The first recorded ownership of the land that is now the Morse Wildlife Preserve was in 1888 and the parcel served as grazing land.  By the late 1950's the 53 acres had had three owners.  It was then purchased by Lloyd and Maxine Morse, who have a family homestead in the area and who protected the land carefully.  In 1994 they began looking for a way to continue this stewardship.  After talking with the Tahoma Audubon Society and the Tahoma Land Conservancy, the Morse's decided to deed the land to the Conservancy, now a part of the five-county Cascade Land Conservancy.  The parcel was named the Morse Wildlife Preserve, in honor of Lloyd’s mother, Florence.  The Morse’s desire was and is to see the property managed for wildlife protection and conservation education.

The Preserve is managed through a partnership between the Land Conservancy (CLC) and the Audubon Society (TAS), which have developed long-range plans for budgeting, fundraising, and volunteer projects to carry out the objectives of the initial gift --- to enhance the wildlife and education values of the property over the long run.  The planning cycle is five years and, in 2006, the original plan and two five-year updates have been written and used to guide the activities of the management group, called the Morse Force.

Shortly after establishment of the Preserve, TAS did a remarkable job in developing a curriculum for classes and visiting groups, which addresses the native plants and animals, and we laid out a marked trail system that dovetails with this instruction.  Over the years, hundreds of school children and other groups have toured the property and used it as a “living laboratory”.

Also, for several years the Preserve has hosted biologists in the MAPS program, which captures and bands birds on the property, to determine long term trends in bird populations.  This is a very important environmental “measuring rod” for the region.

In 1998 we learned of grants available from the Wetlands Reserve Program, administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the USDA, and designed to return former farmlands to a natural state.  We applied and received a grant for $69,500.  This money, along with private grant money, has been used to undertake several projects that were difficult to consider when the initial planning was underway.  Since that initial grant, we obtained additional funds through NRCS's Wetland Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) for restoration of the prairie and oak savanna.

The Morse Force decided that, in order for the education programs to also focus on the wetlands, an observation tower would greatly enhance the learning experience that was offered here.  An architect based in Seattle got word of our plans for an observation tower and decided to help.  After meeting with us, he prepared a design which is very functional, unique, and beautiful.  Another good friend of the Conservancy chose to provide a very favorable bid on the construction.  We also received donated services from other professionals who performed the necessary survey work that specifically delineated the wetlands on the property.  Even with so much help, it took nearly a year to obtain the necessary permits and complete construction in the fall of 2000.

The small cattle barn on the property is a classic post and beam structure whose condition had deteriorated for many decades.  We completed a $4,000 renovation that will ensure its structural integrity well into the future and allow its use as a period-piece shelter for environmental education.  Some additional work, including roof replacement is needed.

In 2001 we celebrated a major milestone for the Preserve.  An anonymous donor who wished to make a contribution to help in the preservation of wildlife habitat in Pierce County helped CLC in the purchase of an adjoining 45 acres just to the south of the existing Preserve.  This addition nearly doubled its size.

In its continuing goal to protect environmental values of the Muck Creek watershed, insofar as possible, CLC has been interested in purchasing additional land (or obtaining protective easements) along the creek.  In 2002 Pierce County purchased 80 acres of Tacoma Public Utility land near the headwaters and deeded it to CLC.  This land is only about 1/4 –mile from the Preserve, and its management will eventually be incorporated into the Morse Wildlife Preserve plan.

A joint task force of the Tahoma Audubon Society and the Cascade Land Conservancy carries out management responsibilities.  The upkeep of the Preserve and the many conservation projects could not be done without a lot of help, however. Daniel and Yumi Heath are the caretakers who live on-site.  In addition, we have called upon area residents, scout troops, a group from Americorps, and many other individuals to help on various projects over the past eleven years.

As anyone who lives on Muck Creek or visits it knows, reed canarygrass covers a lot of the open terrain around the creek.  This invasive species is harmful in many ways.  It grows in clumps and hinders the passage of water.  It also discourages wildlife, in that the stalks are not strong enough for bird nesting or for perches, and it is thick – not permitting the passage of animals that would otherwise wander through the creek-side habitat.  Individuals and agencies have tried many ways to get rid of this grass and even hold regional conferences on this topic.  We are attempting to minimize the destructiveness of this growth by planting and caring for native trees and shrubs in the wetland, to shade out the canarygrass. 

In the prairie portion of the Preserve, we hope to restore the land as an oak savanna, similar to the appearance prior to its conversion to cattle pasture, more than 100 years ago.  After extensive mowing and thatching, we planted well over 100 Garry oaks (from acorns and seedlings) that will eventually transform this part of the Preserve and encourage the re-growth of native prairie vegetation.  A major part of this task has been continual watering of the seedlings and their protection from deer, rodents, rabbits, and other plant-eaters.