Oregon Shores

Working towards a resilient Oregon coast where all people and nature thrive together 💙🌊

09/01/2026

Oregon’s iconic rocky habitats account for approximately 41% of the state’s 363-mile coastline.

This August, many organizations in the Rocky Habitat Partnership have hosted biosurvey and bioblitz events to catalog species in these special areas on iNaturalist.

On August 16th, 20 participants ranging from 17 to 83 years old, plus staff members from Oregon Shores Friends of Netarts Bay WEBS Oregon State Parks Seven Capes Bird Alliance took off down the South Cape Lookout Trail at 8am. Cheers to our participants who woke up extra early to drive from Portland to the Coast!

With binoculars in hand, some participants discussed birds flying over the sea while others explored the tidepools at their feet. Notably, three species of sea slugs, numerous tidepool sculpin, hairy hermit crabs, vibrant ochre sea stars, an array of kelp and seaweeds, mushrooms, and evergreen trees were all admired.

🔗 To read the full blog post about this South Cape Lookout BioSurvey, visit the link in bio Oregon Shores

08/31/2026

TODAY is the final day to Fortify Our Future and make a difference for coastal conservation. We are almost to our $500,000 goal--help us finish strong!
Link in bio.

08/30/2026

NEW blog post: Oregon's Historic Lighthouses, Photographed by CoastWatchers

From Cape Meares Lighthouse, which is the shortest lighthouse on the Oregon Coast, to Yaquina Head Lighthouse, which is known as the “brightest light on the Oregon Coast,” Oregon’s lighthouses are beacons marking both place and time. Each with their own unique light pattern, they have steadfastly cast a light along Oregon’s coast for generations.

For the last 32 years, Oregon Shores’ CoastWatch volunteers have shed light on Oregon’s beaches through time by collecting and sharing data to the Adopt-A-Mile community science project. To celebrate National Lighthouse Day this month, we compiled photos of all nine of Oregon’s historic lighthouses featuring images submitted over the years by CoastWatchers along with their Adopt-A-Mile Reports.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://oregonshores.org/news/oregons-historic-lighthouses-photographed-by-coastwatchers/

08/28/2026

Join River Sea Ranger Ken Sund and Oregon Shores for a paddle on the Salmon River and guided walk of the Salmon River South Spit (Mile 247) as part of Oregon Shores’ CoastWatch Adopt-a-Mile Program.

On September 19th from 9 am – 1 pm we will leisurely paddle 1 km on the Salmon River Estuary to the beach. We will meet at the Knight Park Boat Launch, and help each other get our kayaks or other watercraft to the launch location. Then, we will move vehicles to the parking area near the pit toilets. Once everyone is ready to launch, we will paddle to the mouth of the Salmon River and the north end of CoastWatch Mile 247. We will walk one mile to the south end of the beach and stop for lunch along the way.

Register here: https://oregonshores.org/event/mile-meetup-paddle-clean-up/

Photo courtesy of Sitka Center team

08/25/2026

We are 82% of the way to our $500,000 goal! Help us cross the finish line. Every amount is meaningful--whether you can donate $5, $10, $100, or some other amount, your gift protects the Oregon Coast. https://oregonshores.org/donate/fortify-our-future/

08/17/2026

🌊 Cape Falcon Marine Reserve is Oregon’s northernmost marine reserve and the only one on the North Coast. Located just offshore of Oswald West State Park near Manzanita, it protects a productive stretch of ocean influenced by the Columbia River. The mixing of river water and ocean currents creates dynamic conditions that support rich marine life, making Cape Falcon a key site for understanding northern Oregon’s coastal ecosystems. This reserve is 12.4 square miles and has a depth range of 0-180 ft.

🐟 Beneath the surface, sandy seafloor habitats support crabs and other soft-bottom species. In shallower waters, small rocky patches shelter black rockfish, lingcod, kelp greenling, and buffalo sculpins. Buffalo sculpin are more commonly found at Cape Falcon than any other reserve. Along the shore, cliffs and headlands reveal rocky intertidal zones where sea stars, anemones, and other tidepool creatures thrive at low tide.

🥾 Cape Falcon can be viewed from land, including Neahkahnie Mountain Highway 101 overlooks and hiking trails through Oswald West State Park. Visitors can also enjoy beach walking, wildlife viewing, tidepooling, and ocean recreation at Short Sand Beach and Neahkahnie Beach. Visit oregontidepools.org for tips on how to tidepool responsibly.

🌿 In 2021, the North Coast Land Conservancy adopted the Cape Falcon Marine Reserve program to expand land-to-sea connections along the northern coast. While the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife manages the reserve for conservation and research, NCLC promotes public awareness and education, supporting long-term stewardship of the reserve and surrounding coastline. Visit nclctrust.org to learn more and get involved.

08/08/2026

Oregon Shores, Seven Capes Bird Alliance, Oregon Parks & Recreation Department (OPRD), and WEBS are teaming up to host a bio-survey at the south beach of Cape Lookout State Park on August 16, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. This event is part of a month-long, statewide Rocky Habitat bio-organism survey through iNaturalist!

Get a workout on this moderately difficult 4 mile round trip hike, make friends, and learn more about your favorite near shore and intertidal species while we identify species and enter data into the iNaturalist database. We will take our time as we return to our vehicles, taking care along uneven patches of the trail, and identifying upland species as we gain 860 feet in elevation.

We will meet at 8 am at the Cape Lookout trailhead parking lot. There is a $10 daily or $60 annual parking pass required that supports Oregon State Parks. Parking passes are also available free of charge at the Tillamook County Public Library. While there is a Cape Lookout State Park closure in effect, the parking lot and south trail remain open during the closure.

Register here: https://oregonshores.org/event/cape-lookout-hike-rocky-habitat-biosurvey/

08/03/2026

The clock is ticking. Help Oregon Shores raise $500,000 by the end of August to keep critical coastal conservation, education, advocacy, and community science programs moving forward. Give today and help protect Oregon’s coast when it needs us most. 🌊

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Portland, OR

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http://oregonshores.org/

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