Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex

It provides wilderness protection to thousands of small islands, rocks, reefs, headlands, marshes, and bays totaling 371 acres (150 ha) spanning 320 miles (515 km) of Oregon's coastline.

[4] The refuge was established by President Theodore Roosevelt after being persuaded by two young conservationists, William L. Finley and Herman Bohlman, who studied and photographed Three Arch Rocks from Oceanside beginning in 1901.

They recorded hunters killing dozens of sea lions at a time for skin and oil, and sportsmen shooting seabirds purely for sport.

[9] Four species of pinniped breed, molt, and rest on these lands, including harbor seals, Steller and California sea lions.

[1][8] The southern portion of the refuge provides the greatest number of breeding and pupping sites for Steller sea lions in the U.S. outside Alaska.

[10] This Oregon refuge set on Cape Meares has provided protection since 1938 for Sitka spruce and western hemlock, some more than 200 feet (60 m) tall and hundreds of years old.

The conditions are ideal habitat for several threatened bird species, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons—the latter once at the brink of extinction.

Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge is renowned among bird watchers for being able to view rare shorebirds including ruff, Hudsonian godwit, and Mongolian plover.

The mudflats are rich in clam, crab, worm, and shrimp and attracts migrating shorebirds, waterfowl, coho salmon, as well as the California brown pelican.

The marsh is located just north of Bandon, on the east side of the Coquille river across from Bullards Beach State Park.

Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge supports one tenth of the world's dusky Canada goose population.

[14] Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1991 primarily to return salt marsh to its natural state.

Salt-starched skeleton trees are visible along both sides of U.S. Route 101 (which runs through the refuge) from the time when the salt marsh was diked.