Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
History of the Refuge The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1974. At this time the Nisqually delta had been utilized as farmland for over 100 years. A large five mile long dike prevented the exchange of fresh and saltwater, to protect valuable farmland. After decades of agricultural development, The land was handed over to the U.S fish and wildlife services. In 2009 estuarine input was restored to 762 acres of the 3,900 acre refuge by removing four miles of the dike allowing tidal exchange with the wetlands. The Nisqually delta is the largest estuary restoration project in the Puget Sound, and can be considered a great success [2].
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Restoration Focus
Cedar Waxwings at Nisqually Wildlife Reserve.
When Nisqually was established it was set up to provide habitat and nesting areas for waterfowl and migrating birds [3]. This can be an example a species-based restoration, meaning that the original intention of this restoration focused on providing habitat to a specific group of animals. When tidal inundation was restored to the delta in 2009 this indicated a shift to process based restoration. The dike removal returned important biological processes to the ecosystem. Currently the refuge has established seven distinct estuarine ecosystems that provide essential habitat is to over 300 species [4].
Panoramic time lapse photo of land transformation after dike removal. Most recent image on the Bottom
Resource Management
After a restoration plan has been completed, continued monitoring must occur to ensure that processes have been adequately restored. Ongoing efforts must be made to ensure the protection of lands surrounding the restoration site. The Department of Fish and Wildlife manages the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge and requires them to follow a Comprehensive Conservation Plan that outlines management strategies for the next fifteen years [5]. Established restoration sites must be managed from a long-term stand point to maintain the health of the ecosystem.
