Drift, Dawdle & Discover

Grey skies, rain and wind couldn’t stop nearly 50 hearty Oregonians from exploring the wonders of Beaver Creek Marsh by kayak and foot, then sharing local food in a rustic barn around a crackling campfire.  New and old friends braved the weather to celebrate a place and share their Beaver Creek and Wetlands Conservancy stories.  Jackie Niemi and Michael Davis, the neighbors who first introduced The Wetlands Conservancy to this unique watershed, beamed, pleased at the 400 acres which have been permanently protected, and the new comprehensive 1400-acre conservation vision which has evolved over the last decade thanks to the strong partnerships among the local community, Oregon State Parks, and The Wetlands Conservancy.  In partnership with The Wetlands Conservancy, Oregon State Parks and Recreation received a $980,000 US Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal grant to purchase wetlands from willing landowners in Lower Beaver Creek to continue to implement the 1400 acre vision. 

Oregon's Beaver Creek Marsh is one of the few remaining freshwater wetlands on the Oregon Coast and was The Wetlands Conservancy's first major coastal acquisition in 1997.  Beaver Creek's native coho salmon population is considered among the most productive on the central Oregon coast, and the area provides habitat for waterfowl, cutthroat trout and so much more.  Thanks to the passion of so many individuals, the future of Beaver Creek looks bright.  Beaver Creek Marsh is located eight miles south of Newport, just east of Ona Beach State Park.

Special Thanks:
Local Ocean Seafood, www.localocean.net
Bread & Rose Bakery, Yachats, Oregon
Pacific Sourdough, www.pacificsourdough.com
Old River Coffee Roaster, Siletz, Oregon
Kate Scannell and Lee Taylor, local commercial fishermen
Steven Smith Teamaker, www.smithtea.com