The Willamette River Valley of western Oregon is the historical and economic heart of the state. Not only is it a fabulously productive agricultural area, but it is also the major population center, containing Oregon’s largest cities. Unsurprisingly, however, the scale of human activity has had a highly deleterious effect on native wildlife. The Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge preserves a small slice of the natural environment, tucked among the farmlands, where wildlife still has a chance to thrive. The refuge is focused on habitat for the dusky Canada goose,…
