Chapter 5

HumanEnvironment

Chapter 4BiologicalEnvironment

Chapter 3PhysicalEnvironment

Chapter 2ManagementDirection

Chapter 1Introduction andBackground

Appendices

Chapter 5

Human Environment

USFWS
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan 

Chapter 5. Human Environment 5-1 

Chapter 5 Human Environment 

5.1 Cultural Resources 

Archaeological and other cultural resources are important components of our nation’s heritage. The 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service; USFWS) is committed to protecting valuable evidence of 

plant, animal, and human interactions with each other and the landscape over time. An example of an 

interaction would be the importance of specific plants to Kalapuya Indians, or the use of fire to burn 

open spaces that then provided habitat for elk and deer. These interactions may include previously 

recorded or yet undocumented historic, cultural, archaeological, and paleontological resources as 

well as traditional cultural properties and the historic built environment. Protection of cultural 

resources is legally mandated under numerous Federal laws and regulations. Foremost among these 

are the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) as amended, the Antiquities Act, the Historic 

Sites Act, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) as amended, and the Native 

American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The Service’s Native American 

Policy of 1994 articulates the general principles guiding the Service’s relationships with Tribal 

governments in the conservation of fish and wildlife resources (USFWS 1994). Additionally, the 

Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge (the refuge) seeks to maintain a working relationship and 

consult on a regular basis with the Tribes that are or were traditionally tied to lands and waters within 

the refuge. 

Since cultural resources encompass many elements and time periods, the following simple temporal 

divisions were used to distinguish and categorize this brief review of the following resources. 

 Pre-recorded history 

 Pre-contact Native American traditions 

 Post-contact traditions (Native American, Early British, and United States) 

 Recent U.S. settlement and economic development period 

 Historic and prehistoric sites on the refuge 

Cultural resources can be of significant cultural, scientific, and educational importance. It is essential 

that the Service look beyond compliance with cultural resource laws to ensure protection of these 

nonrenewable resources. Of critical importance is the development of close working relationships 

with those that express affinity with the refuge’s cultural resources, such as Native Americans, 

historians, and educators. 

There are seven recorded prehistoric sites and six recorded historic sites within the refuge 

boundaries. Other historic sites and features may exist on the refuge that have not been recorded. 

Several prehistoric and historic sites and/or features have been recorded within 1 mile of the refuge. 

Two of the historic sites within refuge boundaries have been evaluated and determined ineligible to 

the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). One site has been determined eligible to the NRHP. 

It is highly probable that additional archaeological sites will be exposed by human actions or natural 

causes in future. 
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5-2 Chapter 5. Human Environment 

5.1.1 Prehistoric and Ethnographic Resources 

5.1.1.1 Prehistoric and Ethnographic Setting of the Refuge Region 

The meandering Tualatin River and its banks are home to native fish, beaver, deer, raptors, 

songbirds, and plants, all of which have been impacted as their habitats have been altered due to 

agriculture, urban development, and changes in land use practices. Yet these resources were 

abundant when the Atfálat’i (At-fahl-a-ti) Tribe of Kalapuya Indians lived, hunted, and gathered food 

on the Tualatin River floodplain. 

Archaeological research on the refuge has revealed a history of humans hunting and gathering that 

dates back over 2,000 years. Camas, tarweed, and wapato were some of the most important plant 

foods. Long before the Wapato Lake Unit of the refuge was turned into an irrigated agricultural area 

by settlers in the late nineteenth century, it was an important place where all the villages of Atfálat’i 

Kalapuya gathered in autumn to harvest wapato. The Kalapuya routinely burned the valley floor for a 

variety of benefits: to increase grazing for game animals such as elk and deer, to maintain and spread 

camas habitat, to increase production of acorns, and to prepare for tarweed harvest, to name a few. 

As Zenk (1976:358) reported: 

... each Tualatin winter-village group had its own tarweed-producing area within which 

individuals (at least, we would presume, wealthy individuals) owned their own sub-plots. 

These areas were set on fire about August. Women then went out with rawhide buckets and 

paddles; the seeds were beaten from the plants into the buckets. It is stated that each “lot” 

(individually owned plot) might produce 10-20 bushels of seeds. 

Understanding these past land uses by the valley’s original inhabitants offers critical lessons and has 

important ramifications regarding habitat restoration and management decisions on the refuge today. 

What food or tools they could not obtain along the river and its environs, the Kalapuyans obtained 

via trade with their neighbors. Obsidian, a volcanic rock used to make arrow points, has been found 

from as far away as the east side of the Cascades. Historical accounts (Zenk 1976) suggest that the 

Tualatin River Valley, including the area of the refuge, supported at least 20 native winter villages. 

Wapato Lake was a major habitation location for the Tualatin Indians, also known as the Wapato 

Lake Indians, one of approximately 13 groups of Kalapuya people. The territory of the Kalapuyans 

extended throughout most of the Willamette River Valley as far south as the Umpqua River. Named 

for the wapato plant that grew in and was harvested from it, Wapato Lake served as a seasonal 

community gathering place for the bands of Kalapuyans. 

The first recorded contact between Euro-Americans and the Kalapuyans occurred in 1812, when the 

Kalapuyan population may have been as great as 10,000 people. From 1812 to the 1840s, 

Kalapuyans had many contacts with fur traders. Though it occurred even before recorded contact, the 

smallpox epidemic of 1782-1783 and the later malaria epidemic of the 1830s had dramatic impacts 

on the Kalapuyan population, and on other native groups. Other new illnesses soon followed. By the 

1850s there were few Atfálat’i left to claim their traditional lands, and the survivors were ultimately 

removed to the Grand Ronde Reservation. 

