The Morse Wildlife Preserve was established in 1995 by a donation of land from Lloyd and Maxine Morse. Situated near the headwaters of the north fork of Muck Creek, the now nearly 100-acre preserve is a mosaic of conifer forest, wetlands, oak savanna, and prairie. Jointly managed with Tahoma Audubon Society, the preserve is home to a variety of birds and wildlife. 

A tremendous volunteer effort is underway to reintroduce native prairie plants, remove invasive plant species and foster the growth of the oak savannah.  The Morse Force, which serves as the management team for the Preserve, holds monthly work parties to restore the wetland, prairie and upland habitats. 

A portion of the property is enrolled in the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Wetland Reserve Program.  Funding from the sale of that easement has provided for the restoration of the wetland edge and associated upland.  CLC also partners with NRCS in its Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, allowing for a cost-share agreement for much of the restoration work.

This site is also CLC’s premier site in Pierce County for education, hosting a number of school and community groups each month for activities ranging from bird watching to macroinvertebrate identification.