The River Democracy Act would protect these values, and more, for over 3200 miles of rivers across Oregon, including dozens within the McKenzie River basin. Read on to learn more about this key Oregon watershed and how the River Democracy Act would safeguard it and the communities that rely on it for generations to come.

Outdoor Recreation

Whether it’s rafting or fishing on the river itself, mountain biking the famous McKenzie River Trail, or enjoying the view of one of the river’s many waterfalls during a hike, there’s no shortage of outdoor adventure to be had here.

Recreation Spotlight: McKenzie River Trail

The McKenzie River Trail is a 24-mile-long trail that starts near the headwaters of the McKenzie River at Clear Lake and ends just upstream of the community of McKenzie Bridge. The trail is popular for both hiking and mountain biking. 

Mountain bikers will find technical riding over sharp lava rock, flowing downhill single track through old-growth Douglas fir forests, and dazzling views of waterfalls and the aquamarine waters of the McKenzie. Most of the trail is located within the current McKenzie River Wild & Scenic corridor, but the last 5 miles of the trail is unprotected. When passed, the River Democracy Act would add protections to these last 5 miles. 

Popular hikes include the 4-mile round-trip hike to Blue Pool/Tamolitch Falls and the 2.4-mile Sahalie and Koosah Falls loop.

Wildlife Habitat

The McKenzie River watershed is home to a wide variety of native species, including threatened and endangered species such as Chinook salmon and steelhead, northern spotted owls, and bulltrout.

Wildlife Spotlight: Bull Trout

Bull trout, like many other members of the salmonid family, begin their lives in cold, clear streams, feeding on small aquatic invertebrates. As these fish mature, they either migrate out of their home stream to larger streams and rivers or lakes and reservoirs, or remain in the stream where they hatched. The migratory bull trout tend to become much larger than their resident counterparts—sometimes growing as long as 40 inches and heavier than 30 pounds. Unlike Pacific salmon species that spawn once and die, bull trout will spawn multiple times in their lifetime. Migratory bull trout may migrate multiple times between spawning streams and their large river rearing habitats. Bull trout can be recognized by their particularly large, broad head and their dark olive or brown color with lighter yellowish spots. In Oregon, bull trout were historically found in streams in the Klamath basin, the Columbia and Snake Rivers and their major tributaries, and the Willamette River and its major tributaries on the west side of the Cascades.

This threatened fish has some very specific habitat requirements, and when they aren’t met, it can be disastrous for bull trout populations. Their physiology dictates that they need cold water (no higher than 60° F) to survive, as well as for the survival of their eggs. A river environment with low silt is equally important, with a gravelly bottom and plenty of protective habitat such as overhanging brush. Unfortunately, human activities such as logging have been steadily spoiling prime bull trout habitat. Logging and road building lead to siltation in rivers, lowering stream quality and raising water temperature, both of which lower the viability of eggs and hatchlings. Other threats, such as impassable dams, sometimes keep bull trout from spawning at all. Non-native brook trout also present a threat due to competition for food. In order to ensure the survival of this sensitive fish, it’s necessary that roadless areas be maintained and the fight for clean water continues.

Drinking Water

Over 200,000 people living in the Eugene-Springfield area rely on the McKenzie watershed for clean drinking water. 

Intact, forested watersheds, especially those flowing through public lands, play a critical role in ensuring the quality and quantity of our water sources. These natural ecosystems act as invaluable sponges, absorbing, filtering, and gradually releasing water, contributing to the consistent flow of clean water to downstream communities.

The McKenzie River watershed is an excellent example of this natural phenomenon in action. At its headwaters, snowmelt, glacial thaw, and underground springs merge to form the mountain streams that feed the McKenzie. These streams flow through designated Wilderness areas, Roadless Areas, and mature and old-growth forests, depositing consistent, cold, clean water into the mainstem McKenzie River.

On the other hand, researchers have documented a direct correlation between industrial logging and increased flooding and peak flows.  Without a healthy forest ecosystem in place to absorb and slow the release of water, rain and melting snow tend to run off of heavily logged forests much faster. That run-off causes erosion, carrying with it large quantities of sediment and debris that reduce water quality and can cause problems for water filtration systems and fish habitat further downstream. 

The quick run-off during winter and spring storms also means there is less water available during the dry summer months when water demand is higher and supplies are lower. Oregon State University scientists have found that clear-cut plantation forestry can reduce water levels during summer months by 50% when compared to adjacent, unlogged old-growth watersheds.

