Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer
Encyclopedia
Located in southwestern Washington and northwestern Oregon
, the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer was established in 1972 specifically to protect and manage the endangered Columbian white-tailed deer
. The refuge contains over 5600 acres (22.7 km²) of pastures, forested tidal swamp
s, brushy woodlot
s, marsh
es, and slough
s along the Columbia River
in both Washington and Oregon.
The valuable habitat the refuge preserves for the deer also benefits a large variety of wintering birds, a small herd of Roosevelt elk
, river otter, various reptiles and amphibians including painted turtle
s and red-legged frog
s, and several pairs of nesting bald eagle
s and osprey
. Today, about 300 Columbian white-tailed deer live on the refuge.
Another 300-400 live on private lands along the river. The areas upstream from the refuge on Puget Island and on the Oregon side of the river are vital to reestablishing and maintaining viable populations of the species. The refuge works with private and corporate landowners to maintain and reestablish deer on their lands.
The refuge is named for Julia Butler Hansen
, a former member of the United States House of Representatives
for Washington state.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer was established in 1972 specifically to protect and manage the endangered Columbian white-tailed deer
Columbian White-tailed Deer
The Columbian White-tailed Deer is one of the three subspecies of white-tailed deer in North America...
. The refuge contains over 5600 acres (22.7 km²) of pastures, forested tidal swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s, brushy woodlot
Woodlot
A woodlot is a term used in North America to refer to a segment of a woodland or forest capable of small-scale production of forest products such as wood fuel, sap for maple syrup, sawlogs, as well as recreational uses like bird watching, bushwalking, and wildflower appreciation...
s, marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es, and slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
s along the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
in both Washington and Oregon.
The valuable habitat the refuge preserves for the deer also benefits a large variety of wintering birds, a small herd of Roosevelt elk
Roosevelt elk
The Roosevelt elk , also known as Olympic elk, is the largest of the four surviving subspecies of elk in North America...
, river otter, various reptiles and amphibians including painted turtle
Painted Turtle
The painted turtle is the most widespread native turtle of North America. It lives in slow-moving fresh waters, from southern Canada to Louisiana and northern Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The turtle is the only species of the genus Chrysemys, which is part of the pond turtle...
s and red-legged frog
Red-legged Frog
The Red-legged Frog, a threatened native species in Oregon, is a common name for a particular kind of frog of the west coast of North America. The Red-legged Frog requires stream side, woodland environments for survival...
s, and several pairs of nesting bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s and osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
. Today, about 300 Columbian white-tailed deer live on the refuge.
Another 300-400 live on private lands along the river. The areas upstream from the refuge on Puget Island and on the Oregon side of the river are vital to reestablishing and maintaining viable populations of the species. The refuge works with private and corporate landowners to maintain and reestablish deer on their lands.
The refuge is named for Julia Butler Hansen
Julia Butler Hansen
Julia Butler Hansen , born Julia Caroline Butler, June 14, 1907, in Portland, Oregon, USA, served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1960-1974. She represented Washington's Third Congressional District as a Democrat. She was the second woman and first Democratic woman...
, a former member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for Washington state.