Willapa National Wildlife Refuge is a protected coastal reserve on Willapa Bay in southwestern Washington, encompassing about 11,000 acres of dunes, beaches, mudflats, marshes, grasslands, coniferous forest, and Long Island’s old-growth western red cedar and hemlock. Its unusual significance lies in the concentration of diverse ecosystems in one place, supporting Roosevelt elk, black bear, shorebirds, spawning salmon, and several threatened or endangered birds, including snowy plovers, marbled murrelets, and brown pelicans. The refuge is both protected and actively managed through restoration, invasive-species control, and land acquisition, including a 2023 purchase intended to improve recreation and wildlife viewing access.