Euro-American settlers began arriving in the 1840s, displacing the native population and turning the 

fertile Tualatin River bottomlands to agricultural purposes. Land clearing and the construction of 
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Chapter 5. Human Environment 5-3 

farming infrastructure such as dikes and ditches drained Wapato Lake and changed the landscape 

from one of riparian forest to agricultural fields. Towns grew up around the homes of the earliest 

settlers, intensified by the development of a Portland-to-Corvallis railroad that began in the late 

1860s. Many towns bear the names of their founders or influential early landowners (e.g., Gaston, 

Seghers, Dilley). 

Photo 5-1. For thousands of years, the Kalapuya people called Willamette Valley 

their home. Smithsonian Library (Wilkes 1845:223). 

5.1.1.2 Known Prehistoric Sites 

There are seven prehistoric archaeological sites recorded on the refuge. These sites are located 

throughout the refuge on both the Sherwood (three sites) and Wapato Lake (four sites) Units. In 

addition to the prehistoric sites, there is also a collection of artifacts donated to Portland State 

University by a private landowner. These artifacts came from property within and immediately 

adjacent to the refuge. Currently, the status and location of the collection is unknown. Table 5-1 

summarizes the sites and surveys. 
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5-4 Chapter 5. Human Environment 

Table 5-1. Prehistoric Resources within Refuge Boundaries 

Site# Unit Date 

Recorded

Site Type Materials NRHP 

Eligibility 

Notes 

35WN17 Wapato Lake 1977 Recorded 

based on 

informants’ 

descriptions

Potentially 

eligible 

State 

Historic 

Preservation 

Office 

(SHPO) 

report 

11951 

(testing) 

35WN19 Wapato Lake 1977 Recorded 

based on 

informants’ 

descriptions

Potentially 

eligible 

SHPO 

report 9734 

(survey) 

35WN29 Wapato Lake 1982 Lithic scatter Pestle, 

projectile 

points, firecracked 

rocks 

(FCR), 

charcoal 

Potentially 

eligible 

35WN30 Wapato Lake 1982 Lithic scatter Obsidian 

flake, FCR, 

basalt 

debitage 

Potentially 

eligible 

34WN43 Atfálat’i 1997 Lithic 

scatter/FCR/artifact 

concentration 

Period III 

(40000 BC250 BC) 

and Period 

IV (250 BCAD 1700) 

Eligible Tested 

34WN44 Atfálat’i 1997 Lithic 

scatter/FCR/artifact 

concentration 

 Potentially 

eligible 

35WN46 Atfálat’i 2001 Lithic scatter Eligible Tested 

5.1.2 Historic Resources 

5.1.2.1 Known Historic Sites 

Parcels acquired within the approved boundaries of the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge 

often come with standing structures associated with the area’s agricultural history. After being 

acquired, several of these historic farm complexes and/or residential structures have been 
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Chapter 5. Human Environment 5-5 

documented and evaluated by the Service’s Cultural Resources Branch (Table 5-2). Upon evaluation 

and determination of noneligibility to the NRHP, the subject buildings may be slated for removal 

through demolition and salvage if they pose a risk to humans or wildlife. In one case, a historic 

structure was determined eligible, and the necessary documentary steps were taken to mitigate its 

removal in compliance with the NHPA. 

Photo 5-2. Onion barns are part of the historic structure of the refuge. Nick 

Valentine/USFWS. 

Table 5-2. Historic Resources within Refuge Boundaries 

Site Name Site Type/Features/ 

Materials/Notes 

Condition 

(integrity) 

NRHP 

Eligibility 

Cranfield Homestead Estimated located as per 1852 

General Land Office (GLO) map 

(GLO 1952) 

Some 

brick/ceramic/glass 

observed 

N/A 

McKinney Field Estimated located as per 1852 

GLO map 

No existing 

evidence 

N/A 

White-Ditmman 

Onion Barn 

Onion barn reflecting 

agricultural function. A 

memorandum of agreement 

(MOA) was prepared to 

document it before demolition 

Demolished Eligible 

Naujock House Built in 1891 by emigrants from 

Germany who arrived in the area 

in 1876. Replaced earlier log 

house 

In use, modified Not eligible 

Naujock Barn and Gambrel roof barn, built in Not in use Not eligible 
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Table 5-2. Historic Resources within Refuge Boundaries 

Site Name Site Type/Features/ 

Materials/Notes 

Condition 

(integrity) 

NRHP 

Eligibility 

Granary 1930s along with brick building 

(granary and potato cellar). 

SHPO recommended retaining 

or if necessary, salvaging site 

Cereghino Farm 

Complex 

Onion drying barn, house, and 

outbuildings associated with 

onion farm complex. House is 

used for office space and other 

buildings are used for storage or 

are vacant 

 Not evaluated 

5.2 Refuge Facilities 

There are numerous refuge facilities that require upkeep and maintenance, which are performed by 

one maintenance employee and volunteers, as available. These facilities serve both the visitor 

services and biological programs, and range from boundary fencing to residences to public use 

facilities. In addition, there are structures that serve as offices for other Service programs, such as the 

Cultural Resources Program Office. 

5.2.1 Boundary Fences and Markers 

There are approximately 8.4 miles of boundary fence around various tracts of the refuge. The 

majority of the fencing is around tracts on the Riverboat Unit. 

5.2.2 Entrance and Access Points 

The primary public entrance to the refuge, opened in 2006, is from Oregon State Highway 99W, 

between Sherwood and King City. This entrance is allowed through a permit issued by the Oregon 

Department of Transportation (ODOT) and was constructed according to ODOT specifications, 

which do not include a deceleration lane from the highway to the refuge or an acceleration lane from 

the refuge to the highway. This has caused some safety concerns for visitors. Four state highway 

recreation signs direct visitors into the refuge. A secondary public entrance off of Washington 

County’s Roy Rogers Road provides access to the west side of the Atfálat’i Unit and the Wayside 

Overlook (see Figure 5-1 and Appendix P, Map 10). There are no other public access points to the 

refuge. The refuge has provided input to a number of regional trail planning projects that have the 

potential of connecting to refuge access points. These include Tonquin Trail planning by Metro, a tricounty regional government that serves Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington Counties; Cedar 

Creek Trail planning by the City of Sherwood; and West Bull Mountain Concept Plan by 

Washington County. 
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 Figure 5-1. Public use facilities and regulations. 
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5-8 Chapter 5. Human Environment 

5.2.3 Administrative Facilities 

Administrative facilities are located on the Atfálat’i Unit of the refuge. The 4,058-square-foot refuge 

headquarters, completed in 2007, includes staff offices and other work area amenities consisting of a 

documents work area, conference room, reception area, and space for volunteers. New facilities, 

including the refuge headquarters, Wildlife Center, environmental education shelter, fee collection 

booth, and parking lots have all been designed and constructed to meet sustainable design standards 

of the silver level of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). There is a fire 

suppression pump and a water storage building that serves the public use facilities and refuge 

headquarters. 

There are other refuge buildings being used by Service Regional Office employees as offices 

including the Cultural Resources Program Office located at the Onion Flats Unit. 

The shop area on the Tualatin River Unit contains facilities that include a 3,750-square-foot shop 

containing the maintenance office, vehicle/equipment repair bays, and tool storage. There are another 

six buildings located at the shop area that support refuge maintenance functions. These include three 

pole barns used for equipment storage, a hazardous materials storage building, a wooden lean-to for 

equipment implement storage, and a storage shed for environmental education materials. 

The refuge has numerous barns, outbuildings, and homes (houses and mobile homes) that came with 

the land when property was acquired. Many of these buildings are in poor condition and need to 

either be demolished or undergo a complete overhaul to be functional. There are seventeen barns and 

outbuildings scattered throughout the Sherwood Units and four at the Wapato Lake Unit. Along with 

the barns and outbuildings, there are two houses and one manufactured trailer on the Sherwood 

Units, and two homes and one manufactured trailer at the Wapato Lake Unit. Altogether, there are 31 

buildings on the refuge. 

5.2.4 Roads, Trails, and Parking Areas 

Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge opened its Atfálat’i Unit to the public in 2006 after two 

years of construction that provided access from adjacent highways and a variety of outdoor wildlife 

recreation and education features. Roads and parking features include: a 0.3-mile headquarters 

entrance road and bus turnaround with parking for 60 cars plus three buses/recreational vehicles 

(RVs); a 0.1-mile wayside entrance road with parking for six cars and one RV; and five bicycle 

racks. In the fall of 2010, both entry roads and parking lots were upgraded from gravel to a 

combination of pervious paver parking stalls and asphalted driving lanes—all stormwater flows into 

a bioswale in the center of the parking areas. The bioswale is designed to both slow the rate of 

stormwater runoff and provide natural filtration and water quality treatment. 

Trail features include: a 1.1-mile year-round trail; a 0.2-mile photography blind spur trail; two foot 

bridges; a 3.1-mile seasonal trail, which is part of a gravel refuge road used by staff; a plaza 

overlook; a bioswale overlook; a wetland observation deck; a wayside overlook; a river overlook; a 

wildlife photography blind; and five environmental education study sites. All trail features were 

opened with the refuge in 2006, except for the bioswale overlook, which was completed in 2011. 

Numerous informational, regulatory, and directional signs are located throughout the refuge’s public 

use areas. The refuge is open daily from dawn to dusk. To provide these high-quality facilities and 

maintain compatible wildlife-dependent recreation, dense riparian vegetation plantings were planted 
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in 2004 and 2005 along the planned trail corridor. These screens now provide “natural blinds” where 

visitors can observe wildlife while minimizing disturbance to the wildlife they are enjoying. 

There are roads and parking areas that are not open to the public and serve solely administrative 

functions. Parking lots for the various residences and other structures include tracts on the Riverboat 

Unit (Harmon and Naujock tracts), Onion Flats Unit (Cereghino tract), Riverboat Unit (Dennis tract), 

and Wapato Lake Unit (Losey and Beecher tracts) and total 64,826 square feet of gravel and asphalt 

lots. Administrative roads throughout the refuge total 11.5 miles and are used to access areas for 

habitat management and maintenance. These roads are mostly gravel and require regular 

maintenance and upkeep. There is also a concrete road bridge that crosses Chicken Creek on the 

Atfálat’i Unit. 

Photo 5-3. Wetland observation deck. USFWS. 

5.2.5 Visitor Facilities 

Outdoor facilities are complemented by a state-of-the-art, sustainably built Wildlife Center, which 

opened in 2008. The Wildlife Center encompasses 6,316 square feet, and includes an exhibit room, 

environmental education field laboratory, information desk, a Friends of the Refuge nature store, an 

indoor viewing area, and a multipurpose room. The center is currently open Tuesday through Sunday 

year-round. The center is typically closed on major holidays and for one to two weeks spanning the 

New Year holiday. Friends of the Refuge help staff the daily operation of the center by recruiting and 

training volunteers. The environmental education shelter, designed primarily to provide cover and 

education space for students visiting the refuge, was completed in the fall of 2010. The shelter can 

accommodate up to 65 students at a time. Approximately 25 percent of refuge visitors and students 

visit the Wildlife Center and/or environmental education shelter annually. 
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Photo 5-4. Wildlife Center. Kim Strassburg/USFWS. 