Threats to this watershed

Despite the importance of intact, mature and old-growth forests for outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat, and clean drinking water, much of the forests in the McKenzie River watershed have been heavily logged and remain open to logging.

Aggressive commercial logging projects, such as the planned (and withdrawn) Flat Country timber sale, pose a significant threat to the mature forests and headwater streams of this area and all the important values they provide. 

The Flat Country sale was withdrawn due to widespread public opposition and potential devastating environmental impacts. This project would have logged 1,000 acres of trees between 98-170 years old within the vicinity of important McKenzie watershed headwater streams such as Anderson Creek and Olallie Creek. Without permanent protections, these forests and streams remain at risk. 

The Trump Administration has also recently announced that it aims to roll back the 2001 Roadless Rule, jeopardizing 58 million acres of intact, backcountry National Forest lands. In Oregon, the rule protects nearly 2 million acres of Oregon’s forests from destructive logging, road building, and development. In the McKenzie watershed, this includes thousands of acres of wild, old-growth forest surrounding the river’s headwaters.

The River Democracy Act

The River Democracy Act, co-sponsored by Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, would designate dozens of miles of the McKenzie River and other important tributaries in the watershed as Wild & Scenic Rivers, providing additional safeguards for water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and backcountry recreation opportunities. 

Streams in the watershed proposed for protection include the 15 miles of the mainstem McKenzie River, the South Fork McKenzie River, Blue River, Horse Creek, Lost Creek, Deer Creek, Olallie Creek, and Anderson Creek. 

Destructive activities like mining and dam building are prohibited in and along Wild & Scenic Rivers, and other projects like commercial logging and road-building that negatively impact the landscape are tightly regulated so as to not degrade the river and river values. The River Democracy Act extends these safeguards a half-mile from each river bank, offering enhanced protections for critical waterways.

Take Action

The River Democracy Act is currently making its way through Congress, but it needs your help getting across the finish line! Take action today and help protect the McKenzie River watershed and hundreds of other Oregon waterways by signing on as a Citizen Co-sponsor and urging your members of Congress to pass the River Democracy Act!

The post River Democracy Act Highlights: McKenzie River Watershed appeared first on Oregon Wild.

PORTLAND, OR — Conservation groups sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today for denying protections to the imperiled North Oregon Coast population of red tree voles. The voles spend most of their lives in the upper branches of the Oregon Coast’s mature and old-growth forests.

The Service’s 2024 decision to deny life-saving Endangered Species Act protections to the North Oregon Coast population echoes a similar 2019 Trump administration denial, which also sparked a lawsuit. Those decisions were made despite studies showing that these red tree voles are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, largely due to logging and climate change-fueled wildfires.

“Red tree voles have graced Oregon’s coastal old-growth forests for thousands of years, but we could lose them forever if they don’t get Endangered Species Act protections soon,” said Ryan Shannon, a senior attorney in the Center for Biological Diversity’s endangered species program. “It’s time for the Fish and Wildlife Service to follow the science and do the right thing by stepping up for red tree voles.”

Red tree voles build their nests on complex branch and bole structures found in mature and old-growth forests. The North Coast is dominated by a combination of private industrial timberlands and the Tillamook and Clatsop state forests. Decades of rapacious clearcut logging, as well as a series of historic fires known as the Tillamook Burn, have eliminated most of the area’s old forests along with the red tree voles that once called them home. Red tree voles are an essential species in the last remaining old-growth and mature coastal forests in Oregon and protecting them is necessary for ecosystem recovery.

“Red tree voles are a key prey of the threatened northern spotted owl whose population is plummeting,” says Joe Liebezeit, statewide conservation director for Bird Alliance of Oregon. “We need to step up protection of voles to ensure the integrity of forest ecosystem as a whole — including the food web which so much wildlife depends on.”

Remaining North Coast voles are concentrated on federal public lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Although the Northwest Forest Plan helps protect these remaining small and isolated populations, the long-term survival of the voles depends on improving state and private land forest management and connecting fragmented and isolated red tree vole populations.

Oregon is in the process of adopting a state forest habitat conservation plan that will provide some protection to the vole, but the plan will also allow for continued logging of thousands of acres of potential vole habitat without any surveys to determine if voles are present. There are currently no meaningful protections in private forests.

“The red tree vole is a unique species with adaptations that allow them to live almost their entire lives high in the canopy of mature and old-growth forests,” said Doug Heiken of Oregon Wild. “Its range and habitat are already limited, and without protection for the North Coast population, we could lose red tree voles to irresponsible logging.”

