempts began to drain the 800 acres (323.7 ha) lake to increase farmland, with the Wapato Improvement District completing the effort in the 1930s. Valley forests, prairies, and wetlands encompass the region today, including two small streams, Ayers and Wapato creeks.
The government had hoped to add land in the Gaston area to the main refuge, but initially met resistance from local residents. Some residents later asked the government to buy their land for the refuge in 2000. By 2002, up to 6400 acres (2,590 ha) were being studied in that area for inclusion into the wildlife refuge as part of the then uncreated unit. At that time the Fish and Wildlife Service
owned 108 acres (43.7 ha) in the area, with plans to restore the lake if the unit was established. In March 2007, the Service approved the creation of the Wapato Lake Unit with a boundary encompassing 4310 acres (17.4 km²). In June 2008, the Wapato Lake Unit purchased its first sets of properties. Totaling 180 acres (72.8 ha) from three properties, the Fish and Wildlife Service paid $631,000 for the land using a grant from the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. An additional 15 acres (6.1 ha) were added in September. Plans called for restoring the farmland back to its natural state and acquiring all land by 2011.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Established in 1992 and opened to the public in 2006, it is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
. Located in southeastern Washington County
Washington County, Oregon
- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...
, 15 miles (24.1 km) southwest of Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, the refuge is bordered by Sherwood, Tualatin
Tualatin, Oregon
Tualatin is a city located primarily in Washington County in the U.S. state of Oregon. A small portion of the city is also located in neighboring Clackamas County. It is a southwestern suburb in the Portland Metropolitan Area that is located south of Tigard...
and Tigard
Tigard, Oregon
Tigard is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. The population was 48,035 at the 2010 census. As of 2007, Tigard was the state's 12th largest city. Incorporated in 1961, the city is located south of Beaverton and north of Tualatin, and is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
. A newer area, extending into northern Yamhill County
Yamhill County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Siuslaw National Forest *Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 84,992 people, 28,732 households, and 21,376 families residing in the county. The population density was 119 people per square mile . There were 30,270...
, is located further west near the city of Gaston
Gaston, Oregon
Gaston is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. The population was 600 at the 2000 census. The 2006 estimate is 630 residents.-Early history:...
surrounding the former Wapato Lake
Wapato Lake
Wapato Lake was a historic lake located in what became parts of Washington County and Yamhill County in the U.S. state of Oregon. The area is sometimes known as Wapato Lake Bed and Wapato Flat. The lake bed is located about a half mile east of Gaston at elevation...
.
Part of the network of National Wildlife Refuges (NWR), the Tualatin River refuge is one of only ten urban refuges in the United States. Habitats in the refuge include forested areas, wetlands, oak and pine grassland, and meadows, with mixed deciduous and coniferous forests common to Western Oregon. The refuge was established as an urban refuge to provide wetland, riparian, and upland habitats for a variety of migratory birds, threatened and endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
, fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
and other resident wildlife. The refuge is home to nearly 200 bird species and more than 70 other animal species.
A visitor center
Visitor center
A visitor center or centre , visitor information center, tourist information center, is a physical location that provides tourist information to the visitors who tour the place or area locally...
with exhibits and information about the refuge was opened in 2008 off of Oregon Route 99W near Sherwood
Sherwood, Oregon
Sherwood is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. Located in the southeast corner of the county, it is a residential community in the Tualatin Valley southwest of Portland. The population was 11,791 at the 2000 census. The 2006 estimate is 16,115 residents...
in the Portland metropolitan area
Portland metropolitan area
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area , also known as the Portland metropolitan area or Greater Portland, is an urban area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered around the city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S...
. Next to the center is the refuge's headquarters and an observation deck overlooking seasonal ponds. The refuge has nearly five miles of wildlife interpretive trails open to the public. Up to 50,000 waterfowl can be seen at the refuge during the winter months when officials flood portions of the refuge.
History
The creation of the refuge was first proposed to the city of Sherwood by a local citizen in 1990. A year later, the United States Fish and Wildlife ServiceUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
began looking at creating a national wildlife refuge along the Tualatin River near Sherwood at Rock Creek. The original plans called for a 2500 acres (1,011.7 ha) refuge near Sherwood and Oregon Route 99W and then grew to a 3000 acres (1,214.1 ha) proposal that would have unconnected parts, with the additional wetlands near Scholls
Scholls, Oregon
Scholls, Oregon is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Oregon, United States. It is located along the southern shore of the Tualatin River, near the intersection of Oregon Routes 210 and 219. Scholls is located approximately seven miles north of Newberg, seven miles west of Tigard,...
to the west. To press for the creation of the proposed Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, citizens groups lobbied Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
for funding, which included a video narrated by actor Robert Wagner
Robert Wagner
Robert John Wagner is an American actor of stage, screen, and television.A veteran of many films in the 1950s and 1960s, Wagner gained prominence in three American television series that spanned three decades: It Takes a Thief , Switch , and Hart to Hart...