5.2.6 Easements and Agreements 

There is an intergovernmental agreement in place between the Service and Metro that has established 

a framework for the refuge to manage a portion of a property owned by Metro known as the Heritage 

Pine Natural Area. The property is approximately 50 acres in size, and the Service is performing 

restoration of a mixture of bottomland riparian forest, herbaceous wetland, and wet prairie habitats. 

Additionally, the Service is responsible for all funding, restoration, management, operations, and 

maintenance of the property. This agreement is for 10 years, with the option to extend upon 

agreement by both parties. 

In 1992, the Service purchased a voluntary conservation easement on what is now the Wapato Lake 

Unit to manage the land for the purpose of habitat restoration. In agreement with the landowner, the 

refuge has the right to establish or reestablish habitat through various management tools. The 

purposes of this easement are the preservation and maintenance of wetland and floodplain areas as 

well as protection and enhancement of plant and animal habitat and populations. Easements are a 

cost-effective method of conservation, allowing us to work with landowners to protect the habitat on 

their land. 

There are also several access easements that allow staff to access refuge property via private 

property. These are located at the Onion Flats, Riverboat, and Wapato Lake Units. 
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Photo 5-5. Water control structure. USFWS. 

5.2.7 Dikes, Irrigation, Water Control Structures, and Pump Houses 

The refuge manages herbaceous wetlands on several units. To manage these wetlands, the refuge 

manipulates water levels using a system of dikes, levees, water control structures, and pump houses. 

For the Steinborn tract on the Atfálat’i Unit, the main source of water is Chicken Creek, which was 

channelized to facilitate farming and is diverted to an irrigation canal to allow further diversion into 

specific wetland impoundments. At the point where Chicken Creek enters the refuge, there are fish 

ladders that were installed to facilitate fish movement past the diversion structure from the river to 

headwaters. There is also a fish screen in place to prevent fish from moving into the irrigation canal. 

To move the water through the five impoundments totaling 234 acres, a system of 15 water control 

structures and 2.23 miles of levees and dikes are used. There is a dilapidated pump that was used 

prior to refuge acquisition for farming and irrigation purposes. The refuge does not use the pump for 

its habitat management purposes. 

The other tract on the Atfálat’i Unit that has managed wetlands is the Heritage Pine Natural Area, 

which is managed by the Service under a cooperative agreement with Metro, as described in Section 

5.2.6. This unit has one herbaceous wetland of 6 acres that is managed by one water control structure, 

and receives water only from rainfall. 

On the Tualatin River Unit, there are five wetland impoundments totaling 35 acres on the Dennis 

tract. Four of these are seasonal and rely on rainfall as their source of water. The main impoundment 

is also seasonal and is fed primarily by rainfall supplemented by a pump that uses water from the 

Tualatin River. The system for this unit contains one water control structure, the aforementioned 

pump, and 0.40 mile of levees and dikes. 

On the Riverboat Unit, 48 acres make up four wetland impoundments that are managed by a system 

of two water control structures, three low-capacity wells, and 0.10 mile of levees and dikes. All four 
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5-12 Chapter 5. Human Environment 

wetlands received their water primarily from rainfall; however, the main wetland unit can also get 

limited water pumped from the wells. 

There is a concrete pumphouse located on the Onion Flats Unit that was historically used for 

irrigation purposes prior to refuge acquisition. This pumphouse has fallen into disrepair and is not 

used by the refuge for habitat management purposes. 

5.3 Public Use Overview 

5.3.1 Public Use Program History 

One of Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge’s current management priorities is to “provide high 

quality opportunities for wildlands and wildlife-dependent recreation and environmental education to 

enhance public appreciation, understanding, and enjoyment of the refuge’s fish, wildlife, habitats, 

and cultural resources, with emphasis towards urban residents” (USFWS 2003a). This stems from the 

refuge’s establishment under the guidelines of the Service’s Urban Refuge Policy (341 FW 1) (Smith 

1991), which strives to connect large populations of people to the concept of national wildlife 

refuges. In addition, the communities surrounding the refuge have expressed a desire for the refuge to 

provide a natural legacy where future generations can enjoy and learn about the outdoors. This 

foundation has led to a robust public use program at the refuge. The overarching goals of the visitor 

services program closely mirror national efforts to implement one of the six highest priorities of the 

Service, namely “Connecting People with Nature—Ensuring the Future of Conservation” (USFWS 

2008b). 

5.3.1.1 Visitor Experience 

The protection of fish and wildlife and their habitats on the refuge provides the public with highquality wildlife-oriented recreation, education, and interpretation opportunities. Visitors of all ages 

can experience the beauty of the Tualatin River Valley, view abundant wildlife, and discover how 

this urban national wildlife refuge represents the National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System). 

The Wildlife Center serves as a springboard by introducing the public to the refuge and its purposes, 

helping visitors hone their wildlife observation skills, and encouraging visitors to get outside and 

experience first-hand the wildlife wonders of the refuge. Throughout their visit, whether walking on 

trails, participating in an education program, or enjoying exhibits, visitors are reminded that they play 

a role in the health and future of the refuge, the watershed, the Refuge System, and ultimately of fish 

and wildlife conservation. 

5.3.2 Open and Closed Areas 

The Atfálat’i Unit is open year-round during daylight hours for wildlife-dependent recreation and 

education. Access within this unit is limited to defined public use areas. Most of the use originates 

from the headquarters parking area and Wildlife Center, and is concentrated along the year-round 

trail and its associated features (see Figure 5-1 and Appendix P, Map 10). The spur trail to the 

wildlife photography blind is open year-round by registration only. From May 1 through September 

30, visitors are permitted to walk on 3.1 miles of service roads. From October 1 through April 30, 

these service roads are closed to all public entry to provide sanctuary for wildlife. 