In response to a 2007 Center for Biological Diversity petition, the Service determined in 2011 that protection of the North Oregon Coast population of red tree voles was “warranted but precluded” by other listing priorities. It then moved the voles to a list of candidate species for a decade, repeating its determination that the North Oregon Coast population warranted protection several times before reversing course and denying protections in 2019. A Center lawsuit over the denial resulted in a 2022 settlement directing the Service to reconsider the decision.

“The Fish and Wildlife Service is yet again shirking its duty to this and future generations to prevent the extinction of our most imperiled wildlife species including the red tree vole,” said Bethany Cotton, conservation director for Cascadia Wildlands. “Red tree voles are an important indicator species of forest health; their decline should be a wake-up call to us all to better care for our remaining mature and old-growth forests.”

Bird Alliance of Oregon, Cascadia Wildlands and Oregon Wild are represented by the Center for Biological Diversity in today’s suit.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.8 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

Bird Alliance of Oregon was founded in 1902 and works statewide to advocate for Oregon’s wildlife and wild places, and to inspire all people to love and protect birds, wildlife, and the natural environment upon which life depends.

Cascadia Wildlands defends and restores Cascadia’s wild ecosystems in the forests, in the courts, and in the streets.

Oregon Wild works to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and waters as an enduring legacy for future generations.

The post Lawsuit Aims to Protect Oregon Coast Red Tree Voles appeared first on Oregon Wild.

Oregon Wild has been doing our best to keep track of the many attacks the Trump administration and anti-conservation Members of Congress have launched against America’s public lands, clean water, and wildlife. Below is a partial list of what we are keeping tabs on. Amid all the bad news and threats, there is also some good news, and some early signs that grassroots activism is working.

The Good: 

Stopping the Sell-off of America’s Public Lands: Earlier this summer, Representatives Mark Amodei (R-NV) and Celeste Maloy (R-UT) tried to insert language in Trump’s Big, Ugly Tax and Spending bill that would have sold off 500,000 acres of America’s public lands in Utah and Nevada. A ferocious public backlash (including from Oregon, where Rep. Bentz ultimately came out against public lands sales) forced the House to withdraw it. Then, in June, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) went even further with an awful proposal that would have mandated the sale of up to 3 million acres of public land (and paved the way for millions more to be privatized in the future).  The backlash against Sen. Lee’s ploy was even stronger, and it was ultimately pulled.

While Trump’s bill ultimately passed the Senate (with plenty of awful anti-conservation and anti-environmental provisions in it), the backlash against public lands privatization is proof that even in this day and age, grassroots pressure works.

The Bad: 

The Fell (Fix) Our Forests Act: The Fix Our Forests Act is a logging bill trying to pass itself off as a wildfire strategy, and unfortunately democratic Senators like Hickenlooper and Padillia are drinking the Kool-Aid and handing the keys of our national forests over to the Trump administration. The bill will make it easier to avoid environmental laws like The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) — the bill uses emergency authorities to allow NEPA consultation after a project has been completed. It will allow even bigger loopholes through the expansion of Categorical Exclusions — 10,000 acres or 15 square miles — basically removing all public oversight of projects on federal forest land. And it will help to advance the narrative that commercial logging (and grazing) will protect communities from wildfire. The science is clear — we should be investing in proven community protection measures like defensible space, home hardening, and emergency planning. Unfortunately, the bill does not provide meaningful funding for these proven strategies. 

Trump’s Big, Ugly Tax and Spending Bill: The Senate stripped out provisions to sell off public lands from its budget reconciliation proposal. However, there are some truly awful logging provisions in the version that passed the Senate, including: 

1. 250 Million Mandate: Increases timber production by a minimum of 250,000,000 board feet over previous years’ sale volume for the Forest Service and 20,000,000 million for Bureau of Land Management. This arbitrary increase in logging will occur regardless of the impacts it could cause, be it worsening wildfires due to clearcutting or reducing our federal forests climate and clean water benefits.
2. 20-Year Logging Contracts: This bill calls for ramping up logging across federal forests, by mandating that the Forest Service enter into at least one long-term timber contract per year for 10 years in each region.  A similar provision applies to the Bureau of Land Management. This might force harmful logging to occur that has negative impacts on drinking water, vulnerable wildlife, and mature and old-growth forests.

Trump’s Wildfire Executive Order: Trump signed an executive order aimed to combine major wildland firefighting programs across federal public lands agencies within 90 days, in an effort to streamline how the federal government approaches fires. He issued this order during the height of wildfire season after gutting the federal firefighting workforce. The administration’s poorly thought-out and reckless actions will place wildland firefighters at increased risk and will make communities and infrastructure more vulnerable to catastrophic fires. 

