The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will hold an in-person public outreach meeting Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022, to solicit input on the management of the Lake Earl Wildlife Area in Del Norte County. Topics to be discussed include public access, habitat conditions, current and future restoration efforts.

Members of the public and partnering organizations are encouraged to attend. The meeting will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Howonquet Hall and Community Center, 101 Indian Court, Smith River, Calif. The meeting will also be accessible virtually through the Microsoft Teams platform. Please email CDFW’s Northern Region Lands and Wildlife Program Supervisor Shawn Fresz at [email protected] for a meeting link and instructions for submitting comments and questions.

Lake Earl is a 6,100-acre wildlife area that borders the Pacific Ocean. Sand dunes extending inland are covered with scattered beach grasses and other vegetation. The area encompasses Lakes Earl and Tolowa, two lagoons connected by a deep channel known as “The Narrows,” and bordered by saltwater and freshwater marshes. Lake Earl is the largest coastal lagoon on the West Coast. Farther inland, the area ends in upland fields and forest of Sitka spruce and pine trees. Some of the diverse wildlife species found at the areas include quail, grouse, canvasback, western grebe, coastal black-tailed deer and beaver.

Recreational activities popular at the Lake Earl Wildlife Area include fishing, boating, hiking, birding and waterfowl hunting.