Welcome
William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge is situated along the foothills of the Coast Range at the western edge of the fertile Willamette Valley of northwestern Oregon . A second unit on the east side of the river, Snag Boat Bend, has been added to the Refuge. The Refuge encompasses a diverse assortment of habitats including riparian forest, upland forest, upland prairie, wet prairie, wetlands and farm fields. Elevations range from 185 to 414 feet msl. As with the other refuges within the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Complex, the primary management goal of William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge is to provide high quality wintering habitat for geese, especially the dusky Canada goose, to ensure healthy, viable goose populations while minimizing goose browse damage to crops on private agricultural lands.
Of special interest are several historic buildings located within the Refuge including the Fiechter House, completed in 1857 and thought to be the oldest house in Benton County. Habitat improvement and restoration are essential for the continued survival of wildlife populations in the Willamette Valley. If you are interested in restoring your lands to native habitat, such as wetlands, prairies, grasslands or upland oak/savannas, please click on the following link " Partnership for Fish and Wildlife " for further information. Refuge Office Moving on July 7, 2009The Finley National Wildlife Refuge administrative office will be moving from its current location in Cabell Lodge to a new facility located near the Mill Hill Trail. Located approximately one mile further west on Finley Refuge Road, the office will share a central location with the Refuge shop compound. Phone service and email access will be extremely limited during the move, which will take place during most of the week. Staff will make every attempt to respond to inquiries as soon as possible during this time. Since 1979, Cabell Lodge has been used as the headquarters office for the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The building, nearly a century old, was upgraded to accommodate computer systems and other modern office needs but has costly limitations due to its age, condition and design. The new headquarters will allow staff to work more effectively and efficiently, while providing more accessibility for visitors. Exterior restrooms, improved parking for passenger vehicles and buses, and a new access route to Mill Hill Trail will provide comfort and convenience. Future plans for landscaping and interpretive signs are under way. Visitors can also look forward to finding friendly faces and information
inside the office on the weekends in the near future. The Friends
of the Willamette Valley NWR Complex, a non-profit organization formed
to provide support to the Refuge, plan to open the Wild Goose Nature
Store inside the headquarters office on August 7th. The new Nature
Store will be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am - 4pm.
Items relating to the Willamette Valley Refuges, the National Wildlife
Refuge System, and other conservation related themes will provide
the inspiration behind t-shirts, hats, books, pins, and more. Volunteers
are needed! If you are interested in talking with people from all
walks of life and sharing your passion for wildlife, contact the Friends
at freckles672@comcast.net.
You may also contact the Refuge Ranger at (541) 757-7236 or sallie_gentry@fws.gov.
Snag Boat Bend Bridge Temporarily Closed
Effective immediately, the bridge for the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge Snag Boat Bend Unit will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic due to unsafe bridge conditions. The bridge is located about one mile south of Peoria off Peoria Road. Foot traffic and bicycles may access the Unit through a gate on the east side of the bridge. Visitors are cautioned that parking along the state right-of-way and bridge access road is restricted. Boaters may access the Unit from the Willamette River. A recent engineering inspection found that the support beams on the south side of the bridge were unstable. The estimated replacement cost for the bridge exceeds $350,000, an unexpected expense not included in the current budget. Cost for bridge repairs alone are over $100,000. A reallocation of funds from other US Fish and Wildlife Service projects in the Northwest may be needed to get the repairs completed and the bridge reopened. Refuge staff strive to provide quality wildlife viewing opportunities and recreation for visitors. However, safety is our highest priority. We appreciate your patience and support. For more information about the closure, please contact the refuge at (541) 757-7236. Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 8am – 4pm, excluding Federal holidays.
GREAT NEWS"Nature Photography Blinds Now Available" (Revised Jan. 28, 2009) |
Other
management goals are to preserve native species and enhance biodiversity.
Populations of several endangered and threatened animal and plant
species can be found on the refuge. A herd of Roosevelt elk can be
found in the bottomland forests or farm fields on the Refuge. Wildlife/wildlands
observation, photography, hiking, and environmental education and
interpretation are the major public use activities allowed on the
Refuge. Limited hunting and fishing opportunities are also provided.Last updated:
July 1, 2009
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