Guided Plant Walk: Explore Native Coastal Prairie with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Plant Experts

Cloverdale, Ore. — Join the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on a guided plant walk at Nestucca Bay National
Wildlife Refuge on Friday, July 25. Beginning at 11 a.m., visitors will join one of the refuge’s biological
technicians for a guided walk through the refuge’s coastal prairie. Visitors should meet in the upper parking
lot by the Two Rivers Trailhead. Participants will learn how to identify native flowers and other plants,
explore their role in supporting wildlife and hear how refuge staff manage invasive species. The walk will
be approximately one mile and includes some steep hills and uneven terrain. Participants should wear sturdy
walking or hiking shoes, dress for sunny weather, and bring water. Visitors are also encouraged to stop by an
informational table hosted by a refuge park ranger from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to learn more about the refuge,
wildlife, birding opportunities and more. The event is free and open to all ages. For more information,
contact Jessica Ramirez at jessica_ramirez@fws.gov.

Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge protects a diverse mosaic of coastal prairie, forest, estuary, and
wetland habitats that provide essential homes for native birds, mammals, pollinators and countless other
species. The refuge is also home to one of Oregon’s reintroduced populations of the federally threatened
Oregon silverspot butterfly. The butterfly depends on healthy coastal prairie habitat and the native early blue
violet, its sole larval host plant, for survival. This guided walk offers an opportunity to explore the refuge
while learning how native plants play a vital role in conserving wildlife and preserving Oregon’s unique
coastal landscapes.