On the Central Oregon Coast tucked along the Yaquina Bay, lies a story of perseverance, partnership and a deep commitment to the land. The Yakona Nature Preserve & Learning Center is a mosaic of forest and tidal land and stands as both a living laboratory and a model of what long-term conservation can achieve. 

At the heart of it all are JoAnn and Bill Barton, two visionaries who took on a daunting challenge to restore clear-cut forests and degraded wetlands into vibrant, resilient habitat full of life that will be protected forever. 

“We’re trying to think forward 300 years,” JoAnn Barton explained. “It’s hard to think beyond your own lifetime but that’s what this land needs from us.” 

In the last 13 years, as they’ve acquired adjacent parcels, Yakona has grown to nearly 500 acres. The preserve is not only a sanctuary for wildlife but a gift to the local community who can experience the property through escorted access, with nearly five miles of hiking trails, educational programs and volunteer opportunities. 

The Forest Through the Trees

Their journey began in 2013 with a single 77-acre parcel. Much of it had been logged with 47 acres stripped bare. The only reason any trees remained was an active eagle’s nest that prevented complete harvest. For the Bartons, that eagle’s nest served as a symbol and anchor. 

Their first step was reforestation. With the help of a forester, they replanted redwoods on the higher slopes, Sitka spruce in the mid-ranges and western red cedar in the moist lowlands. It was an act of restoration born of both science and hope. 

“When we found the land, we knew nothing about forestry,” Barton admitted. “We just loved trees, kids and animals. That was the whole impetus, to give families a place to spend time in nature.” 

Beyond restoration, there was the daunting goal of long-term protection. This led the Bartons to pursue a conservation easement with McKenzie River Trust. Working with Margaret Treadwell, Program Manager at the McKenzie River Trust, they protected about 450 acres of Yakona with an easement, ensuring a permanent legal safeguard that ensures the land can never be subdivided, clear-cut or developed beyond the designated zone. 

The process by which private landowners protect their land through an easement can be lengthy and cumbersome, sometimes taking a year or two to complete. Treadwell assists local landowners through the process as seamlessly as possible while connecting them to other relevant partners who can help advance their conservation goals. 

It Takes a Village 

While the easement process was underway, the Bartons connected with Annie Marion, NRCS Oregon District Conservationist in Lincoln County, to create a Forest Management Plan and secure funding for conservation projects through Farm Bill programs such as Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). 

The Bartons worked with a Technical Service Provider (TSP), Shavonne Sargent, Certified Forester and principal of SilvaSaunterra, to develop their Forest Master Plan. Sargent completed an inventory of the forest stands and other natural resources and integrated Yakona’s goals and objectives into a comprehensive 10-year plan for forest management of the property. 

With funding from NRCS Farm Bill programs, Marion helped Yakona complete restoration projects to include thinning 57 acres of overcrowded forest, creating habitat mounds and woody debris structures for wildlife, controlling invasives like Himalayan blackberry and establishing pollinator meadows. 

“JoAnn has been a part of this community for decades and is really great at calling on all of the amazing local expertise in the area,” Marion said. “It’s so cool to see how many projects Yakona has going on different fronts at the same time.”

Yakona worked in tandem with Cheryl Horton and Carrie Wyler of MidCoast Watersheds Council, who helped advise on native plant restoration, estuary stewardship and nursery practices. Horton is a member of the Oregon Central Coast Estuary Collaborative, a group of restoration practitioners working to advance estuary and tidal wetland restoration, as well as the Oregon Coastal Estuary Focused Investment Partnership that aims to restore and conserve tidal wetland habitats in the Yaquina Estuary.  Yakona is involved in both initiatives, and Yakona’s Executive Director, Dr. Natalie Schaefer, serves on the MidCoast Watersheds Council Board. 

Yakona works closely with local tribes, and numerous other local, state and federal agencies for advice and support. These groups assist Yakona with pollinator meadows, tidal wetlands and endangered species habitat. Over the years, they’ve worked with over 60 partners to advance their mission and conserve their land.

“We’ve had everyone out here — foresters, tribal nursery experts, U.S. Forest Service botanists, Fish and Wildlife staff,” Schaefer said. “They’ve all walked the land with us, shared advice and helped us learn. And then we made decisions together.” 

Their partnerships go beyond technical expertise. Yakona fosters a community of stewardship to include interns, students, volunteers and neighbors all contributing to restoration, helping in the greenhouse, planting natives in the ground or clearing invasives. 

“That’s how everything happens on the coast,” said Cheryl Horton, MidCoast Watersheds Council Estuary Program Manager. “We’re all really small organizations or one-person shops, so to get anything done requires a village.” 

Challenges on the Road to Conservation

At the start, the land was far from pristine. Decades of logging had left monoculture stands, invasive blackberry thickets and struggling wetlands. The Bartons faced steep learning curves. Early efforts to plant willows in tidal sloughs failed repeatedly. 