All other areas of the refuge are currently closed to public use. 
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5.3.3 Annual Visitation 

Demand for interpretive and educational programs has soared, and visitation has been increasing 

steadily since the refuge opened to the public in 2006. Current visitation is approximately 100,000 

people per year, 4,000 of whom participate in formal, curriculum-based education programs 

(USFWS 2010a). Since the Wildlife Center opened in 2008, it has received as many as 25,000 annual 

visitors. Projections indicate that refuge public facilities could serve an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 

visitors annually (USFWS 2003b). 

5.3.4 Entrance and User Fees 

In 2009, the refuge received official approval to establish an entrance fee program, but it has not 

implemented one to date (USFWS 2009a). Implementation of a fee program remains a possibility in 

the future and has been described in Chapter 2, Section 2.3, “Description of Management Direction.” 

A fee booth was constructed in 2008, but is currently unused. Each of the three trailhead kiosks 

include a fee canister and a sign explaining a potential future fee program. 

5.3.5 Accessibility of Recreation Sites and Programs to Disabled Persons 

Except as noted below, all refuge public use facilities are accessible to disabled visitors and conform 

to standards set forth in the Architectural Barriers Act (42 U.S. Code 4151 et seq.). 

The exceptions are: 

 The 200-yard spur trail to the Ridgetop Overlook reaches a maximum grade of 20 percent, 

but is designed to be wheelchair-accessible in all other respects. 

 The 3.1 miles of service roads open to seasonal public use consist of uneven gravel surfaces. 

5.3.6 Volunteers

The refuge has a robust volunteer program that is essential to maintaining current refuge operations. 

With the exception of law enforcement, personnel management, contracting, and select other 

functions prohibited by law, volunteers are involved in almost all aspects of the refuge’s visitor 

services and habitat and wildlife programs. In fiscal year 2010, volunteers donated over 15,000 hours 

of support to the refuge (USFWS 2010a). This equals more than seven full-time personnel and is 

valued at more than $327,000 (national volunteer value = $21.79/hour [Independent Sector 2011]). 

Over 75 percent of the hours contributed were in support of wildlife-dependent public uses. 
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5-14 Chapter 5. Human Environment 

Photos 5-6 and 5-7. Volunteers assist with many aspects of refuge operations. 

USFWS. 

5.4 Wildlife-dependent Public Uses

5.4.1 Hunting 

Currently, hunting is not offered on the refuge. 

5.4.2 Fishing 

Currently, fishing is not offered on the refuge. 
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Chapter 5. Human Environment 5-15 

5.4.3 Wildlife Observation and Photography 

The refuge provides a variety of facilities and programs that support high-quality wildlife observation 

and photography. Both the year-round and seasonal trails offer overlooks and observation points. For 

a complete description of trail lengths and features, refer to Section 5.2.4, “Roads, Trails, and 

Parking Areas.” Nearly 70,000 pedestrians used the trails in fiscal year 2010. In addition, the refuge 

is a stop along the Willamette Valley Birding Trail and has been designated by the Audubon Society 

as an Important Bird Area. 

The wildlife photography blind can be reserved at no charge on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and 

Sundays. The blind can accommodate two photographers at a time. Wildlife observation supporting 

materials are available to visitors, and include a spotting scope (indoor viewing area), Discovery 

Packs (loaner field guides and binoculars at no charge), wildlife sightings register, and refuge 

Watchable Wildlife checklist. In addition, numerous interpretive signs along the trail and within the 

Wildlife Center are designed to help visitors develop wildlife observation skills and learn about the 

specific wildlife and habitats of the refuge. The Wildlife Center also includes a gallery hall with a 

picture hanging system that primarily highlights refuge wildlife and nature photographs from 

photography contests, calendar entries, and student projects. Nearly 1,800 people participated in 

wildlife photography activities in fiscal year 2010. 

Programs offered for wildlife observation and photography activities include partner-led bird walks, 

Friends of the Refuge’s Tualatin River Photographic Society (workshops, trainings, monthly 

meetings, and nature photography contests), plant walks led by a volunteer botanist, and others as 

staff/volunteers are available. Additionally, Volunteer Trail Rovers welcome, meet, and interact with 

visitors along the trail, report wildlife sightings and visitor contacts, and help ensure visitor 

compliance with refuge rules. 

Photo 5-8. Sunset wildlife watcher. Kim Strassburg/USFWS. 
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5-16 Chapter 5. Human Environment 

5.4.4 Environmental Education 

The refuge, in coordination with local educators, has developed a robust curriculum-based 

environmental education program that is blossoming into a metropolitan resource for teachers, 

students, youth group leaders, and families. The environmental education program is a key focus of 

refuge public use activities. 

In 2005, the refuge and Friends of the Refuge partnered with a team of elementary and middle school 

teachers to develop and implement an environmental education program that would be in place by 

2006, when the refuge was to open to the public. The result was a written curriculum called Rhythms 

of the Refuge: Open Your Eyes to Wildlife. This curriculum includes a field trip guide and pre-visit, 

on-site, and post-visit lessons for kindergarten through eighth-grade students. The refuge also 

supports the use of and offers workshops for national curricula such as Project Wild; Project Flying 

Wild; Project Learning Tree; Growing Up Wild; Project Aquatic Wild; and 4H Wildlife Stewards. 

