Accepted into the Humboldt Bay Complex currently are 5000 acres of land in refuge status owned by the California Department of Fish and Game, Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and The Nature Conservancy. Through the efforts of Chet Ogan, Keith Slauson, Paul Springer, and many other people, the California Northcoast Chapter of The Wildlife Society with support of Redwood Region Audubon, Pacific Coast Joint Ventures, and the California Coastal Commission, submitted the nomination paperwork. There are no costs or legal obligations, and participants may withdraw at any time.
Land management remains the prerogative of landowners.
The Humboldt Bay region contains over 195 square kilometers of mud flats, tidal estuaries, salt and freshwater marsh, waterways, and pasture lands that provide forage and resting areas for more than 30 species of shorebirds. During peak spring and fall migration more than 200,000 shorebirds may be present. For nine to ten months each year shorebirds can be seen winging and feeding over the wetlands complex for hours on end. The total number of shorebirds involved probably numbers greater than one million.