Cape Meares Watershed Conservancy Project created to preserve the Cape Meares Forest and Coleman Creek Watershed through forest land acquisition.

October 2024 Another Step Forward!

The Regional Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service has officially approved a “Request for Approval to Begin Formal Land Protection Planning for Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge”.

The request is for approval to eventually add 470 acres of land to the refuge with the first step being acquisition of the  230 acres now held by The Conservation Fund.  This is the land that we arranged to sell to TCF as a bridge buyer through purchase of private land and sale of our community forest.  See map for the extent of the future size of the acquisition.

We received two important documents from the Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge that constitute important steps for Cape Meares Forest protection.1) Approval to Begin Formal Land Protection Planning for Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge , 2) Land Protection Strategy Cape Meares NWR

The Little Community That Could, Did It!

After more than two and a half years of hard work and negotiations we are pleased to report the transfer of both our community forest and the adjacent property negotiated to purchase to The Conservation Fund, our bridge buyer. The Cape Meares Wildlife Refuge (USFWS) has asked TCF to hold the property for up to two years as they work to receive approval for a boundary expansion and to confirm funding for the purchase. Pending the purchase by the Refuge the community will continue to have access to the property.

The Wildlife Refuge has been making good progress towards receiving the required approvals for the boundary expansion (adding more than 200 acres to the existing 137 acres) and we can expect a public hearing this fall for public input into the expansion. We will alert you when the hearing is scheduled as we will certainly want to have a good showing.

Protecting our watershed in perpetuity is a major achievement for this small community and involved complex negotiations, fundraising, appraisals, working with environmental groups and governmental agencies, and more. Many people supported this effort with time and funds. We truly are “the little community that could”.

We initiated a project that will be a legacy for the community and future generations. Our watershed will have additional protections and a permanent old growth forest will surround our community.

Cape Meares Watershed Conservancy Project Team
Beverly Stein
Simone Goldfeder
Miriam Fultz

“Fern Gully” – Painting of Coleman Creek
Courtesy of Anisa Asakawa

Latest Watershed Conservancy News

• Watershed Conservancy
  October 2024 Another Step Forward! We received two important documents from the Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge that constitute important steps for Cape Meares Forest protection. Read more on the Watershed Conservancy page
• Watershed Conservancy Project Featured in the Headlight Herald
  This week the Cape Meares Watershed Conservancy Project was featured on the front page of the Headlight Herald. Thanks to the team that drove this initiative! Beverly SteinSimone GoldfederMiriam Fultz Visit the Tillamook Headlight Herald for the full article.
• The Long Story of the Cape Meares Watershed Conservancy Project
  We Did It! – July 2024 In early July our land acquisition deals will close. The Conservation Fund, serving as our bridge buyer, will hold both our community property and the Grimm’s property pending an anticipated sale to the US Fish and Wildlife Service to expand the Cape Meares Wildlife Refuge. The USFWS has asked … Continue reading The Long Story of the Cape Meares Watershed Conservancy Project →