Lower Coquille River – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Lower Coquille River Photo Credit: Mike Gray, ODFW

Follows the Lower Coquille River from its mouth at the Oregon coast and extending east to Highway 42 (past the Benham Airport)

COA ID: 045

Recommended Conservation Actions

Restore freshwater wetlands, natural stream channels, riparian habitat along tributary streams within the river floodplain
Restore tidal wetlands

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Important Bird Areas of Oregon
Oregon Habitat Joint Ventures

Potential Partners

Natural Resources Conservation Service
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Wild Rivers Land Trust

Special Features

General

Includes estuarine wetlands with high restoration potential
Includes important habitat for migrating shorebirds, and wintering sites for waterfowl

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID CR-36 (Lower Coquille River)
2006 COA ID CR-37 (New River area)

Protected Areas

Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
Bullards Beach State Park
Coos, Lower Umpqua, And Siuslaw Reservation
Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint
Farm Service Agency Interest Of Oregon
Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Oregon Islands Wilderness
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

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.

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.