. Initial estimates for the completion of the project were up to 30 years at a cost of USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
$10 million for land acquisitions.
In late 1992, area residents Tom Stibolt and Lisa Brenner donated the first 12 acres (4.9 ha) to the project, with the Fish and Wildlife Service then accepting the donation to officially create the refuge. They had purchased the 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) of woodland which adjoined their own property and donated it to the refuge. Sherwood donated the second parcel to the refuge, 1 acre (0.404686 ha) in 1993. Congress approved $2 million for the project to purchase more land in November 1993. In January 1994, the Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
granted the Fish and Wildlife Service the authority to spend the money in order to begin buying land for the refuge. Congress gave the project an additional $2.5 million in 1995.
In the early years, the facility was only open to the public for a songbird festival in May and National Wildlife Refuge Week in October. A program to restore the habitat to its original state began in 1997. During that year, twenty water flow systems and dikes were added at the refuge to allow managers to flood
Flood control
In communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
parts of the land. The refuge grew from what was once a former dairy farm that spanned 400 acres (161.9 ha) to more than 800 acres (323.7 ha) by September 1998. In the spring of 1999, the $1.1 million system for flooding parts of the refuge was completed. In total, the refuge grew to 1066 acres (431.4 ha) in 1999, and increased the number of bird species from 18 to 146. The facility was further enlarged to 1268 acres (513.1 ha) in 2003, and received nearly $750,000 to build a new safe entrance to the planned visitor's area.
In November 2004, Congress appropriated $700,000 for the NWR to cover the costs of designing a public visitor’s center. By 2005 construction had progressed on public facilities at the site that included trails, observations decks
Deck (building)
In architecture, a deck is a flat surface capable of supporting weight, similar to a floor, but typically constructed outdoors, often elevated from the ground, and usually connected to a building...
, parking, and an entrance from Oregon Route 99W with plans for permanently opening to the public in 2006. In July 2005, the refuge received $3.9 million from the federal government to complete a visitor’s center and new headquarters for the facility. In February 2006, construction began on the main observation deck at the visitor’s plaza, with plans to open the refuge to the public in June.
Regular public access began on June 3, 2006, when roughly 450 acres (182.1 ha) of more than 1300 acres (526.1 ha) of the refuge was opened on a permanent basis; Construction on the visitor’s center began later that month. In March 2007, the Wapato Lake Unit was created to the west near Gaston. In the same month, the refuge received the 2007 Sunset
Sunset (magazine)
Sunset is a lifestyle magazine in the United States. Sunset focuses on homes, cooking, gardening, and travel, with a focus almost exclusively on the Western United States...
Magazine Environmental Award, with the magazine honoring the refuge as a "preserved paradise". The number of annual visitors to the refuge totaled 40,000 in 2007.
The Wildlife Center at the refuge was finally completed and opened in January 2008. A dedication ceremony was held at the Wildlife Center on March 29, 2008; 500 people attended the event including Congressman David Wu
David Wu
David Wu is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes most of Portland west of the Willamette River, as well as all of Yamhill, Columbia, Clatsop, and Washington Counties...
and author Richard Louv
Richard Louv
Richard Louv is an American nonfiction author and journalist. He is best known for his seventh book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder , which investigates the relationship of children and the natural world in current and historical contexts...
. In 2008, the refuge had attracted 50,000 birds in a single day, with 20,000 birds wintering in the refuge. As of December 2008, the federal government had spent $10.4 million on the refuge and it had grown to 1358 acres (549.6 ha). The refuge submitted a proposal to start collecting user fees in February 2009, with a planned start date of August 2009.
Natural environment
Before becoming a protected area, much of the land in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge was agricultural, with hogIntensive pig farming
Intensive piggeries are a type of factory farm ' specialized in the raising of domestic pigs up to slaughter weight...
and dairy farms, and crops such as corn (maize) and onions. Today, the refuge spreads out over ten miles (16 km) along the Tualatin River, Rock Creek, and Chicken Creek, and is managed in five main sections (units): Rock Creek, Onion Flats, Riverboat, Tualatin River, and Atfálat´i
Atfalati
The Atfalati, also known as the Tualatin were a tribe or band of the Kalapuya Native Americans who originally inhabited the Tualatin Valley in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Oregon...