The Ugly:

Recission of the Roadless Rule: The proposed rollback of the 2001 Roadless Rule jeopardizes nearly 58 million acres of backcountry forestland managed by the U.S. Forest Service, comprising around a third of the territory in our national forest system. In Oregon, the rule protects nearly 2 million acres of Oregon’s forests from destructive logging and development. These include beloved places like the Metolius River, Lost Lake, the Oregon Dunes, Mount Hebo, Hardesty Mountain, Tumalo Mountain, and the Upper Hood River Valley. Take action to protect wild Roadless Areas.

NEPA rollbacks: US Department of Agriculture, which houses the Forest Service, and Department of the Interior, which includes the Bureau of Land Management, have announced their intent to gut NEPA as it applies to national forests and BLM lands. There will be a 30 day public comment period for the Forest Service’s interim rule that is expected to close July 30th. 

Trump’s logging Executive Orders (+ subsequent logging directives from his administration): President Trump issued two executive orders (EOs) to dramatically expand logging across federal public forests and increase timber output by 25%. Under the pretense of enhancing national security, these policies seek to weaken environmental protections to supercharge timber harvest and benefit wealthy corporate interests.

Changing the Definition of “Harm” to Endangered Species: For decades, America’s Endangered Species Act has defined “harm” to imperiled fish and wildlife to include the destruction of their habitat, such as building a dam with no fish passage and block salmon from accessing the habitat they need to spawn and reproduce.  In April, the Trump administration proposed changing this rule to remove habitat destruction from the definition of “harm” to an endangered species.  It is an incredibly cynical (and stupid) idea, and one that Oregon Wild is gearing up to challenge in court.

The post The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – The War Against Public Lands appeared first on Oregon Wild.

These areas were protected by the Roadless Area Conservation Rule (as it is officially known), issued in 2001, and the result of years of development and the most extensive public rulemaking process in history. However, the Rule was being challenged in court, and the Bush administration saw an opportunity to exploit these vital forests. The Roadless Rule eventually persevered, despite the Bush administration’s efforts, and has continued to protect some of the last large wild areas left on public lands, totaling 58 million acres nationwide and 2 million acres of Oregon’s landscapes – from Hells Canyon to the Oregon Dunes.

While the gold standard of protections for nature are reserved for lands designated under the Wilderness Act, the Roadless Rule includes important protections from most logging, road building, and other development for large, wild areas. Many of these areas are adjacent to designated Wilderness, and often proposed for Wilderness protections in bills that have not yet passed Congress. Essentially, the Roadless Rule helps keep wild places wild.

Roadless IS priceless… but if one needs convincing of their immense value, here are just a few examples: 

• These are places that safeguard drinking water for numerous Oregon communities – from Ashland to Bend to Pendleton. 
• They provide core habitats for rare and threatened species like salmon, bulltrout and northern spotted owls, but also wildlife like beavers, elk, and migratory birds that not only benefit ecosystems but shore up local economies. 
• And they are places that generations of Oregonians and visitors have returned to to hike, bike, fish, hunt, bird watch, forage, and spend time in nature for personal renewal.

Now, these wild places are under attack by the Trump administration as they work to remove any roadblocks to their “timber first” mandates for our public forest lands.

Here are just a few examples of Oregon’s wild places the Roadless Rule protects:

Lookout Mountain, Ochoco National Forest

The roadless area surrounding the diverse forests, wildflower meadows, and vistas on Lookout Mountain include more than 14,000 acres. This area is part of a vital wildlife corridor, home to wandering wolves, herds of elk, and much more. It’s also a great place to hike and explore. 

Read more about Lookout Mountain in Marina Richie’s blog post here.

Hardesty Mountain, Willamette and Umpqua National Forests

Located in Eugene’s backyard and crisscrossed with several popular trails, the 8,000 acres of roadless forests that surround Hardesty Mountain and Mount June stand in stark contrast to the surrounding clearcuts (new and old) and logging roads that have otherwise fragmented the landscape in the western Cascade foothills. A hike here can include deep forest, wildflowers, and views over protected headwater streams. 

Read more about this area in Marina Richie’s blog post here.  

Joseph Canyon, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

The huge complex of roadless wildlands surrounding Joseph Canyon – an important ecological landscape that serves as a bridge between the Rocky and Cascade Mountains in northeast Oregon – protect a rugged, remote landscape rich in culture and wildlife. Part of the Nez Perce Tribe’s homeland, the remote canyons, forests, and streams in this area are home to healthy native fish, carnivore, and bird populations. 

