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Columbian White-tailed Deer Habitat Is Restored
Restoration of 214 acres of former cattle pasture on Crims Island into tidal marsh and riparian forest – the first such project in the Columbia estuary – is moving forward on the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-tailed Deer in Washington, helping the recovery of the deer for which the refuge was named. While the restoration will improve foraging habitat for the deer, reintroduced to the island in 1999, it will do much more.
The results will not only future restoration, but also shows how recovery for multiple species can be combined. For example, the newly constructed marsh will be connected to the Columbia River by an existing channel and a newly constructed one. The spoils will then be spread on adjacent higher ground and will be planted with native cottonwood, willow and ash to create 115 acres of riparian forest.
The marsh will not only aid the deer, but also will provide productive rearing and foraging habitat for juvenile salmon and increase the flow of nutrients to the estuary. Restoration of habitat for juvenile salmon in the Columbia estuary is a major component of salmon recovery plans.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, worked with refuge staff to finalize the restoration design. The Corps is also funding the project for an estimated $2.2 million.
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