Sitka Sedge State Natural Area facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sitka Sedge State Natural Area
Sitka Sedge State Natural Area
Location	North of Pacific City and south of Tillamook at Tierra Del Mar, Tillamook County, Oregon, U.S.
Nearest city	Tillamook
Area	357 acres (144 ha)
Established	2014
Operated by	Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

Sitka Sedge State Natural Area is a special place in Oregon where a river meets the ocean. It has a beautiful beach and is located in Tillamook County. This natural area covers about 357 acres (144 ha). It includes many different landscapes like tidal marshes, muddy flats, sand dunes, and forests.

For a long time, the southern part of this area was used for farming. People even built a wall (called a dike) to keep the ocean out. For over ten years, there were plans to build a golf course here. But people living in the nearby town of Tierra Del Mar worked hard to protect this natural space since 1989.

In 2014, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) bought the land. They wanted to keep this amazing natural area safe for everyone to learn from and enjoy. The park is named after a plant called Sitka sedge, which grows naturally here.

A Look Back: History of Sitka Sedge

The land that is now Sitka Sedge was originally the home of the Nestucca group of the Tillamook people. From 1855 to 1875, this area was part of the Siletz Reservation. The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde also have a historical connection to this land.

Farming the Land

In the early 1900s, Anna Elise Timm Roenicke moved her family here from Portland and started a dairy farm. Later, in 1930, the Beltz family bought the farm and continued dairy farming. Frederick Beltz built two houses and a dike to protect his pastures from the ocean. He also helped build Sand Lake Road.

Other families, like the Frys and Beachys, also farmed the land. During the 1940s, the Coast Guard even had a monitoring station here. In the 1960s and 1970s, the state parks department started looking into making this area a park. The Farrell family farmed the land until 1987, and then the Bastasch family bought it.

Protecting Sand Lake Estuary

The Sand Lake estuary is very special. It's one of the last places in Oregon where the river, dunes, and ocean meet in a natural way.

Stopping Development Plans

In 1989, people from Tierra Del Mar successfully stopped a plan to cut down trees in the area. They also worked to stop cars from driving on the beach. Because of their efforts, the beach was closed to vehicles on weekends and holidays starting in 1995. This helped protect wildlife and keep the dunes safe.

Later, in 1993, residents also stopped a plan to build a mine and quarry nearby.

Plans for the Dike

In 1999, there was an idea to break open the dike on the Beltz farm. This would let the ocean tides flow back into the freshwater marsh. The goal was to help fish and other animals, but local residents worried about flooding in Tierra Del Mar. Another river, the Salmon River, was chosen for this kind of project instead.

In 2000, a group called Ducks Unlimited also suggested restoring the marsh by letting the tides in. But this plan was put on hold because the land was about to be sold to golf course developers.

Golf Course Ideas

For many years, there were plans to build a golf course on the land. In 2003, most people in Tierra Del Mar were against the idea. The developers even considered adding a hotel, condos, and a restaurant.

The land was for sale for over ten years because the owners didn't want to lower the price. Also, developers faced many rules about land use and wetlands. The strong opposition from the Tierra Del Mar community also helped stop these golf course plans.

How the Park Was Created

In 2014, a group called Ecotrust bought the property. Soon after, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department bought it from Ecotrust. They used money from the Oregon Lottery and a grant to make it a public natural area.

This park, with its small parking area and 3 miles (4.8 km) of trails, is the result of many years of effort. It helped save one of Oregon's most beautiful estuaries and oceanfront areas.

Issues with the Beltz Dike

Around the 1930s, Fritz Beltz built a half-mile long dike with a gate. This dike kept the ocean out, creating a freshwater marsh. It also provided land for cattle and a road. However, the dike made it hard for native fish like salmon and trout to reach their spawning areas.

The park department is looking at ways to help fish move freely again. One idea is to remove the gate. Another is to create a larger opening in the dike. People are concerned that these changes might cause flooding in Tierra Del Mar. The park department is collecting more information to make the best decision.

Sitka sedge (Carex aquatilis v. dives) reflects several of the unique characteristics of this new park. Graceful. Ecologically important. Natural.
— Oregon State Parks

Nature's Wonders: Natural Resources

When Sitka Sedge opened in 2018, it was described as having an "ocean beach, dunes, forest, tidal marsh, freshwater marsh, shrublands and mudflats." It also has hiking trails and six spots to watch wildlife.

Beach and Dunes

The one-mile beach at Sitka Sedge is located between Cape Lookout to the north and Haystack Rock to the south. A park specialist said it shows "what the Oregon Coast looked like in the past, a few hundred years ago."

In Oregon, all beaches below the high tide line are public land. The 1967 Oregon Beach Bill made all Oregon beaches up to the vegetation line public. The sand dunes here have different plants. Some areas have native plants like American dunegrass. Other areas have European beachgrass, which was brought here and can take over. You can also find plants like dune goldenrod, beach knotweed, and kinnikinnik.

Marshes

The Sand Lake estuary has a large area of tidal and diked marsh. The freshwater marsh south of the Beltz dike gets water from three creeks. This diked marsh used to be a salt marsh but became a freshwater marsh. Many ducks use it in the winter. The dike, even though it was privately owned, gave people access to a popular hunting area.

Forests

About 113 acres (46 ha) of the park are pasture and forest land. Common trees here include shore pine, Sitka spruce, red alder, and other conifers.

Amazing Wildlife

Sitka Sedge is one of the largest natural estuaries on the Oregon Coast. It is full of amazing animals! You might see bald eagles and great blue herons flying overhead. On the ground, there are beavers, otters, and even coyotes and black bears.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has marked parts of Sitka Sedge as important areas for the Western snowy plover. Nearby areas are also important for the marbled murrelet and the northern spotted owl. Other animals that are "at risk" might live here too, like the Oregon silverspot butterfly, Chinook salmon, and Pacific marten.

Fun Things to Do: Recreation

The park is kept mostly natural. It has restrooms and a small gravel parking area.

Hiking and Bird Watching

Many people enjoy hiking at Sitka Sedge. One person described it as "a wonderful place to experience nature with friends." As you walk along the Beltz dike, you can see the tidal flats of the Sand Lake Estuary on one side and a freshwater marsh on the other. The trail is flat and surrounded by bushes.

The hike leads through forests of Douglas firs and Sitka Spruce trees, then through shore pines, and finally to the beach. It's like "taking a trip back in time." It's also a fantastic place for bird watching because of all the different natural areas.

Kayaking Adventures

The marshes of Sand Lake are usually too shallow for most boats. But from October to March, the winter tides make it possible to explore the lake and Whalen Island by kayak. Sometimes, the tides are so high that kayakers can even surf small waves at the north end of the lake!

Easy Access for Everyone

The Beltz Dike trail is designed to be easy to use for everyone, including those with wheelchairs. It leads to the Estuary View Loop and Kinnikinnik Woods Loop. There are also two accessible viewing areas where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery.