Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge

If you enjoy nature and live in the Portland Metro area there is a new treasure for you, The Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge.

Tualatin River Refuge is a developing refuge and one of 10 urban refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Refuge habitats consist of emergent, shrub, and forested, wetlands, riparian forests, oak and pine grassland, meadows, and mixed deciduous/coniferous forests common to Western Oregon prior to settlement. When final acquisition is completed, the refuge will total over 3,000 acres and preserve a floodplain wetland ecosystem.

The refuge opened to the public for the first time this last weekend. It is located on highway 99W between Tigard and Sherwood and you can get there on public transportation.

A map is available at the link above.