Modeled after other national wildlife refuge programs, the curriculum is paired with required teacher 

workshops that prepare educators to bring their students to the refuge, relying on teachers to lead 

field trips and refuge volunteer naturalists to assist and accompany class visits. The day-to-day 

coordination of the education field trip program is generally managed by interns, grant-funded shortterm staff, and volunteers. Environmental education training for staff/volunteers consists of a fourday class for volunteer naturalists; on-the-job shadowing for interns; coaching by refuge staff and 

long-term volunteers; online college courses for staff/interns; and regional workshops/trainings with 

partners. The emphasis on training has resulted in a high-quality program that follows national and 

statewide standard practices for environmental education. 

The refuge offers facilities and equipment specifically in support of the environmental education 

program. These include a classroom and student patio that accommodates 36 students; the 

environmental education shelter, which accommodates 65 students; trailhead restrooms; five study 

sites along the year-round trail, each of which accommodates 15 students at a time and provides 

exposure to different habitat types on the refuge; learning materials (e.g., study skins, microscopes, 

craft supplies); and field investigation equipment (e.g., binoculars, field guides, water quality test 

kits). 

The education program has developed strong partnerships within the community that facilitate 

quality education. Examples of partners include Friends of the Refuge, Oregon Natural Resources 

Education Program (Oregon State University), Sherwood School District, 4-H (Oregon State 

University), Tualatin Riverkeepers, Sherwood Foundation for the Arts, and YMCA of Sherwood. 

On-site programs: In fiscal year 2010, the refuge provided teacher workshops for 280 educators. 

Those who attend the workshops can register their classes to visit the refuge for a field trip. A 

maximum of 70 students, plus required chaperones, can be accommodated at any given time. In 

fiscal year 2010, 1,306 students participated in on-site field trip programs. Although no formal 

program is offered for high school and college students, the refuge will tailor a visit based on the 

needs of the students/classes. Local schools occasionally transport physically and learning-disabled 

students to the refuge for short walks and/or visits to the Wildlife Center. No programs currently 

exist for these students; however, volunteers will welcome and orient groups as needed. The refuge 

also draws youth groups for whom learning occurs outside the formal school day. Examples include 

boy/girl scouts, after-school clubs, summer youth programs and day camps, and pre-school. In fiscal 

year 2010, 917 students attended informal youth programs. 
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan 

Chapter 5. Human Environment 5-17 

Off-site programs: The refuge participates in off-site programs when funding and staff are 

available. Examples of such programs include school-based nature festivals/events, outdoor schools, 

career days, and special requests. In fiscal year 2010, 1,665 students participated in off-site 

environmental education programs. 

Photo 5-9. Students explore and learn at the refuge. USFWS. 

5.4.5 Interpretation/Outreach 

The refuge has a variety of interpretive and informational media and programs that strive to 

accomplish a number of objectives, such as welcoming and orienting visitors; conveying the 

importance of native wildlife, their habitats, and the interconnectedness of lands and waters; 

encouraging nature exploration and appreciation; exploring the refuge’s cultural history; describing 

the refuge’s resources; introducing the Refuge System; and describing ways in which people are part 

of and can help care for the natural environment. All interpretive approaches follow the basic tenets 

of the Service’s Interpretive Development Model (605 FW 7, Interpretation). Staff and volunteers are 

offered training in interpretive techniques. 

Interpretive facilities include a 1,200-square-foot exhibit hall within the Wildlife Center; numerous 

outdoor interpretive panels, kiosks, sculptural elements, and trailside signs; temporary exhibits in the 

atrium of the Wildlife Center; and publications such as general leaflets and trail maps. Outreach tools 

include the refuge website; online and printed calendar postings by local partners such as 

Washington County Visitors Association and Metro Greenscene; newspaper articles and radio spots; 

flyers; complementary online media such as the Friends of the Refuge website and Facebook page; 

and the Tualatin River Bird Festival website. 

A number of “in-person” interpretive programs are typically offered throughout the year, generally 

led by staff, volunteers, and partners. These are scheduled opportunistically depending on staff and 

volunteer availability and expertise. Nearly 2,500 people attended interpretive programs in fiscal year 

2010. These programs included owl prowls; nature tours; plant identification walks; birding tours; 
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan 

5-18 Chapter 5. Human Environment 

Puddle Stompers pre-school program; and workshops (e.g., rain gardens, birding). Oftentimes, other 

organizations bring visitors in large groups to either participate in refuge-led activities or to 

participate in wildlife-dependent activities on their own (e.g., senior groups, Audubon Society 

outings, walking clubs). The refuge requires that groups larger than 15 people but not exceeding 50 

people register ahead of their visit, and while at the refuge, follow a certain set of requirements. Key 

requirements include breaking large groups into groups of 15 or fewer people and staggering these 

smaller groups along the trail; encouraging carpooling; and not charging participants commercial 

guiding fees. The refuge does acknowledge that group organizers may recover operating costs, such 

as transportation, for visits to the refuge. 

Several on-site special events occur on the refuge. The primary event, held annually in May, is the 

Tualatin River Bird Festival, which is hosted in partnership with Friends of the Refuge. Starting in 

May 2011, the event grew from a one-day festival with an average of 700 attendees to a three-day 

festival that attracted over 3,500 participants. Other smaller events, offered less frequently, include 

National Wildlife Refuge Week, Spring Break Exploration Days, Family Adventure Days, and a 

native plant sale, attracting 100 to 200 participants each. Refuge staff and/or volunteers attend local 

off-site special events as schedules and funding allow. Common off-site venues include nature 

festivals and health fairs, reaching 300 to 500 people annually. 

Photo 5-10. Interpretive programs connect visitors to refuge resources. Bjorn 

Fredrickson/USFWS. 

5.5 Non-wildlife-dependent Recreation 

Non-wildlife-dependent recreation activities are not permitted on the refuge. Kiosks, brochures, and 

informational and regulatory signs articulate prohibited activities. 

