New River is a dynamic, ever-changing system influenced by biological, climatological, geo-physical, and fluvial processes. The river and adjacent lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are in a special management category known as the New River Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). The New River ACEC is managed to maintain biodiversity and quality habitats for native communities of plants, birds, animals, and fish. It also provides protection to cultural sites and affords educational, interpretive, and recreational opportunities to the visiting public in a manner consistent with the primary goals of protecting natural and cultural resources.

BLM’s vision of the New River area includes protecting or enhancing habitats for a diversity of wildlife and plant species. Varied ecosystems such as meadows, forests, wetlands, coastal lakes, open sand dunes, and the New River estuary will continue to support this biodiversity. This includes a more stable meandering river with greater riparian vegetation. BLM also envisions a visiting public that will appreciate and enjoy the varied ecosystems protected at New River in a way that will not degrade the naturalness of the setting or the quality of the visitor experience. BLM will manage the ACEC primarily for non-motorized public use that is compatible with the semi-primitive natural setting evident throughout most of the area.

In 1983, BLM designated 686 acres of federal lands along New River as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) to protect this unique natural area. In 1989, a land acquisition plan was completed, and over the next eight years, BLM acquired an additional 670 acres of private lands from willing sellers, bringing the current total land base of the ACEC to 1,356 acres.

The primary resource values for the New River ACEC include:

• River area and uplands contain important habitat for the American and Arctic Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, Aleutian Canada Goose, and Western Snowy Plover – all federally listed species.
• Botanical species habitat supported in the New River area include silvery phacelia, western bog lily, pink sand-verbena – all federally proposed or candidate species.
• Plant Communities – Includes natural meadows, wetlands, sand dunes, and other habitat types supporting many unique plant species.
• Wildlife Habitat – Upland areas provide supporting habitat types and act as a buffer which supports the integrity of the river habitat areas.
• Historic/Cultural – Numerous, extensive prehistoric camps and villages border the river.”

Article records that use this photograph:

• Field Notes: 14 Sep 2009.
• U. S. Highway 101: at Croft Lk Rd.

Other photos about Geography - Oregon or Coos County.

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Date and time this page was prepared: 12/8/2024 2:14:50 PM