“We tried stakes, plugs, everything, and they just kept dying,” Schaefer recalled. “Eventually we learned to use rooted plugs and that made all the difference.” 

Success required persistence. Himalayan blackberry choked acres of forest until repeated mowing and spraying brought it under control. Enclosures had to be built to keep elk and deer from devouring fragile seedlings. Yet in places like Memorial Knoll where new pollinator shrubs now thrive with a near 100 percent survival rate, the results speak for themselves.

"I've been really impressed with how much they have completed in the short amount of time we've worked together," said Marion. "Trees grow slowly - some things just can't be rushed. Since we've started working together, they hired an executive director, secured the conservation easement, and started their carbon credit program. Their progress over the last few years has been amazing to witness."

Restoring Habitat, Building Resilience

The restoration work at Yakona is a multi-layered mosaic. In the forests, thinning projects improve forest health and create large woody debris structures to mimic old-growth conditions. In the wetlands, native plantings support salmon, lamprey and sturgeon. Pollinator meadows bloom with early flowering violet, red flowering currant and Douglas aster, providing food for insects and, potentially, the rare Oregon silverspot butterfly. 

Yakona’s nearly 500 acres of connected and conserved land provides significant habitat for larger species like elk, black bears or bobcats that require large ranges of land for their life cycles.   

As Treadwell puts it, “having that many contiguous acres conserved, with forests, wetlands, and transition zones all working together, creates resilience. It’s what allows these habitats to withstand wildfires, floods, or whatever the future may bring.” 

The restoration of Oregon’s coastal wetlands, marshes and swamps is critical for high functioning fish habitats, particularly for salmon, lamprey and sturgeon, making their way through the estuary. 

“Healthy tidal wetlands can absorb storm surges, reduce erosion and flooding, improve water quality and sequester carbon,” explained Horton. “Our forested tidal swamps here on the Oregon Coast can outcompete tropical forests in terms of carbon storage.” 

A healthy estuary also provides essential habitat for birds, crab and coastal wildlife – all of which increase the biodiversity and provide recreational opportunities like fishing, kayaking and bird watching. 

At Yakona, each new project is both a step forward and a teaching moment. “Some things work, some things fail, but it’s all part of learning,” Schaefer said. “The point is that we keep adapting, keep planting, keep trying.” 

A Living Laboratory

While the foundation of Yakona’s mission is to restore native coastal forest habitat, the other priority is to promote education. Over time, they’ve created a “living laboratory” beneath Yakona’s coastal forest canopy that engages local students and residents of all ages with numerous opportunities to learn and connect with nature in meaningful ways. 

Yakona’s Creating Connections program engages K–12 and post-secondary students as ‘scientists’ through standards-based curriculum and hands-on forest monitoring activities. Elementary students focus on nature journaling, while middle and high school students participate in monitoring projects like temperature benchmarking, phenology, and local species surveying. The program also offers internships, where students learn from local partners and experts. 

The HeART Connections program infuses art with science education, for K–12 students up to programs for ages 16 and up. These events feature contracted artists and are open to the public. “Regardless of which program, the whole point is to expose students to the nature we have and add to their understanding and appreciation for it,” Schaefer said. 

These programs, along with guided interpretive hikes and other events, bring Yakona’s mission to life and get people outdoors in a secluded greenspace that would otherwise be restricted to public access. 

A Legacy of Dedication

Perhaps the most remarkable part of Yakona’s story is the Bartons’ unwavering long-term commitment. At an age when many decide to scale back, they’ve chosen to lean in, thinking in terms of centuries, not years. 

“It’s hard to think for 100 years, let alone 300,” Barton reflected. “But that’s what we’re trying to do.” 

Their dedication is matched by action - securing legal protections, engaging partners, and inspiring the next generation. Students transplant seedlings in Yakona’s nursery. Volunteers plant pollinator meadows. Interns help monitor the forest for variation over time. Together, they’re part of a living experiment in resilience. 

“It just really shows their dedication,” Treadwell said. “The easement process is complicated, confusing, and expensive but they took it on because they wanted to leave a legacy.” 

The Road Ahead

Thinking 300 years into the future means the work is never done. The Bartons talk about parcels they’d like to add, wetlands they want to restore and trails they hope to build. But Yakona is already a rare gem on the Oregon Coast, a contiguous mosaic of nearly 500 acres of forest, estuary, and wetlands, legally protected and actively restored.

“It’s been an absolute joy working with the Bartons and Schaefer over the years, and I can’t wait to continue to support their conservation efforts into the future,” said Marion.

Yakona is more than a preserve. It’s a living legacy, proof that with vision, partnerships, and dedication, land once stripped bare can be restored, protected and cherished for generations to come.

Barton advises other forest landowners to make connections early and often, whether they want to advance their wildlife habitat goals, increase their bottom line or improve their forest health. 

"Whatever the forest landowner's goals," Barton explained, “anyone can really benefit from the expertise that NRCS and partners bring to the table." 

Reach out to your local USDA Service Center today to connect and see what resources area available in your area.