5.6 Illegal Uses and Law Enforcement 

Law enforcement issues that currently occur on the refuge are primarily trespass in closed areas, 

presence of dogs, jogging and bicycling, and other non-wildlife-dependent uses. Other illegal uses 
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan 

Chapter 5. Human Environment 5-19 

include low-flying aircraft, trash dumping, theft (vehicle break-in, stolen gas and tools), and using 

the refuge facilities to access and steal from neighboring business. These illegal uses persist due to 

lack of public knowledge and support as well as limited law enforcement capability. Currently there 

is a zone law enforcement officer stationed at the refuge, but their duties require them to be 

frequently off-site. 

5.7 Area Outdoor Recreational Opportunities and Trends 

5.7.1 Nearby Recreational Opportunities 

The refuge lies just 15 miles southwest of downtown Portland and is located within the Portland 

metropolitan area, which is known for its natural areas and parks. Metro boasts over 16,000 acres of 

protected lands, most of which are open to the public. In addition, the greater Portland area is home 

to thousands of acres of local/city parks, gardens, arboretums, state and local wildlife areas, state 

parks, nature centers, multi-use trails, and the 5,000+ acre Forest Park. Many of these areas are 

connected by bike, pedestrian, and boat corridors. These nearby facilities provide a wide range of 

recreational opportunities such as hiking, bicycling, wildlife observation, fishing, hunting, 

picnicking, environmental education, interpretation, guided nature tours, outdoor photography, nature 

festivals, camping, canoeing/kayaking/rafting, sports, and agritourism sites (e.g., vineyards and “upick” produce and tree farms). Portland sits at the mouth of the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area 

and is the closest major city to Mount Hood and Willamette National Forests. The highways that skirt 

the refuge are major corridors providing access to the Oregon coast. 

5.7.2 Outdoor Recreation Trends and Demographics 

Participation in wildlife-associated recreation has been measured by the Service to determine trends 

and economic impacts, both at national and state levels. The latest survey, completed in 2006, found 

that 87.5 million (over 38%) of U.S. residents 16 years and older participated in wildlife-related 

recreation. During that year, 30.0 million people fished, 12.5 million hunted, and 71.1 million 

participated in at least one type of wildlife-watching activity such as observing, feeding (e.g., 

backyard bird feeders), or photographing fish and other wildlife in the United States. Participation by 

Oregonians is higher than the national average. In 2006, 53 percent of Oregonians participated in 

wildlife-associated recreation, both within and outside of Oregon. More specifically, 44 percent of 

Oregonians participated in wildlife-watching and 19 percent in hunting and fishing (U.S. Department 

of the Interior [USDOI] et al. 2007). 

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is responsible for providing guidance, 

information, and recommendations to Federal, state, and local units of government, as well as the 

private sector, in making policy and planning decisions regarding outdoor recreation in Oregon. They 

do this in the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). The latest SCORP is a 

five-year plan covering outdoor recreation in Oregon from 2008 through 2012 (OPRD 2008). 

The OPRD began the SCORP planning process in September 2005. The agency took a proactive 

approach in addressing a limited number of previously identified and defined issues. Key findings 

from the 2008-2012 SCORP and the 2005-2014 statewide trails planning efforts identified a number 

of important demographic and social changes specifically facing outdoor recreation providers in the 

coming years, including: 1) a rapidly aging Oregon population, 2) fewer Oregon youth learning 

outdoor skills, and 3) an increasingly diverse Oregon population. An additional identified issue 
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5-20 Chapter 5. Human Environment 

related to human health is the physical inactivity within the population. Key findings especially 

relevant to the Service regarding these issues are summarized below. 

A Rapidly Aging Oregon Population 

 On average across all activities, respondents expect to spend 28 percent more days recreating 

10 years from now than they currently do. 

 The most popular outdoor recreation activities for Oregonians between the ages of 42 and 80 

included walking, picnicking, sightseeing, visiting historic sites, and ocean beach activities. 

A comparison across age categories for the top five activities by the level of participation 

leads to the following conclusions: Walking is the top activity across all age categories (40- 

79); jogging is a top activity between the ages of 40-59, but is also popular for those in their 

70s; bicycling is a top activity between the ages of 40-64; sightseeing is a top activity 

between the ages of 45-74; bird watching is a top activity between the ages of 55-79; and 

RV/trailer camping is a top activity between the ages of 55-74. 

 The top five activities in terms of future participation intensity 10 years from now included 

walking, bicycling, jogging, bird watching, and day hiking. 

 Ensuring clean and well-maintained parks and facilities was the most important management 

action leading to a large increase in recreation, followed by developing walking/hiking trails 

closer to home and providing more free-of-charge recreation opportunities. 

 Over a third of Oregon Boomers, people born between 1946 and 1964, and Pre-Boomers, 

who were born between 1926 and 1945, volunteered in their community, with an average 

time commitment of 5.3 hours per week. Of those who volunteered, 43 percent expect future 

changes in their volunteer activities, with most of the changes involving greater 

volunteerism: more time, more projects at current volunteer opportunities, and new volunteer 

opportunities. 

Fewer Oregon Youth Learning Outdoor Skills 

 The most popular outdoor activities for parents were walking, viewing natural features, and 

relaxing/hanging out. For children, the most popular were walking, followed by outdoor 

sports/games, relaxing/hanging out, and general play at neighborhood parks/playgrounds. 

 The more a parent engages in an outdoor recreation activity, the more their child does. 

Participation varies across child age, with both the number of activities and the number of 

activity-days peaking among 12 to 14 year olds and decreasing for 15 to 17 year olds. 

 Rural children spend more days, on average, in outdoor activities relative to urban and 

suburban children. Suburban children spend the least amount of days engaged in outdoor 

activities. Outdoor abilities have decreased more, on average, among urban and suburban 

households. 