.
The refuge also includes the Tonquin scablands created by the Missoula Floods
Missoula Floods
The Missoula Floods refer to the cataclysmic floods that swept periodically across eastern Washington and down the Columbia River Gorge at the end of the last ice age. The glacial flood events have been researched since the 1920s...
to the southeast of the river. These scablands were scoured of the top layers of soil, leaving a marsh-filled valley. There is also the Wapato Lake Unit approximately 15 miles (24.1 km) to the west. Located along the Pacific Flyway
Pacific Flyway
The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south route of travel for migratory birds in America, extending from Alaska to Patagonia. Every year, migratory birds travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in fall, following food sources, heading to breeding grounds, or travelling to...
for migratory birds, this shabitat includes seasonal wetlands, streams, forested wetlands, savanna, riparian zones, forested uplands, and the Tualatin River
Tualatin River
The Tualatin River is a tributary of the Willamette River located in Oregon in the United States. The river is approximately long, and it drains a fertile farming region called the Tualatin Valley southwest and west of Portland at the northwest corner of the Willamette Valley...
and portions of its floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
.
The refuge is home to almost 200 species of birds, more than 50 mammal species, and 25 species of reptiles and amphibians. Tree species include red alder, aspen, maple, oak, Oregon white ash, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, Pacific yew, and cedar. A pair of 350 year-old oak trees can be found at the visitor center. Plant species in the refuge include bulrushes, wapato, water plantain
Alisma
Alisma is a genus of flowering plants in the family Alismataceae, members of which are commonly known as water-plantains. The genus consists of aquatic plants with leaves either floating or submerged, found in a variety of still water habitats around the world . The flowers are hermaphrodite, and...
, as Oregon grape, wild trillium, camas, iris, snowberry, cattails, wild millet, wild rose, thimbleberry, and others. Wildflowers include Blue chicory, Douglas spirea, and purple crocuses.
Waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
at the refuge are great blue herons, Canada geese, wood ducks, swans, Northern Pintail
Northern Pintail
The Pintail or Northern Pintail is a widely occurring duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe, Asia and North America. It is strongly migratory and winters south of its breeding range to the equator...
s, green herons, teals, mergansers
Mergus
Mergus is the genus of the typical mergansers, fish-eating ducks in the seaduck subfamily . The Hooded Merganser, often termed Mergus cucullatus, is not of this genus but closely related...
, belted kingfishers, and American wigeons among others. Birds that spend time there include, sandhill cranes, Oregon juncos, wren, common starlings, blackbirds, nuthatches, Pacific-slope flycatchers, red-tailed hawks, American goldfinch, peregrine falcons, Yellow warblers, Western flycatchers, killdeer, northern harriers, osprey, egrets, quail, pheasants, golden-crowned kinglets, owls, and Black-headed Grosbeak
Black-headed Grosbeak
The Black-headed Grosbeak, Pheucticus melanocephalus, is a medium-size seed-eating bird in the same family as the Northern Cardinal, the Cardinalidae. It is sometimes considered conspecific with the Rose-breasted Grosbeak, P...
s to name a few. There is also a pair of bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s. The year it was created officials counted 24 different bird species. By 2008 there were 185 birds species represented at the refuge.
River otter, beaver, nutria, mink, weasel, red fox, deer, elk, coyotes, raccoons, and rabbits make up a portion of the terrestrial animals. Other wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
includes painted turtles, frogs, salamanders, crawfish, fish, and alligator lizards. The refuge is one of only ten national wildlife refuges in the United States located in an urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
. Groups have suggested that the refuge be expanded all the way to the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
to provide a greenway
Greenway (landscape)
A greenway is a long, narrow piece of land, often used for recreation and pedestrian and bicycle user traffic, and sometimes for streetcar, light rail or retail uses.- Terminology :...
through a heavily populated area. The Tualatin's floodplain is the largest of any of the Willamette River’s tributaries.
Amenities
Within the refuge only 450 acres (182.1 ha) of the Atfalat'i Unit is open to the public. This section includes the visitor’s center with the Wildlife Center and refuge headquarters. The Wildlife Center includes classrooms, a student lab, a gift shop, and informational displays, and is next to a grove of oak trees estimated to be 350 years old. Inside the center are murals, dioramaDiorama
The word diorama can either refer to a nineteenth century mobile theatre device, or, in modern usage, a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum...
s, and hands-on exhibits, plus the classroom contains skins and skulls of wildlife that live in the refuge. From inside the center, visitors can view the scenery using a viewing scope through a large window overlooking the pond.
