Watershed Conservancy

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

Progress Report #8
March 22, 2025
So, what is going on with the CMCA Watershed Conservation Project?
We’re sure you are curious about the impacts of the new administration on our Watershed Conservancy Project. This week I had a call about strategy with Kate Iaquinto from the Cape Meares Wildlife Refuge and John Wros from The Conservation Fund (TCF).
The process for ultimate approval of the boundary expansion of the Refuge and funding to add our properties to the Refuge involves:

  • Completing a Land Protection Plan (LLP) which includes an environmental assessment,
  • Approval by the regional USFWS office,
  • A public hearing,
  • Approval by the federal USFWS, and
  • Funding through the Recreational Access Fund for the acquisition.
    So here is where we are at. Kate indicated that the Land Protection Plan to approve expanding the boundaries is nearly completed. However, in consultation with the Regional USFWS office, she thinks it would be strategic to hold off on submitting the LPP until summer so that changes in the language of the LPP can be made to better align with the priorities of the new director of the USFWS in DC. A new director will be appointed soon.
    If we submitted it now there is a possibility that it would not be approved in DC which probably would end the project. However, Kate said the previous Trump administration supported public access projects like our project. If we get the approval of the USFWS then funding looks good through the Recreational Access Fund which is outside the appropriations process.
    As you may remember the property we arranged to purchase, and our community forest are now owned by TCF under an agreement with CMCA that the Refuge will purchase these properties from TCF by July 2026.
    The Conservation Fund has worked on many, many USFWS projects over the last 40 years and has never flipped any back to a sale to the public according to John who assures us that TCF is in this to make it work even if we need an extension beyond the July 2026 date in our agreement for the sale from TCF to the Refuge. We have kept Senator Jeff Merkley and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici updated on our project and John indicates he is in touch with their staff in DC. However, we agreed this was not the time to ask them to try to influence the process. Perhaps when we get to the funding decision, they could be helpful.
    And CMCA is getting recognition for the WCP!
    This month CMCA received recognition for our project from the Tillamook Coast Visitors Association with an award for Excellence in Stewardship. And Senator Merkley acknowledged our project at his recent Tillamook County town hall with the presentation of a flag which had been flown over the capitol.
    If you have any questions, contact Bev at [email protected].
Cape Meares Community Recognized at Tillamook County Townhall
Kathy Burke, Wendy Burroughs, Narayan Lincoln, Miriam Fultz, Beverly Stein, Congresswoman Bonamici, and Senator Merkley

Beverly Stein accepted a flag flown over the Captial in recognition of the Cape Meares Community Association.

Excerpt of article by Romy Carver in the Tillamook Pioneer posted 2-25-2025 (Link to full article and photos and video by Don Backman)
The legislators spotlighted the work of the Cape Meares Community Association, which is working to secure and preserve the watershed “for the future drinking water of generations to come.” They are also nearly doubling the size of the Cape Meares Wildlife Refuge. Merkley presented the group with a flag which had been flown over the Capitol. The group’s spokesperson, Bev Stein, expressed worries about the “turmoil of the Trump/Musk administration” hindering the progress of the project, but stated, “We take comfort in knowing we have the full support of Senator Merkley and Congresswoman Bonamici. Their support and the determination and persistence of our ‘little community that could’ gives us optimism that we will succeed. And your activism and resistance to the chaos, cruelty and incompetence of the current administration gives us hope not only for our project but for similar worthy efforts throughout the state and nation.”

2024 Award for Excellence in Community Stewardship

The Tillamook County Visitors Association recognized the Watershed Conservancy Project with the 2024 award for Excellence in Community Stewardship. CMCA President Beverly Stein represented the community at the February 2025 TCVA Awards banquet.

Link to OPB Article December 2024 – Tiny Oregon community works to protect wildlife and water along Cape Meares — the ‘land that walks’

A street in Cape Meares, where residents of the 160 homes there hope a plan to expand the nearby wildlife refuge will mean they’re surrounded by protected land, on Nov. 13, 2024. Kristian Foden-Vencil / OPB
A landslide damaged the drinking water system at Cape Meares as seen on Nov. 13, 2024. Kristian Foden-Vencil / OPB
Landslides have plagued the Cape Meares Loop Road for decades. An abandoned stretch of road near Cape Meares on Nov. 13, 2024. Kristian Foden-Vencil / OPB
Forest land that Cape Meares residents hope the wildlife refuge will purchase on Nov. 13, 2024. Kristian Foden-Vencil / OPB
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.  

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

News about Cape Meares, Oregon and the CMCA community association.