Wilderness Extensions

Many of the areas included in the Roadless Rule surround existing designated Wilderness Areas like Mount Hood, Three Sisters, Waldo Lake, Kalmiopsis, Eagle Cap, and Wild Rogue – amplifying the wildness of these protected cores, and the importance of these extensions.

You can find these areas and more on Oregon Wild’s interactive roadless area map.
You can also join us for guided hikes to some of the roadless areas at risk – find a hike here.

The work to protect these places, and the Roadless Rule itself, is entering a new phase. We need your voice for the wild. Take action today!

Photo credits:

• Rogue River: Hanna Anderson
• Lookout Mountain trail: Marina Richie
• Hardesty Mountain trail: Chandra LeGue
• Joseph Canyon: Oregon Wild
• Bluegrass Ridge and Mount Hood: Jurgen Hess

The post Roadless is priceless appeared first on Oregon Wild.

PORTLAND, OR — A budget reconciliation proposal introduced by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), Chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, to sell off millions of acres of public lands across the West, including in Oregon, was removed. Oregon Wild released the following statement:

The news that Senator Mike Lee’s proposal to sell off America’s public lands has been removed from the Senate reconciliation bill is a major victory for the American people and the millions across the country who stood up in defense of our shared natural heritage.

This win belongs to the public. Hunters, anglers, hikers, tribal communities, rural residents, conservation advocates, and many more joined together to send a clear message: our public lands are not for sale.

But let’s be clear: Senator Lee’s statement makes it evident that he’s not done trying to sell our public lands. However, he has unintentionally helped build a stronger, more unified movement to defend public lands. We’ll be ready when he tries again.

While this development is worth celebrating, the broader reconciliation bill still poses serious threats to our environment, to vulnerable communities, and to the future of public lands. It remains a massive transfer of wealth from everyday Americans to billionaires and should be rejected.

We urge everyone who spoke out to stop this land sell-off to keep going. Call your Representative and tell them to vote down this harmful bill.

The post Public Lands Sell-Off Proposal Pulled from Reconciliation Bill appeared first on Oregon Wild.

SALEM, OR – In the final hours of the 2025 legislative session, a landmark bill to fund wildlife conservation fell short—not for lack of public support, bipartisan backing, or legislative merit, but because of cynical obstruction from a small group of Republican senators. Democratic leadership in the Senate had the power to stop them, but chose to give in.

HB 2977, which passed the Oregon House with a three-fifths bipartisan majority and cleared the Senate Rules Committee, would have modestly increased Oregon’s statewide transient lodging tax—currently among the lowest in the country—to fund urgently needed wildlife conservation. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) has identified nearly 300 species in decline, yet lacks the general fund resources to act.

“This bill was built on compromise, unity, and a shared love for Oregon’s wild places,” said Danielle Moser, Wildlife Program Manager at Oregon Wild. “It brought together hunters, anglers, conservationists, and rural community leaders, people who often don’t agree. And it showed what’s possible when we put politics aside. Unfortunately, a few obstructionist senators decided to stand in the way of that hope.”

Senators Daniel Bonham and Cedric Hayden used procedural gimmicks to block a floor vote on the bill, despite growing momentum and a written minority report ready to be set aside. While a few Republican legislators defied their caucus to vote for HB 2977, the obstructionists prevailed—for now.

Still, advocates say the coalition and public engagement behind this bill have created a wave of political will that won’t disappear.

“Every legislator and staffer I talked to had heard from Oregonians about this bill,” said Casey Kulla with Oregon Wild. “Phone lines rang off the hook. Inboxes were flooded. People showed up. This was grassroots democracy at its best, and it worked, even if the final vote didn’t happen. We are just getting started.”

While Republican obstruction was central to the bill’s defeat, conservation advocates are also pointing to internal resistance among some Democrats, and Democratic leadership’s decision not to advance the bill to the floor, as a missed opportunity that can and must be corrected.

“We’re disappointed,” Moser said. “But we’re not deterred. We’ve built something powerful. Next session, we’re coming back stronger.”

Oregon Wild and the statewide coalition behind HB 2977 are already preparing for the 2026 short session. 

“The need to fund wildlife and their habitats remains, and the broad public support has never been clearer. This was the closest Oregon has come in decades,” Kulla added. “And next time, we’re going to finish the job.”

