ABOUT WWS
A safe haven for creatures small and large
Woodland Animal Sanctuary spans 13.5 acres along the serene shores of Siltcoos Lake in Oregon, where lush forest meets the the beauty of clear temperate waters. Recognized as a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation, the land is permanently protected from hunting and fishing and devoted to the preservation of native species. Every element of the sanctuary has been carefully tended to create a safe haven for wildlife and a model for compassionate land stewardship.
In 2025, our sanctuary welcomed its first orphaned farmed animals in need of sanctuary. These first few sheep who came to us as “bummer lambs”, essentially throw aways from the meat and wool industry, are actively involved in the restoration of the sanctuary as they have worked all summer to remove a huge non-native blackberry bramble from the land. The full-sun newly fertilized site will be planted with vegetable gardens in the spring as the sheep are being moved to their larger permanent pasture in the lower meadows, to continue their valuable work eradicating some of our most invasive and prolific non-native plants.
In the lower meadows there is also a large hazelnut grove that supports the many tree nut eating species, the squirrels, the chipmunks, the stellar jays etc. We contribute to the biodiversity that supports the wildlife by planting native nut bearing trees, Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) California Black Oak (Quercus Kelloggi) and the beautiful red oak, Quercus Rubra, as well as various chestnuts and native fruit bearing bushes.
We lovingly maintain our old growth trees, some of them 34 feet around. We also carefully monitor and strive to maintain any dead trees as the valuable wildlife snags that they are, invaluable to the many bird and bat and squirrel species that make their home therein.
The sanctuary land is a heaven of lush mycileum connectivity with edible and medicinal mushrooms that fruit by the bushel many months out off the year. All playing into the cornucopia of year round support for wildlife, in an area of Oregon that has been ravaged by the timber industry in every direction.The Sanctuary serves as an oasis for wildlife from the brutal practices of the hunting, fishing, and logging industries that have long dominated this precious landscape. In addition to our beloved mini-flock of sheep this year, the sanctuary took in two hatchling peachicks that had been orphaned by a dog attack. These two were gently and lovingly hand raised and have grown to be loyal and magnificent guardians of the sanctuary.
About the Land
The lower sanctuary features a vibrant four-acre riparian corridor that supports great blue herons, ducks, and a rich diversity of amphibians. Red-winged blackbirds, pileated woodpeckers, snowy egrets, kingfishers, bald eagles, owls, osprey, and hawks are often seen nesting across its wetlands and lakeshore. Two natural freshwater springs emerge from the upper sanctuary, providing pure, drinkable water that flows directly into the lake (and onward to the ocean), nourishing both the land and the life it sustains.
The upper forest rises into a magnificent blend of Sitka Spruce, Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock, and Grey Alder, forming a classic coastal temperate forest ecosystem. Deer, elk, foxes, black bears, chipmunks, California ground squirrels, and Douglas squirrels inhabit the forests and meadows.
Together, these upper and lower lands form a living example of ecological harmony—a place where the forest regenerates, the water runs clear, and wildlife thrives freely. Woodland Wildlife Sanctuary stands as both a refuge and a living classroom, showing what is possible when land is protected, respected, and allowed to heal.