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Fort Clatsop

General Setting and Resources

Research Support Facilities

Relevant Fields
of Study


Recent
Case Studies


Contact Info
Synopsis:

Fort Clatsop National Memorial was established in 1958 to “commemorate the culmination and Winter encampment of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.”
Primary resource management objectives are to: (1) proactively monitor the park’s cultural and natural resources in order to mitigate potential impacts, (2) conduct continuing research to gather and analyze information necessary for managing the park’s resources, (3) restore terrestrial, wetland and aquatic resources ecosystems and processes so they may operate essentially unimpaired, (4) restore altered natural resources and processes and cultural landscapes to a condition as close as possible to what they would be today had the resources or processes continued unimpaired, (5) protect threatened and endangered plant and animal species and reintroduce, where practical, those species eliminated or seriously reduced from the natural ecosystem, (6) obtain at least the Phase I inventory and monitoring standard as identified in NPS-75, the Inventory and Monitoring Guideline, (7) identify and evaluate all cultural resources within park boundaries for their significance and if determined eligible, nominate the properties to the National Register of Historic Places, (8) adjust park boundaries as required to preserve important park resources, to complete ecological units insofar as possible and/or to provide for more effective management, (9) permit only those types and levels of use or development that do not significantly impair park resources or values and provide only those types and levels of programs and activities that enhance visitor understanding and enjoyment of park resources, (10) work closely with various local and regional managers, other agencies and departments, tribal representatives, scientists, educators, land owners, organizations, businesses, interest groups and individuals in order to provide a more integrated approach to park management, (11) foster an awareness and appreciation among park visitors and neighbors of the significance of the park, its resources and processes, and the role the park plays within the region.



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General Setting and Resources:

Fort Clatsop National Memorial is located near the extreme northwest corner of Oregon and encompasses 125.2 acres in three disjunct units (Figure 3). Visitor services are located within the 108 acre larger unit on the west shore of the Lewis and Clark River and the 100 foot by 100 foot Salt Works Site unit situated within downtown Seaside, OR. The third unit of the park is a 17 acre parcel of land located along the east shore of the Lewis and Clark River opposite the main unit. The park is located within three miles of Astoria, the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies, with a current population of approximately 10,000.

The topography of the park varies from estuarine mudflats in the Lewis and Clark valley to steeper forested slopes and benches of the eastern toe-slope of Clatsop Ridge, the northern-most portion of the Oregon Coast Range. Elevation ranges from 6 feet to 60 feet. The park’s climate is characterized by relatively warm and dry conditions in the summer and fall and cool, wet conditions in the winter and spring. Rainfall averages approximately 70 inches per year.

Although small in size, Fort Clatsop contains diverse wildlife habitat and resources. Park ecosystems range from the estuarine mudflats and tidal marshes, to shrub and forested swamps and upland coniferous rainforest, dominated by Sitka spruce as large as 6 feet in diameter. Ten types of wetlands occur within the park in palustrine, estuarine and riverine systems, as identified by the National Wetland Inventory, and wetlands comprise approximately half the park acreage. Surface water consists of the tidally influenced Lewis and Clark River, low-gradient brackish sloughs, freshwater ponds and small freshwater streams and springs. Approximately 50 acres of the park is coniferous forest habitat, composed of approximately 20 acres of older forests and 30 acres of younger forests. Flora and fauna diversity within Fort Clatsop National Memorial are high, reflecting the park’s habitat diversity, its moderate climate, its location along the Pacific flyway and its proximity to the Pacific Ocean.

The replica of the original Fort Clatsop was built in 1955 for the Lewis and Clark Sesquicentennial by local civic organizations. The fort is the nucleus for a variety of interpretive, educational and living history programs throughout the year. The entire park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.



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Facilities and Administrative Support for Approved Research:

Fee waivers may be obtained for approved research within the park. Camping facilities are available nearby at Fort Stevens State Park and KOA, Kampers West and Hammond Marina RV campgrounds, all in the Warrenton-Hammond area within 7 miles of Fort Clatsop.


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Relevant Fields of Study:

Air Resources

Biology

Fire Ecology

Geology

Historical Studies

Paleoecology


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Plant Ecology


Restoration Ecology

Social Science

Wilderness Management

Wildlife Ecology
Recent Case Studies:

Genetics, Demography, and Movement of Olympic Marmots
Olympic National Park
Suzanne Cox Griffin, L. Scott Mills, Ph.D., Mark Taper, Ph.D.
University of Montana



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Contact Information:

Fort Clatsop National Memorial
92343 Fort Clatsop Road
Astoria, Oregon 97103-9197
360-861-2471
www.nps.gov/focl

Inquiries and research permit applications should be directed to:
Scott Stonum,
Chief of Resources Management
Fort Clatsop National Memorial
92343 Fort Clatsop
Road, Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 861-2471 x441



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Research & Park Stewardship > The Parks > Fort Clatsop N.M.