About Jackson Bottom

Concept Master Plan (PDF)
Vegetation Inventory
Partnership Handbook
Watersheds, Wetlands, Forests, Streams
Directions to Jackson Bottom
Board of Directors
Staff

What is Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve?
Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve is a 725-acre wildlife preserve located within the city limits of Hillsboro, Oregon. The Preserve is a tranquil sanctuary for both people and animals. The quiet open waters, rolling meadows and upland ash and fir woods are homes to thousands of ducks and geese, deer, otters, beavers, herons and eagles. Song birds and small mammals, as well as salamanders and rare wetland plants, are dependent on the marshes of the Preserve. Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve is a natural oasis that will become more and more precious as this area's population density continues to intensify.

Impact on the Community
Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve is a premier resource center for information and services related to wetlands and aquatic education in the metro region. Thousands of pre-school and school-aged children, bird watchers, university staff and students, researchers and others benefit from the programs and services provided by the Preserve.

Water quality, surface water and habitat enhancement projects in the Preserve have brought visitors from countries such as Poland, Australia and Italy to Jackson Bottom to learn from our research. People from all over the US also come to learn from these projects. Though Jackson Bottom is a regional and national resource, its greatest impact is felt here at home, in the Tualatin Watershed.

Rich History and Community Support
Jackson Bottom has always been a special place. Native peoples used the rich bottom lands to gather food and to hunt. Waterfowl passed through in great numbers. Early settlers homesteaded the uplands. Lack of understanding led to years of abuse and degradation of the wetlands. The wetlands were ditched and drained for agricultural purposes. Cattle grazed the native vegetation. The wetlands were used over time for disposal of cannery wastes and construction debris.

In the 1970's, dedicated individuals began the process of improving the wetlands to increase wildlife habitat. That modest beginning has spawned a lengthy chronicle of caring people working hard to restore the Preserve to an area of growing beauty and productivity. Hillsboro continues to rank as one of the fastest growing areas of the state. People who care about this region understand the critical need to protect its rural, openspace character. Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, in public ownership since the turn of the century, is an integral part of meeting that need.

Connecting Water, Wildlife, and People

Water: The Lifeline
Water is the substance that defines the Pacific Northwest and life itself. Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve is this region's leader in utilizing wetlands to improve the quality of our water. Experiments at Jackson Bottom have shown that wetlands serve an important function in the reduction of pollutants such as phosphorus. In fact, the use of treated waste water in constructed wetlands and marsh enhancement projects at Jackson Bottom has significantly improved both water quality and wildlife habitat. The Preserve attracts researchers and wetland experts from across the nation and the globe who want to learn from our water quality research programs. Although Jackson Bottom is a regional and national resource, its greatest impact is felt here at home, in Oregon.

Wildlife: A Tranquil Sanctuary
The quiet open waters, rolling meadows, and upland ash and fir woods of Jackson Bottom have been rediscovered by thousands of ducks and geese, deer, otters, beavers, herons and eagles. Song birds and small mammals, as well as salamanders and rare wetland plants, have thrived on the habitat restoration efforts in the Preserve. As an important part of the Tualatin River wildlife corridor and the Pacific Flyway, Jackson Bottom provides an essential stopover, feeding, and resting spot for winter migrations and has become an important nesting site and nursery ground for resident wildlife. It has been 20 years since the first habitat enhancement project was completed. Since then, tens of thousands of volunteer hours have helped to restore over 170 acres of valuable wetlands.

A Chronicle of Caring People
Jackson Bottom has always be a special place. Native American people used the rich bottomland as a place to gather food and to hunt. Early settlers homesteaded the upland areas. The lowlands were ditched and drained for agriculture and cattle grazing. In the 1970's, dedicated individuals began the process of improving the wetlands to increase habitat for wildlife. That modest beginning has spawned a lengthy chronicle of caring people to make Jackson Bottom the important community resource it is today. Every year, thousands of pre-school and school-age children, bird watchers, university staff, researchers and families visit the Preserve and participate in the programs and services provided by Jackson Bottom staff and volunteers. In 1999, over 20,000 people visited Jackson Bottom with 11,000 students, families and teachers involved in programs.

Rich History and Community Support
Since 1979, a transformation has quietly been taking place at Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve. The original dream and passion for a healthy community continues on today. The 710 acres of Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve is the centerpiece of that early vision. Recognized as a leader in education, habitat restoration and community partnerships, Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve is a model that other communities follow. From the award-winning staff and education programs to the broad-based community participation and support, Jackson Bottom is a premier resource center for programs and information related to wetlands, wildlife and education. Every year, thousands of citizens, young and old, get involved and become part of the success story of Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve.

Wetlands: What are they?
Wetlands are just what they seem to be: lands that are wet. A variety of wet environments are included in the term "wetlands." Bogs, marshes, ponds, estuaries and wet meadows, mudflats, bottomland forests and wooded swamps are all considered wetlands. Frogs, turtles, great blue herons and salmon...deer, salamanders, cattails and sedges...hundreds of plant and animal species depend on wetlands for their survival. And we do too. Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world. We all depend on wetlands.

Why are they important?
Historically, wetlands have been considered wastelands; thought of as dangerous places with little economic value. More than half of America's wetlands have been destroyed by filling and draining. Recently we have come to understand that wetlands are critical ecological resources. No other part of our landscapes provide as many benefits as wetlands.

Benefits:

water quality - pollution and sediment filtration, oxygen production, nutrient recycling flood control- temporary water storage
ground water rechargeo wildlife habitat- food, shelter, breeding and resting places for waterfowl, songbirds, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals
education & recreation
open space and aesthetic appreciation

Strategic Plan: The Strategic Plan was completed in 2002 and is the result of a planning process undertaken by the Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers. Thanks to the generosity of the Meyer Memorial Trust, this plan was completed and is being used today as a tool for managing the human and natural resources of the Preserve.

Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, Connecting Water, Wildlife, and People.

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