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Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment
4.1.3 History of Refuge Management
By the 1960s, reduction in waterfowl habitat (and therefore, waterfowl hunting opportunities) on the
lower Columbia River was noted by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (MBCC). The
MBCC noted the limited winter range of the dusky Canada goose and the need for protection of
wintering areas. These two factors were the major justifications for the establishment of the refuge
(MBCC 1964).
River S, Roth, Ridgeport Dairy, and Carty Units. The Service acquired its first Ridgefield Refuge
property in 1965. This property, the River ‘S’ Unit, had historically been a ranch, with extensive
improved and canarygrass pastures, which the MBCC noted were in an overgrazed condition. The
Carty Unit was acquired in 1966 and had also been used primarily for grazing. Until 1972,
management activities in these units did not change substantially from management under prior
ownership. Grazing pressure was historically heavy on the Carty Unit, but was reduced considerably
after the lands were acquired by the Service. However, the unit was still accessible to cattle,
especially during the periods of low water. On the River ‘S’ Unit grazing was used to maintain both
improved (grass-legume) and reed canarygrass dominated pastures in short-grass conditions that
favored both Canada geese and American wigeon. The 1970 refuge report stated that the “majority
of pintails and wetland populations” used Sauvie Island for “its flooded croplands, while the refuge
provides for the migration of wigeon, swans, and dusky Canada geese” (USFWS 1996a).
Grazing continued as a management tool for maintenance of short-grass habitat for foraging geese
and waterfowl until 1972, when flooding destroyed most of the improved pastures on the River ‘S’
Unit. At that time, the River ‘S’ dike failed, and for the next 3 years the entire unit flooded annually.
Due to funding constraints, the dike remained open until late 1974 when repairs were completed by
an Army Construction Battalion from Fort Lewis, Washington. The prolonged flooding destroyed
the improved pastures and the unit became severely infested with weeds, especially thistle and tansy.
After the dike was repaired, more then 600 acres of pasture on River ‘S’ were rehabilitated. Farming
grains and hay for waterfowl and geese on 600-700 acres of the River ‘S’ Unit was implemented
until the early 1980s. Annual winter grains were planted by cooperative farmers to reduce noxious
weeds prior to planting a pasture mix. This planting was minimally successful because geese
destroyed most of the fall plantings. Corn was then introduced to provide an economically viable
crop for cooperative farmers while at the same time providing weed control and winter waterfowl
feed.
As the Flyway’s populations of ducks and geese changed, habitat management practices on the
refuge were modified to meet needs identified by flyway managers. Between 1965 and 1972, habitat
management was dominated by grazing to provide short grass for dusky Canada geese and wigeon.
Because objectives for dusky populations were being met in the late 1970s, refuge management
objectives were rewritten in an attempt to increase habitat and food production for dabbling ducks.
During 1980-1981, dusky populations began another serious decline; and a low of 10,100 birds was
recorded in the lower Columbia River and Willamette Valley in the winter of 1983-1984. Clover and
alfalfa were planted in 1983 to provide forage for geese. Grazing was reinitiated on the River ‘S’
Unit in 1984 and maintained until 1996 to provide short-grass habitat for foraging ducks and geese
through grazing reed canarygrass areas. Grazing was also the primary pasture management tool on
the Roth and Carty Units until 1996. Between the early 1980s and 1996, cattle were turned out about
Chapter 4. Refuge Biology and Habitat 4-9