The 6300 ft2 Wildlife Center was designed to give basic information and encourage visitors to then explore the wildlife in their natural habitats. The building is sienna in color and was built with a flat roof that has gravel on top to provide nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
ing habitat for birds, one of the features designed to be environmentally friendly
Green building
Green building refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition...
. Built at a cost of $4.6 million, the Wildlife Center also has a large arced skylight and atrium in the center to provide lots of natural light. Builders used local wood in the Wildlife Center, which has large, exposed beams. The center and headquarters are adjacent to each other off Oregon Route 99W on a knoll above a seasonal pond.
Original plans called for a $5 million dollar headquarters and wildlife visitor’s center. Refuge headquarters were previously in old farm buildings to the west on Roy Rogers Road. The new building was awarded honorable mention by the Department of the Interior in its 2008 Environmental Achievement Awards. It was designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
standards at the silver level, but did not receive certification from the United States Green Building Council
United States Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council , co-founded by Mike Italiano, David Gottfried and Rick Fedrizzi in 1993, is a non-profit trade organization that promotes sustainability in how buildings are designed, built, and operated...
. The administration building and visitor structures were constructed by Wade Perrow Construction.
A variety of people-oriented amenities are spread outdoors across the part of the refuge open to the public. One feature is an outdoor deck overhanging an embank that overlooks ponds at the refuge. This 50 feet (15.2 m) long concrete deck is of a cantilever
Cantilever
A cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
ed design that extends 30 feet (9.1 m) over the embankment. Other amenities include footbridges, education sites, and walking trails. There are nearly five miles (8.0 km) of trails, but they are closed in the fall and winter. Centennial and River are two of the viewing areas along the trails, each offering a place to view wildlife. Photographers have access to blinds
Hunting blind
A hunting blind is a cover device for hunters, designed to reduce the chance of detection; ground blinds are an alternative to the traditional Treestand, movements in a well-designed ground blind can virtually be undetectable by the game....
which allow them to take pictures without disturbing the wildlife.
Wapato Lake Unit
Wapato Lake Unit is located about 15 miles (24.1 km) to the west of the main refuge, near the city of GastonGaston, Oregon
Gaston is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. The population was 600 at the 2000 census. The 2006 estimate is 630 residents.-Early history:...
along Oregon Route 47 in Washington and Yamhill
Yamhill County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Siuslaw National Forest *Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 84,992 people, 28,732 households, and 21,376 families residing in the county. The population density was 119 people per square mile . There were 30,270...
counties. The area was once the site of Wapato Lake, whose soil held an organic-rich peat that sustained a shrub swamp
Shrub swamp
Shrub swamps, also called scrub swamps or buttonbush swamps, are a type of freshwater wetland ecosystem occurring in areas too wet to become hardwood swamps , but too dry or too shallow to become marshes...
ecosystem. The wapato plant (Sagittaria fasciculata
Sagittaria fasciculata
The bunched arrowhead is a plant found in wetlands. This plant produces edible tubers that were heavily collected by the Native Americans as a food source....
) grew in the upper marsh of the Wapato Lake Basin and was harvested by Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. In 1892, attempts began to drain the 800 acres (323.7 ha) lake to increase farmland, with the Wapato Improvement District completing the effort in the 1930s. Valley forests, prairies, and wetlands encompass the region today, including two small streams, Ayers and Wapato creeks.
The government had hoped to add land in the Gaston area to the main refuge, but initially met resistance from local residents. Some residents later asked the government to buy their land for the refuge in 2000. By 2002, up to 6400 acres (2,590 ha) were being studied in that area for inclusion into the wildlife refuge as part of the then uncreated unit. At that time the Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
owned 108 acres (43.7 ha) in the area, with plans to restore the lake if the unit was established. In March 2007, the Service approved the creation of the Wapato Lake Unit with a boundary encompassing 4310 acres (17.4 km²). In June 2008, the Wapato Lake Unit purchased its first sets of properties. Totaling 180 acres (72.8 ha) from three properties, the Fish and Wildlife Service paid $631,000 for the land using a grant from the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. An additional 15 acres (6.1 ha) were added in September. Plans called for restoring the farmland back to its natural state and acquiring all land by 2011.