Starr Creek

The first restoration project under the FIP occurred in summer 2024, at The Wetland Conservancy’s Starr Creek Preserve, located along Alsea Bay. Restoration actions included removal of invasive plants, secure placement of large woody debris both instream and throughout the floodplain, and seeding/planting of native vegetation at appropriate elevations to restore tidal marsh, scrub/shrub, and spruce swamp habitats.  These actions will improve tidal wetland habitat for coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead, and other fish and wildlife species, while also helping add resilience to climate change and sea level rise. More than 90% of forested tidal swamps have been lost from Oregon estuaries. Wood placed throughout this site will provide essential cover for fish and invertebrate species, protection from currents, and foraging opportunities, while also creating nurse logs and elevated platforms to support the growth of Stika spruce, Pacific crabapple, willow, and other scrub/shrub species. Logs placed instream will help collect sediment, slow and spread water over the floodplain, and could even encourage beaver to return to this site, coupled with establishment of enough native plants to support them.