Black River Riparian Forest

In 1989, there were only 24 great blue heron nests. By 2006, there were at least 121 to 126 nests, making it one of the largest colonies in Washington.

As Black River became a destination for nature enthusiasts in the region, multiple threats to the site were emerging. Poorly planned nearby developments have been proposed throughout the last 18 years that could have resulted in deleterious impacts on the herons and other important features of the site. Herons Forever has always been there to successfully challenge these developments to make them more environmentally sound.

Many other animals call Black River home. Black River is a rich oasis for the animals that live there, and as a result, it is a refuge for the hundreds of people who visit this site every year.

It provides habitat for myriad wildlife. Native birds such as bald eagles, great horned owls, hooded mergansers, wood ducks, and neotropical migrants such as common yellowthroats (contrary to their name, their numbers are few and they are rarely seen), Wilson’s warblers, and western tanagers all live in the Black River Riparian Forest. Raptors (hunters like Cooper’s hawks and American kestrels), fish (threatened Puget Sound Chinook salmon, Cutthroat trout, Coho salmon), and mammals (red foxes, river otters, Pacific shrews) can be found among the Black River Riparian Forest’s cottonwood trees, deciduous shrubs, and the P-1 Pond.

The Black River Riparian Forest is one of the last protected lowland, deciduous, riparian forests remaining in Puget Sound. (Riparian: By a river.) This habitat type was once abundant, but is now rare. The protection and preservation of this area and its sensitive wildlife is crucial This attraction is located about 3.6 miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.