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3. Haystack Rock (Cannon Beach) Site Description: 0.4 miles of intertidal habitat and offshore rocks at Cannon Beach. Haystack Rock is located at approximately 45.8845°N, 123.9680°W, next to (and accessible at low tide from) Cannon Beach, in the city of Cannon Beach, in Clatsop County, Oregon (Figure 9).

Designation: Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach was designated a marine garden before TSP publication and it remains designated as such. Haystack Rock Marine Garden includes “all rocky areas, tide pools, and sand beaches situated

between extreme high tide and extreme low tide lying within a 300-yard radius of the base of Haystack Rock, located at Cannon Beach, Clatsop County (ODFW Marine Zone Regulations, 2006).” Access: Access to Haystack Rock remains unchanged. There are many ways to reach it from the beachfront in the City of Cannon Beach. The most prominent access in Cannon Beach proper is from the entrance near the “Haystack Rock Public Parking” lot off the main road, Hemlock Street. From the parking lot it is an easy (2-3 block) walk along city sidewalks (from Hemlock follow Gower St.) onto the beach. From the entrance sign (45.8895°N, 123.9628°W) to the beach area, it is a level walk along the beach (approximately 5-15 minutes) on sand to Haystack Rock (45.9943° N, 123.9628° W). Access is also possible via Tolovana Beach State Recreation Site (45.873611° N, 123.96111° W) on the south end of Cannon Beach. From there, visitors can either view the rocks (there are pay-per-use telescopes) or walk to the beach and walk south to the rock. This is a slightly longer walk than from the public parking lot. Ownership: DSL owns the submerged and intertidal lands. USFWS owns offshore rocks above Mean High Water. OPRD manages the dry sands as a state recreation area. Uplands beyond the statutory line of vegetation are privately owned. Key Resources: For the most part the resources remain unchanged since TSP publication. Intertidal habitat remains very accessible and is very highly used. Haystack Rock remains an important location for seabird colonies. No new seabird data has been published since the 1988 USFWS data, which was used to write the TSP resource section. The TSP notes the presence of “seabird colonies with over 2,000 birds total (second largest tufted puffin nesting colony in the state) (OPAC, 1994).” Visitor Use: Visitors explore tidepools, sightsee, and enjoy environmental education and interpretative programs. Haystack Rock Awareness Group (HRAP) offers seasonal interpretive programs to thousands of visitors every year (HRAP, 2001). The area is closed to collection of invertebrates (except single mussels for bait). HRAP strictly “enforces” this regulation through education and maintaining an on-site presence. Visitors still fish for sport, although HRAP stops this behavior when they observe it. Although marine garden status does not protect fish, the site’s Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge status prohibits fishers from using many sections of the rock. HRAP

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tries to stop people from collecting. Although more people are visiting the site, the average number of interceptions has been steadily decreasing (Table 4). Table 4. HRAP visitor observation and interception of visitor activities from 2001-2005.

Year 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Climbing NA 404 594 406 599 Harassment NA 233 530 265 313 Collecting 135 398 306 355 449 Animals returned to pools

560 514 646 781 1050

Average interceptions/day

12 12 8 6 6

HRAP estimates 36,486 people visit this area each year (HRAP, 2004). On average 57 visitors per hour explore the tidepools next to Haystack Rock (HRAP, 2001). In 2005, HRAP volunteers spent 176 days working on the beach. The group reported a record number (67,281) of personal contacts, with a record 700 visitors (mostly students) in the intertidal at one time during the spring (HRAP, 2005). Use of Toulavana Wayside has increased from 401,634 in 1994 to 474,926 in 2005 (Figure 8). Table 5 lists allowed and prohibited uses at Haystack Rock Marine Garden.

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

Year

Day-Use Visitors

Figure 8. Visitor use of Toulavana State Wayside from 1971-2005

Management: On-site management has changed little since the TSP was published. The USFWS manages the rock (above MHW) as part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. OPRD manages the beach and intertidal areas of the ocean shore recreation area. Neither agency provides active, on-site management. City police enforce some violations. HRAP has taken an increased role in monitoring visitors. For the past two years, a seasonal OPRD rocky shore interpreter, based in Ecola State Park has been on one day a week to help HRAP (Mark Smith, Personal Communication, 2006). USFWS

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staff occasionally provide interpretive services, especially about the offshore islands and their importance to seabirds (Shelley Parker, Personal Communication, 2006). HRAP provides on-site interpretation, monitors visitor use and unofficially enforces rules. HRAP volunteers and/or paid staff are on site weekends in February and March. In May, they lead school groups. During June, July, and August at low tides HRAP has at least three people on site (for both morning and afternoon low tides if they occur during daylight). During the summer and on weekends with low tides, HRAP usually has four staff people, and four to six volunteers on site. The city funds HRAP, which was founded in 1984. The group is working on getting nonprofit status for the newly formed “Friends of Haystack Rock” so that it will be able to get grants. Haystack Rock is within OPRD Region 1 and the Nehalem Bay Management Unit. Impact Concerns: The primary concerns are overuse (trampling) of intertidal areas and illegal collection, resulting in depletion of some species. Occasionally, people illegally climb on the rock (past the closure signs) and disturb seabird colonies. HRAP staff and volunteers’ unofficial “enforcement” has likely reduced the disturbance. HRAP’s limitations include that it is only in the area during low tides at peak season, and it has no true enforcement authority. Volunteers and staff can inform police of violations. Visitor use has gone up and will likely continue to do so. Management Objective: The TSP objective is to “enhance enjoyment and appreciation of intertidal resources while protecting these areas from effects of overuse” (OPAC, 1994). The objective has been superficially met. Overuse is still a concern. It may be necessary to study the area to determine use impact. Management Prescriptions: The TSP mandatory prescriptions for this site are to continue its use as a marine garden and prohibit the harvest of intertidal algae (seaweeds). Management Prescription Status:

• Haystack Rock is still a marine garden under ODFW regulations (2006). • Commercial intertidal algae harvest is not allowed and recreational harvest is

unofficially prohibited. An on-site sign tells visitors not to collect it. This limitation on recreational harvest is not official.