 Outdoor sports programs and day camps were the most popular types of outdoor recreation 

programs with respect to past participation. Many parents indicated that it was very likely 

their children would participate in outdoor sports programs (62%), multiday camps (49%), 

outdoor adventure trips (45%), and day camps (45%) in the future. 
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan 

Chapter 5. Human Environment 5-21 

An Increasingly Diverse Oregon Population 

 Walking for pleasure was the most common favorite activity for both Hispanics and Asians, 

with fishing and soccer being the next most common for Hispanics and hiking and fishing the 

next most common for Asians. 

 Both Hispanic and Asian study respondents most commonly did their favorite activity with 

members of their immediate family. Asians were more likely than Hispanics to do activities 

alone, as were older respondents relative to younger respondents. 

 The most common location for Hispanic and Asian respondents to do their favorite activity 

was in a park or other area outside their town or city. Males were more likely than females to 

engage in their favorite activity further from home. 

 Survey results suggest that both the Hispanic and Asian populations in Oregon engage in 

outdoor recreation less than the general population. 

 Walking for pleasure was also the activity respondents spent the most days engaged in during 

the past year. Hispanics engage more intensely than Asians in jogging/running, day hiking, 

picnicking, fishing, viewing natural features, visiting nature centers, and visiting historic 

sites. 

 The most common activities respondents would like to do more often, or start doing, were 

walking for Asians and walking and camping for Hispanics. The factor that would most help 

make this happen is availability of partners, followed by more time. 

 For the Hispanic population, being in the outdoors, relaxing, and having fun were the most 

important motivators or reasons for participating in outdoor activities. For the Asian 

population, relaxing, fitness, and having fun were the top motivators. 

 Ensuring clean and well-maintained parks and facilities were the most important 

management action, followed by keeping parks safe from crime and providing more free-ofcharge recreation opportunities and expanded facilities. 

Several management recommendations from the SCORP are relevant to the types of outdoor 

recreation Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge provides; relevant recommendations from the 

SCORP are as follows: 

 Develop accessible trails in remote settings in close proximity to urban areas of the state. 

 Create a statewide interagency volunteer information website or other communications 

medium to match Boomer volunteers with recreation or natural resource projects in Oregon. 

 Greater priority for trail acquisition and development projects in OPRD-administered grant 

program (Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington Counties are considered “high priority” 

based on increase in aging population). 

 Develop a statewide youth outdoor programming framework and funding source to focus 

youth programming efforts across Oregon to address a specific set of key measurable 

objectives. 

 Create a new Outdoor Recreation Section within Oregon Recreation and Park Association 

addressing the areas of outdoor recreation and environmental education. 

 Provide funding and assistance for innovative park designs to connect youth with nature in 

high-priority counties and communities ... in OPRD-administered grant programs 

(Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington Counties are considered “high priority” based on 

increase in youth population). 

 Encourage organizational cultural change within public recreation agencies/organizations to 

effectively address the diversity issue. 
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5-22 Chapter 5. Human Environment 

 Develop recommendations for addressing language barriers to encourage underrepresented 

population use of outdoor recreation facilities and programs 

 Create a customer service training module related to serving the outdoor recreation needs of 

an increasingly diverse population. 

 Develop and implement a regional youth framework to encourage underrepresented youth 

participation in outdoor recreation activities through partnerships and investments in schoolbased recreation clubs. 

5.8 Socioeconomic Environment 

5.8.1 Population and Area Economy 

Oregon’s population (3,782,991) ranks twenty-seventh in the nation. State land area covers 95,997 

square miles compared to 3,537,438 square miles (United States), with a population density of 40 

persons per square mile compared to 87 nationwide. Located in Washington and Yamhill Counties, 

Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge is a 30-minute drive from downtown Portland and only 

minutes away from the Cities of Sherwood, Tigard, Tualatin, Newberg, Forest Grove, and Hillsboro. 

The greater Portland metropolitan area, including Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas, Yamhill, and 

Marion Counties, is the economic hub for the refuge. Table 5-3 shows the population and area 

economy. Between 1999 and 2009, the population of Oregon increased 11 percent compared with a 

10 percent increase for the United States as a whole. Employment for Clackamas, Marion, and 

Yamhill Counties increased at a greater rate (see Table 5-3) compared to the rest of Oregon (8 

percent) and the United States (8 percent). Only Yamhill and Marion Counties exceeded the increase 

in per capita income compared with Oregon and the United States as a whole (USFWS 2011b). 

Table 5-3. Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Summary of Area Economy, 2009 

Population Employment Per Capita Income 

2009 

Percent change

1999-2009 2009 

Percent change

1999-2009 2009 

Percent change

1999-2009 

Clackamas 

County 

 386.1 15% 219.2 18% $44,362 −1% 

Marion 

County 

 318.0 13% 173.2 10% $33,415 5% 

Multnomah 

County 

 726.9 11% 560.5 4% $41,154 3% 

Washingto

n County 

 537.3 23% 284.1 6% $40,112 −3% 

Yamhill 

County 

 99.0 17% 44.0 13% $33,434 9% 

Oregon 3,825.7 11% 2,202.7 8% $36,785 4% 
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Chapter 5. Human Environment 5-23 

Table 5-3. Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Summary of Area Economy, 2009 

Population Employment Per Capita Income 

2009 

Percent change

1999-2009 2009 

Percent change

1999-2009 2009 

Percent change

1999-2009 

United 

States 

307,006.6 10% 173,809.2 8% $40,285 9% 

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce 2011. 

Note: Population and employment are in thousands; per capita income in 2010 dollars. 
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan 

5-24 Chapter 5. Human Environment 

 Document continues on the following page.