SUPPORT FOR HB 2977

The post “We’ll Be Back” Vows Wildlife Funding Coalition appeared first on Oregon Wild.

SALEM, OR – A landmark bill to fund wildlife conservation in Oregon is being held up in the State Senate, despite passing the House with strong bipartisan support and clearing Senate Rules. HB 2977, backed by a broad and diverse coalition across Oregon (listed at the bottom of this release), is now stalled due to obstruction by two Republican senators, Daniel Bonham and Cedric Hayden, who are using procedural tactics to try to kill the bill.

“This bill has support from every corner of the state,” said Amy Patrick of the Oregon Hunters Association. “It’s a smart, fair solution to address a wildlife funding crisis, and it’s been shaped by everyone from hunters and anglers to birders and business owners. The House did its job. The Senate Rules Committee did its job. I urge the two senators attempting now to derail it to respect the extensive work done by stakeholders and legislators alike, and allow the bill to move forward.”

The so-called “minority report” being wielded to delay the bill has already been written and is available to view, but Senators Bonham and Hayden refuse to officially submit it. 

According to the rules of the Oregon Legislature, Senate President Rob Wagner has the ability to put HB 2977 for a vote on the floor. 

“Senate President Rob Wagner has the power to put HB 2977 on the floor today—and Oregonians from across the state are calling on him to do so,” said Danielle Moser of Oregon Wild. “This is not a party-line issue. Our wildlife, the habitats they depend on, and the democratic process deserve better.”

Over 70% of the submitted testimony available on the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS) is in support of the bill.

“Oregon’s fish and wildlife is big business in Oregon, and this incredible resource is in jeopardy of blinking out,” said Bob Rees of the Northwest Guides and Anglers Association. “The Oregon Legislature is on the precipice of passing its first meaningful funding to turn the tide of these imperiled species through a bipartisan wildlife funding bill. If this bill doesn’t pass, those imperiled species will continue down the path to extinction and, along with it, our community of outdoor enthusiasts that represents one of the greatest transfers of wealth from urban to rural communities in Oregon. We’ll hold those obstructing the passage of this bill personally responsible for its demise, the first real opportunity to recover Oregon’s troubled fish and wildlife species.”

“Rarely has a bill brought a more diverse stakeholder coalition together like HB 2977 has, and with strong bipartisan support in both chambers of the legislature, the bill was set for success,” said Dr. Sristi Kamal, Deputy Director of the Western Environmental Law Center. “But now it is being held hostage by gimmicky tactics such as a minority report by a few Senate Republicans who want to kill HB 2977. They have no interest in unifying rural and urban Oregon and instead thrive by dividing us. We urge the Senate Democratic Party to save HB 2977, and honor the democratic process that got the bill this far.”

Stakeholders are particularly frustrated that genuine compromise and broad consensus are being undermined by obstruction.

“HB 2977 is the result of ranchers, guides, hoteliers, birders, business owners, and sportsmen all pulling in the same direction,” said Tristan Henry, Oregon Field Representative for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “The Senate has an opportunity now to finish what this broad coalition started and deliver a lasting wildlife-funding solution for Oregon. We urge President Rob Wagner and Senate leadership to use every tool available to move HB 2977 forward and pass it into law.”

HB 2977 would increase Oregon’s statewide transient lodging tax—currently one of the lowest in the nation—to provide long-overdue funding for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The agency has identified nearly 300 species in decline, yet lacks the resources to protect and recover them.

A recent economic analysis found that the bill would not deter tourism and could actually boost outdoor recreation spending in Oregon by improving visitor experiences and protecting iconic species and landscapes.

Supporters say the bill is a win-win: funding from tourists to protect the wildlife and landscapes they come to see, and economic benefits for rural communities that rely on outdoor recreation.

“The passage of HB 2977 would be one of Oregon’s most significant environmental achievements in decades,” said Colin Reynolds, senior advisor to the Northwest program at Defenders of Wildlife. “This bill would deliver long-awaited and necessary sustainable funding for Oregon’s essential wildlife conservation programs that support our iconic species like the marbled murrelet, Southern Resident orca and fisher. On behalf of Defenders of Wildlife’s over 40,000 members and supporters in Oregon, I call on the Oregon legislature to pass this bipartisan bill before the end of the legislative session.”

SUPPORT FOR HB 2977

The post Broad Coalition Urges Senate Action on Wildlife Conservation Bill as Two Republican Senators Block Bipartisan Effort appeared first on Oregon Wild.