Educational Opportunities: The TSP suggests “continue, support and expand Haystack Rock Awareness Program.” The City of Cannon Beach funds HRAP through a DLCD grant. HRAP is considering letting ODFW and OPRD staff (and others) participate in HRAP’s yearly trainings. Alternatively, HRAP volunteers could participate in the joint annual OPRD/BLM rocky shores training. OPRD and USFWS staff are sometimes on site to provide interpretive services. OPRD’s interpretive coordinator and HRAP’s coordinator have met to discuss ways to coordinate, possibly by including HRAP volunteers in the annual OPRD/BLM rocky shore interpretive training. Other site notes: HRAP staff indicated that they have had problems with groups coming to Haystack Rock without coordinating with HRAP. Groups, including other

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environmental non-profits, occasionally bring large groups of unorganized and unprepared children who trample the area and try to collect specimens. HRAP staff would like other groups to inform HRAP when they are coming. In 2004, for the first time, USFWS let HRAP put up temporary signs at the edges of the rock during low tides indicating that access is prohibited. There is one set of permanent signs. HRAP suggests putting signs at other potential access points around the rock. The marine garden sign for this location is site specific. It reads, “the Intertidal Area in front of Haystack Rock is designated a Marine Garden by the State of Oregon. This area is dedicated to Conservation and Public Education. Please explore it gently and safely! Collection of all plants, animals and shells (living or dead) is prohibited by State Law. To protect wildlife and humans public access beyond this sign is prohibited by Federal Law.” Table 5. Allowed and prohibited uses at Haystack Rock Marine Garden

ALLOWED PROHIBITED General recreational activities (e.g., walking, tidepooling, bird watching)

Ocean Shore Recreation Area Prohibited Activities*

Single mussels may be taken for bait Take of shellfish and marine invertebrates Environmental education/interpretation Harassment of marine mammals pursuant to the

Marine Mammal Protection Act and any species protected by the Endangered Species Act

Climbing on offshore rocks (exposed and not connected to the land at mean high tide)

Disturbance/collection of historic artifacts *1.) Fires in driftwood piles, dunes or near beach grass, 2.) Commercial activities without a permit, 3.) Motor vehicles where posted, 4.) Construction, removal of rock, sand, logs or marine algae without a permit, 5.) Trespassing or digging on sand cliffs

Tidepooling family at Haystack Rock Haystack Rock (above), HRAP truck (below)

Created in ArcGIS 9 using ArcMap

Laurel HillmannOPRD NOAA Coastal Fellow

December 2005

Haystack Rockto Hug Point

/0 0.4 0.80.2 Miles

Approx. Park Boundaries

Marine Garden boundary

Rocky Intertidal

!. Beach Access

[§ Marine Mammal Haulout

[¢ Seabirds

HaystackRock

Hug Point

Austin Point

HaystackRock

Hug PointSRS

Tolovana BeachSRS

CannonBeach

Arc

adia

Bea

ch

Arcadia BeachSRS

Silver Point

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Recommendations for Haystack Rock (Cannon Beach) Haystack Rock Marine Garden is a major tourist destination and receives very high use during spring and summer low tides. It is an important habitat for nesting seabirds and offers limited, highly accessible intertidal habitat. Recommendations for improving rocky shore management at Haystack Rock and improving compliance with the TSP include: Natural Resources

Officially (in rule) prohibit intertidal marine plant collection within this and all marine gardens, habitat refuges, and research reserves (except for valid scientific purposes and traditional tribal uses).

Consider whether OPRD can prohibit the collection of shells. Haystack Rock Awareness Program (HRAP) staff would like to have any collection prohibited within the marine garden. This is a particular concern at Haystack Rock since it is such a small area, receives very intense use and is a very important tourist draw.

Interpretation Support the non-profit interpretive group, HRAP. Ensure its continued

funding. It provides invaluable interpretive and monitoring/unofficial enforcement at one of the most-used rocky shore sites along the coast.

Put rocky shore interpretive panels at Toulavana Wayside and/or the primary access points in Cannon Beach.

Other Incorporate TSP management objectives and prescriptions into OPRD master

plans for Toulavana Wayside and any future acquisitions that provide access to Cannon Beach.

4. Cape Falcon (Oswald West State Park) Site description: 1.2 miles of cliff, associated rocks, and intertidal areas in two sections separated by Short Sands Beach (Oswald West State Park) in Smuggler's Cove at the tip of Cape Falcon (Figure 11). Oswald West State Park is off U.S. Hwy. 101, ten miles south of Cannon Beach, Oregon. GPS readings from the north and south end of each rocky shore section are 45.7579°N, 123.9640°W (south end) and 45.7643°N, 123.9703°W (north end). Designation: Cape Falcon is listed as “not yet designated” in the TSP and it is not currently designated by ODFW as a specially managed area. Access: The TSP reports access is “very limited or inaccessible.” While this is true for much of the area, some intertidal habitat that fringes both edges of Short Sands beach is easy to reach at low tide. Short Sands beach is most easily accessed from the lower Oswald State Park campground parking area (off U.S. Hwy. 101 just north of the city of Manzanita). For most of the way down to the beach, an improved pathway (wheelbarrow accessible) makes the walk relatively easy. Follow signs “to the beach.” When the