Skagit Wildlife Area (Samish Unit)

 birdwatching area, hunting ground, nature reserve

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wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/skagit/Samish/

WDFW purchased 409 acres of agricultural land along the Samish Island Road, west of Highway 237, between 1996 and 2000. Enhancement projects are improving water management capabilities to better control wetlands in highly altered (diked and drained) systems and attempt to mimic the habitat types that would have occurred naturally across a larger landscape. Re-establishment of wetland plant communities supports a wider variety of birds that might use these areas during migration or winter. Twenty-three ponds on this unit will provide the foundation for future wetland management options. Cereal grains are planted on about one half of the acreage for wintering waterfowl, shorebirds, and other wildlife. Recreational activities include waterfowl hunting, a weekend youth-only pheasant hunt, and observation of waterfowl, shorebirds, and birds of prey. Project partners, including Ducks Unlimited and the Washington Waterfowl Association, are working with WDFW to improve ADA access, including a parking area for about 30 vehicles and a short trail to the first pond.