Portland, OR — In a sweeping rollback of one of America’s most broadly supported and legally durable conservation measures, the Trump administration today announced it is eliminating the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. This move puts nearly 2 million acres of Oregon’s most intact national forest lands at risk, including areas around the Metolius River, the Sandy River, the Oregon Dunes, Mount Hebo, Hardesty Mountain, Tumalo Mountain, and the Upper Hood River Valley.

Oregon Wild strongly condemns this short-sighted decision, which ignores decades of public input, legal precedent, and the irreplaceable ecological value of Oregon’s remaining wild forests.

“Once again, the Trump administration is siding with industry lobbyists and political insiders instead of the people of Oregon and the American public,” said Oregon Wild Climate Forests Program Manager Lauren Anderson. “This decision is an invitation for the most destructive commercial logging, roadbuilding, and development in some of the most remote, ecologically valuable, and unspoiled forests left in the country. These lands belong to all Americans, not just the industrial looters and billionaire donors who have the President’s ear.”

The Roadless Rule was established in 2001 after an unprecedented public process that included more than 600 hearings and 1.6 million comments. The vast majority of comments supported protecting roadless areas from logging and roadbuilding. The rule safeguarded 58.5 million acres of undeveloped national forests, including almost 2 million acres in Oregon, from most commercial development.

The Trump administration’s repeal of the rule comes amid a broader effort to ramp up logging on public forests in Oregon and across the West, as well as threats to sell off millions of acres of public lands, including in Oregon, to pay for Trump’s tax-cut and domestic militarization agenda. 

This effort is presented as “fire prevention,” but studies consistently show that roadbuilding and logging in backcountry forests do little to reduce fire risk near communities. In many cases, these activities increase fire risk while degrading clean water, fish and wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreation opportunities.

A recent poll showed that 74% believe the federal government should focus forest management on thinning small trees near homes and emergency services, rather than large-scale commercial logging in more remote areas like those currently protected by the Roadless Rule. Both state and federal policy heavily subsidize logging lucrative large trees in the backcountry in the name of ‘fire preparedness’ over effective ways to safeguard lives and communities.

“Oregon’s roadless forests are not only home to ancient trees and endangered wildlife. They are vital sources of clean drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people and support the state’s outdoor recreation economy,” said Erik Fernandez, Wilderness Program Manager for Oregon Wild. “Removing protections for these forests is not fire management. It is environmental vandalism.”

From the remote forests of the Rogue River-Siskiyou to the high headwaters of the Blue Mountains, Oregon’s roadless areas are among the state’s last best places. These landscapes provide refuge for salmon, steelhead, elk, and eagles. They offer cold clean water for communities like Ashland and Salem. They also offer a haven for hikers, hunters, and anyone seeking solitude in nature.

“Oregonians have made it clear time and again that they value their wildlands, clean water, and wildlife. The Trump administration’s decision is not only an attack on our environment. It is an attack on our values,” said Anderson.

Oregon Wild and its partners will continue to fight this decision in the courts, in Congress, and in communities across Oregon to ensure that roadless forests remain wild for future generations.

Background:

• The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule protected 58.5 million acres of undeveloped national forests from new roadbuilding and most forms of commercial logging
  
• Nearly 2 million acres of Oregon’s national forests are protected by the Roadless Rule, including parts of Mount Hood, Hells Canyon, and the Siskiyou Mountains
  
• These areas safeguard drinking water for more than 800,000 Oregonians and provide critical habitat for species like salmon, marbled murrelets, and bald eagles
  
• Roadless lands support a robust outdoor recreation economy and are central to Oregon’s wild backcountry experiences

The post Trump Administration Moves to Eliminate Protections for Oregon’s Wild Forests appeared first on Oregon Wild.

SALEM, OR – In a major victory for Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and outdoor heritage, the Oregon House of Representatives has passed HB 2977, a bipartisan bill that would raise the state’s transient lodging tax (TLT) to provide long-overdue funding for wildlife conservation. The bill passed with the required three-fifths majority and now advances to the Oregon Senate.

The bill comes at a critical time for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), which has identified nearly 300 species in decline, including some on the brink of extinction. Yet the agency lacks the funding necessary to proactively conserve these species and their habitats.

“This is a smart, fair, and urgently needed investment in the future of Oregon’s wildlife and the habitats that make this state such a great place to live and visit,” said Danielle Moser at Oregon Wild. “Hunters, anglers, birders, ranchers, and conservationists have all come together to say: it’s time to act.”

