Sixes River-Elk River, COA 048

VIEW DATA LAYERS IN COMPASS

The Elk River Salmon Emphasis Area outside of Port Orford, OR. Photo Credit: Joshua Duplechain, Trout Unlimited

This area contains much of the Coast Range’s Oak Woodlands and is potential habitat for Western Snowy Plover. It is a key corridor for migrating birds and has high plant and animal diversity.

COA ID: 048

Recommended Conservation Actions

Conduct remote camera surveys to examine occupancy and collect genetic samples from Humboldt Marten and Pacific Fisher.
Control gorse and other invasive plant species.
Monitor Western Snowy Plover populations, erect exclusion fences to protect Western Snowy Plover nests, and control European beachgrass.

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Potential Partners

Oregon Department of Forestry
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
US Fish and Wildlife Service
US Forest Service
Wild Rivers Land Trust

Special Features

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID CR-37 (New River area)
2006 COA ID CR-38 (Cape Blanco area)

Protected Areas

Cape Blanco State Park
Coos, Lower Umpqua, And Siuslaw Reservation
Copper Salmon Wilderness
Elk River
Floras Lake State Natural Area
Grassy Knob Wilderness
Keystone Preserve
Oregon Islands Wilderness
Panther Creek
Paradise Point State Recreation Site
Port Orford Cedar Forest State Scenic Corridor
Port Orford Heads State Park
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

Ecoregions

Coast Range Ecoregion

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

Oregon Coastal Dunes

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.

Estuary Strategy Habitat, Siletz Bay

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.

Grassland Strategy Habitat

Grasslands

Grasslands include a variety of upland grass-dominated habitats, such as upland prairies, coastal bluffs, and montane grasslands.

Coast Range Ecoregion

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.

Scott Lake is an example of the Oregon Conservation Strategy Natural Lakes Strategy Habitat.

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.

Example of Oak Woodlands, which is a Strategy Habitat within the Oregon Conservation Strategy

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.

Strategy Species

Pacific Marten (Observed)

Martes caurina

Black Oystercatcher (Observed)

Haematopus bachmani

California Mountain Kingsnake (Modeled Habitat)

Lampropeltis zonata

California Myotis on tree

California Myotis (Observed)

Myotis californicus

Caspian Tern

Caspian Tern (Observed)

Hydroprogne caspia

Chinook Salmon - Spring/Summer Run

Chinook Salmon (Documented)

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

Clouded Salamander

Clouded Salamander (Observed)

Aneides ferreus

Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Documented)

Oncorhynchus clarki clarki

Coastal Tailed Frog (Observed)

Ascaphus truei

Coho Salmon (Documented)

Oncorhynchus kisutch

Del Norte Salamander (Observed)

Plethodon elongatus

Fisher (Observed)

Pekania pennanti

Foothill Yellow-legged Frog (Observed)

Rana boylii

Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel (Modeled Habitat)

Oceanodroma furcata

Fringed Myotis (Observed)

Myotis thysanodes

Harlequin Duck (Observed)

Histrionicus histrionicus

Hoary Bat (Observed)

Lasiurus cinereus

Photo is needed for this Strategy feature.

Insular Blue Butterfly (Observed)

Plebejus saepiolus littoralis

Leach's Storm-Petrel

Leach’s Storm-Petrel (Modeled Habitat)

Oceanodroma leucorhoa leucorhoa

Long-legged Myotis (Observed)

Myotis volans

Marbled Murrelet (Observed)

Brachyramphus marmoratus

Northern Red-legged Frog (Observed)

Rana aurora

Northern Spotted Owl (Observed)

Strix occidentalis caurina

Olive-sided Flycatcher (Observed)

Contopus cooperi

Pink Sandverbena (Observed)

Abronia umbellata var. breviflora

Peregrine Falcon (Observed)

Falco peregrinus anatum

Purple Martin (Observed)

Progne subis arboricola

Red Tree Vole (Modeled Habitat)

Arborimus longicaudus

Ringtail

Ringtail (Observed)

Bassariscus astutus

Silver-haired Bat (Observed)

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Silvery Phacelia (Observed)

Phacelia argentea

Southern Torrent Salamander (Observed)

Rhyacotriton variegatus

Townsend's Big-eared Bat

Townsend’s Big-eared Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Corynorhinus townsendii

Tufted Puffin (Observed)

Fratercula cirrhata

Western Painted Turtle on a log

Western Painted Turtle (Modeled Habitat)

Chrysemys picta bellii

Western Lily (Observed)

Lilium occidentale

Northwestern Pond Turtle (Observed)

Actinemys marmorata

Western Snowy Plover (Observed)

Charadrius nivosus nivosus

Western Toad (Modeled Habitat)

Anaxyrus boreas

Wolf’s Evening Primrose (Observed)

Oenothera wolfii