The Fir Island Farm Reserve is a Game Reserve with over 200 acres of restored intertidal estuary and managed agricultural land in southwest Skagit County. The reserve attracts thousands of snow geese, swans, ducks and shorebirds in the fall through early spring. The unit is managed to provide an undisturbed feeding and resting area for wintering waterfowl adjacent to Skagit Bay. Hunting and trapping is NOT allowed on this unit, but a short trail along the dike offers views of Skagit Bay and opportunities for shorebird and waterfowl viewing. A recent restoration project completed in 2016 restored approximately 130 acres of farmland to intertidal estuary providing critical juvenile rearing habitat for Endangered Species Act-listed chinook and other salmon.
The Fir Island Farm Unit is located in southwest Skagit County on Fir Island. The unit is located on Fir Island Road, about 2.7 miles west of the South Fork Skagit River bridge in Conway.
The Fir Island Farm Unit is part of the Skagit River delta. It is flanked by Dry Slough to the east and Brown's Slough to the west and Skagit Bay to the south. Agricultural lands in this area were diked and drained beginning in the late 1800's.
This unit is part of the Skagit Wildlife Area.
Game Management Unit: 407
Getting there
Maps and directions to WDFW-managed access points for this unit. Opens Google Maps in a new tab.
Recreation and public access
A Discover Pass is required on WDFW lands -- including water access areas, wildlife areas, and campgrounds -- unless you already have a Vehicle Access Pass issued with the purchase of an eligible hunting or fishing license. Recreate responsibly on public lands: please know the Public Conduct Rules.
Public facility information:
- Parking area
- No restroom
- Short trail
Recreation and access advisories
- Closed during hours of darkness.
- The Fir Island Farm Estuary Restoration Project was completed in 2016 and restored 131 acres on the southern end of the site to estuary. This has not changed access, but the site now includes a dike top trail with estuary on both sides.
- To reduce disturbance to wildlife, public access is restricted to the entrance road, parking area, and short dike top walking trail. The area is open to wildlife viewing.
Hunting
This unit is a Game Reserve—hunting is prohibited
Hunting advisories
- The Fir Island Farm Game Reserve is established on this unit (WAC 220-411-080). Game Reserves are CLOSED AREAS where hunting and trapping for all wild animals and wild birds is prohibited (RCW 77.12.047).
Fishing
There are no fishing or boating opportunities on this unit.
Wildlife viewing
This unit includes intertidal estuary and managed agricultural fields, offering visitors the opportunity to view a variety of waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors.
This unit attracts thousands of snow geese in the fall through early spring. Managed agricultural fields provide a winter feeding and resting area for snow geese and other waterfowl adjacent to the Skagit Bay estuary. A bald eagle nest (active during nesting season) is located in a tree on the west side of the unit's entrance road. Google the Tweeters Info Page to find the Tweeters - Northwest Birding email list managed by the University of Washington; this list provides information about current sightings throughout Western Washington.
Search for potential birding opportunities on or near a wildlife area unit by using eBird Northwest, a citizen science database portal that provides freely-shared bird lists at 'hotspots' and interactive maps plus other birding information updated daily.
Wildlife viewing advisories
- During waterfowl hunting season, hunting on neighboring property could influence your viewing experience. Waterfowl seasons begin in mid-October and run through the last weekend in January.
Conservation
This Fir Island Farm Unit was purchased in the late 1990's to provide an undisturbed feeding and resting area for snow geese. Agricultural fields are managed in partnership with local farmers, who plant winter cover crops for snow goose forage. Since that time a portion of the site has been restored to estuary in response to chinook salmon habitat needs. The restored estuary was designed to be self-sustaining and is not expected to require intensive ongoing management in order to provide suitable chinook rearing habitat. The restoration area is monitored for changes in tidal channels, vegetation and other key salmon habitat attributes. WDFW monitors the vegetation to make certain that invasive species such as spartina, yellow flag iris, purple loosestrife or non-native cattail become established and dominant on the site. Following the completion of the restoration project in 2016, WDFW maintains and operates the new dike and drainage infrastructure on this site. After an agreed to operational period, Skagit County Dike and Drainage District #22 will take over the operation of this system.
Special habitats and species
This Game Reserve attracts thousands of snow geese from through March 31. Various shorebird, waterfowl, and raptor species to include bald eagles, northern harriers, red-tailed hawks are common here throughout the winter. An active bald eagle nest is located in a tree on the west side of the entrance road. After chinook salmon were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, the Skagit Chinook Recovery Plan identified this site as a prime location for juvenile rearing habitat restoration. In 2016, 131 acres were restored to intertidal estuary. The added estuary provides rich feeding grounds where juvenile chinook grow bigger and transition to the saltier waters of Puget Sound. Post-project monitoring has confirmed that the site supports tens of thousands of juvenile chinook every year.
Conservation goals
- Maintain healthy populations of game and non-game species
- Preserve habitat and species diversity for fish and wildlife resources
This Game Reserve attracts thousands of snow geese from through March 31. Various shorebird, waterfowl, and raptor species to include bald eagles, northern harriers, red-tailed hawks are common here throughout the winter. An active bald eagle nest is located in a tree on the west side of the entrance road. After chinook salmon were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, the Skagit Chinook Recovery Plan identified this site as a prime location for juvenile rearing habitat restoration. In 2016, 131 acres were restored to intertidal estuary. The added estuary provides rich feeding grounds where juvenile chinook grow bigger and transition to the saltier waters of Puget Sound. Post-project monitoring has confirmed that the site supports tens of thousands of juvenile chinook every year.
- Maintain healthy populations of game and non-game species
- Preserve habitat and species diversity for fish and wildlife resources
Land stewardship
The Fir Island Farm Unit was purchased in the late 1990's to provide an upland undisturbed feeding and resting area for snow geese adjacent to the Skagit Bay estuary. This agricultural area is managed through a lease agreement with a local farmer who plants a commercial agricultural crop that is harvested in the spring and summer, followed by an over-wintered cover crop of winter wheat for snow goose forage.
Acquisition history
The parcels making up this area were purchased in 1995.
| Funder | Fund |
|---|---|
| US Fish and Wildlife Service | North American Wetlands Conservation Program |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | Salmon Recovery Fund |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program |
Management planning
2024 Skagit Wildlife Area Management Plan
Management of the Skagit Wildlife Area is focused on units located in the Skagit and Samish deltas east of Whidbey Island and Camano Island. These units include riparian forests, wetlands, Douglas fir forests, estuaries, floodplains, marine intertidal areas, islands, backwater sloughs, and agriculture lands. The primary management focus is on estuary and floodplain restoration, providing forage for wintering waterfowl, recovering federal and state listed species, and providing recreation.
Planning Advisory Committee
Skagit Wildlife Area Advisory Committee