HB 2977 would modestly increase Oregon’s statewide TLT, currently one of the lowest in the country, so that visitors help fund the very natural beauty and biodiversity that draw them here in the first place. From elk in Eastern Oregon to seabirds along the coast, wildlife is one of the state’s biggest tourism assets.

A recent economic analysis found that the tax increase would not deter tourism and could actually boost outdoor recreation spending in Oregon by improving visitor experiences and protecting iconic species and landscapes.

“This is a win-win,” said Moser. “This proposal supports healthy ecosystems and rural economies, and it ensures that future generations will be able to enjoy the incredible wildlife that makes Oregon special.”

The legislation follows in the footsteps of Hawaii, which recently increased its hotel tax to help fund conservation and climate resilience. With similar broad support and momentum, Oregon is poised to lead the way in showing how tourism and wildlife can thrive together.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where its coalition of supporters hopes it will soon become law.

The post Oregon House Passes Historic Wildlife Funding Bill With Bipartisan Support appeared first on Oregon Wild.

A biological wonder

Rough and Ready Creek is one of the most extraordinary watersheds in Oregon. It is a biodiversity hotspot for rare and endemic plants found nowhere else on earth. In fact the area has more plant diversity than anywhere else in Oregon. The waters here run crystal clear, even during winter storms and high flows. 

This impressive botanical biodiversity and water quality are thanks to the area’s unique geology and hydrology. When you first lay eyes on the Rough and Ready floodplain, you will find it almost desert-like with shrubs, bunchgrasses, a variety of wildflowers, and a few sparse pine trees scattered about. You may be surprised to learn that this area often receives over 100 inches of annual rainfall! Moist Douglas fir forests can be found just a few hundred yards away.

The floodplain is characterized by serpentine soils, which quickly drain (leaving the soil very dry relative to the amount of rainfall it receives) and contain heavy metals and low nutrient availability. As a result, highly specialized plant species have adapted to survive here, including many that are not found anywhere else in the world. This geology, combined with the area’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean, has resulted in an exceptional diversity of one-of-a-kind landscapes, ancient wetlands, and some of the last native grasslands on the West Coast.

In addition to rare and endemic plant species, fish and wildlife also thrive here. Native chinook salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout have adapted to the creek’s naturally high summer water temperatures, and rare yellow-legged frogs flourish in this pristine habitat.

Siskiyou Mat, Azure Penstemon, and Scytheleaf Onion are among the unique plant species that have specialized to thrive in the serpentine soils of Rough and Ready Creek in southern Oregon.

Threats to this watershed

However, the watershed’s unique geology has also made it a target for the mining industry, threatening its water quality and ecological integrity. The soils here contain low-grade nickel laterite, which, if mined, would result in irreparable harm from smelter construction and operation, water pollution, road building, and surface and strip mining. It would devastate the many values of this watershed and impact nearby communities downstream along the Illinois River.

Rough and Ready Creek could also be degraded by the invasive Port Orford Cedar root disease if roads and mining are allowed. Rough and Ready Creek is one of the few watersheds in southern Oregon that is not yet infested with this disease, and its high botanical diversity values remain intact.

Proposals to protect Rough and Ready Creek

The River Democracy Act, co-sponsored by Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, would designate 13 miles of streams in the Rough and Ready watershed as National Wild & Scenic Rivers, protecting important values such as biological diversity, fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, and outdoor recreation opportunities. 

The Oregon Recreation Enhancement (ORE) Act, also co-sponsored by Senators Wyden and Merkley, is another bill that would protect Rough and Ready Creek and other nearby watersheds from new destructive mining claims. The bill would also expand the Wild Rogue Wilderness. 

Both of these bills are making their way through Congress and need your help to get across the finish line! Take action for Rough and Ready Creek and other watersheds across Oregon by signing on as a Citizen Co-sponsor of the River Democracy and urging your members of Congress to pass the ORE Act.

If you visit

The easiest way to visit Rough and Ready Creek and experience its unique wonders is to walk the short trail at the Rough and Ready Botanical Wayside, located off the Redwoods Highway a few miles south of Cave Junction. Here, you will find many of the rare and endemic plants the area is known for. This is a great spot to stop for a short walk on your way to visiting the Redwoods in California.

Rough and Ready Creek is also a popular whitewater kayaking stream for experienced paddlers during high flows in the winter and early spring.

In addition to the Redwoods, other nearby attractions include the Oregon Caves National Monument, Smith River National Recreation Area, the Kalmiopsis Wilderness, and the Wild & Scenic Illinois River.

The post River Democracy Act Highlights: Rough and Ready Creek appeared first on Oregon Wild.