*Please note all February Thursday Night Lectures will be held in the Lovell Taproom*
The Leadbetter Point coastal habitat restoration project aims to remove and control invasive Ammophila beachgrass with the goal of increasing streaked horned lark and western snowy plover populations and improving their reproductive success. Both species had been declining as dune-stabilizing invasive beach grasses encroached on available nesting habitat, thereby creating a new ecological regime of densely vegetated coastal dunes. Will Ritchie, wildlife biologist, will share how this habitat restoration project supports the return of a more natural state while accounting for sea-level rise on nesting habitat, providing habitat resiliency in response to a changing climate.
Will recently retired as a biologist at Willapa National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Washington managing the natural resources program. His more than 35 years of conservation work involved inventory and monitoring of aquatic and terrestrial plants, fish, and wildlife; ecosystem restoration through removal of invasive plants and vegetation management; and conservation of rare or endangered species. Some habitat restoration projects involved removing invasive plants at Leadbetter Point, reestablishing coastal prairie on the Long Beach Peninsula, reconnecting tidal hydrology to the south Willapa Bay estuary, and enhancing conditions to promote late-successional forest on forestlands surrounding Willapa Bay. Will was coauthor of several survey protocols and habitat management guidelines, served on at-risk species recovery working groups, was the chair of the Pacific Seabird Group Marbled Murrelet Technical Committee, and is a member of several professional organizations including The Wildlife Society and the Society for Ecological Restoration. Throughout his career with USFWS and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Will has worked collaboratively with partners to achieve consensus and attain desired goals.
Doors open at 6pm with food and beverages available via the Taproom, talk starts at 7pm. All ages welcome and never a cover.
The Thursday Lecture Series is a recurring community lecture series every Thursday, October through May. Thank you to our 2025/2026 Partners –
1st Thursdays – Ales & Ideas w/ Clatsop Community College
2nd Thursdays – Wit & Wisdom w/ Philosofarian
3rd Thursdays – Thursday Night Talk w/ Clatsop County Historical Society
4th Thursdays – Nature Matters w/ Lewis & Clark National Historic Park, Lewis & Clark National Park Association, and North Coast Watershed Association
WHERE: Fort George Lovell Taproom, 1483 Duane St. Astoria, Oregon 97103 Map
