S. 1462, the “Fix Our Forests Act,” passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Conservation organizations from across the nation have voiced strong concerns with the content of the bill and have opposed its passage. The bill now heads to a full Senate vote.

Oregon Wild Wilderness Program Manager Erik Fernandez released the following statement:

“Today, the US Senate advanced its latest attack on public lands, the so-called “Fix Our Forests Act” (FOFA). This bill is a direct assault on what makes public lands public: it stymies science-based forest management, muzzles community input, and endangers the fish, wildlife, and communities that rely on our forests. It also fails to provide dedicated funding for the types of wildfire strategies that save lives and livelihoods — home hardening, defensible space, and emergency planning.

The legislation authorizes 15 square-mile-sized logging projects with little to no public input and environmental analysis, making this one of the scariest plans to face public lands in a generation.

Trump and his logging industry backers have made no secret of the fact that they see public land forests as tree farms, and view any science, transparency, and accountability from the public as an obstacle to profit. FOFA is nothing less than a corporate handout and a further step towards that dystopian vision. It is a betrayal of the very idea of public lands.

Over the past several months, we have seen an incredible movement develop, first to oppose public lands sales proposed by Senator Mike Lee of Utah, then as an unprecedented outpouring of support for the Roadless Rule that protects some of our nation’s last wild places from reckless logging and development. Over 99% of those public comments opposed the Trump administration’s efforts to rescind these public lands protections.

Unfortunately, too many politicians in Washington DC, including Senate Democrats like Amy Klobuchar, still don’t get it. 

Public lands may be managed by agencies like the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service, but they belong to all of us. They’re held in trust for the American people, not for industry lobbyists or corporate logging interests. As caretakers of these lands and as believers in the democratic vision they represent, we will continue to remind our elected officials that these places are ours, and that efforts to privatize, profit, and remove public oversight will not be forgotten.”

The post Anti-Public Lands Forest Bill Passes Senate Committee appeared first on Oregon Wild.

Growing up in Central Oregon, I developed a great appreciation for our local environment. I am fortunate to have always had access to abundant Oregon public lands where I explore, learn, and find inner peace among the chaos of everyday life. My childhood summers looked like canoe camping at different lakes along the Cascade Lakes highway, hiking in the mountains, spending time at the river, and exploring the beautiful outdoors of my home state. Every winter, my sister and I loved to spend time in the snow, sledding when we were young and skiing with friends on the weekends. As a kid, the luxury of enjoying these places that we call home, was something I never imagined going away. But over the years, I’ve come to realize that nature, as vast and wonderful as it is, has threats.

When I was in 4th grade, I began to notice the difference between snowfalls each season. Before then, my sister and I were able to build snow caves and structures with friends on snow days – some of my best memories. As the years passed, snowfall gradually decreased, limiting our days of snowball fights and good ski days. From the back seat as an 8 year old, I would observe the height of snow banks along the highway on our way up to ski at Mt. Bachelor. Vague memories of my view out the window reflect walls of snow taller than my Dad’s Jeep. Those days became far and few between until snow banks taller than 3 feet hardly existed…

My second epiphany was when our family friend’s summer vacation house in Detroit, Oregon burned in the 2020 Labor Day fires. I spent many summer days there and still remember the giddy excitement I felt each time we arrived at that house, eager to play cops and robbers, catch snails, and compete to find the biggest leaf in the surrounding forest. Tragically, we were shocked by the news in 2020 that the house and much of the community had been lost to the raging fire. We had to accept the difficult reality that we would never tell stories around that fire pit and chant songs from our beloved “chanting stump” again.

These collective positive and negative childhood memories have helped me realize the impact that human activities have on the natural world. Experiences like these have influenced my desire to protect and fight for nature and public lands so that generations to come can make memories like I have, exploring and enjoying our home in the great outdoors, which is also home to so much beautiful wildlife.

Being an Advocate

After graduating high school this Spring, I started an internship with Oregon Wild through NatureConnect Central Oregon’s Green Jobs program. This internship has allowed me to take a deeper dive into the work that goes into protecting these important natural places that define Oregon. Co-leading Oregon Wild hikes, attending staff meetings, and working alongside Sami Godlove and Erik Fernandez in the Bend office has expanded my understanding of the behind-the-scenes work of conservation. This opportunity has allowed me to be part of an important statewide movement to educate, inspire, and make measurable progress towards protecting our wild places.

Defending Our Roadless Wildlands

Hiking through the Tumalo Mountain Roadless Area on an Oregon Wild guided hike, I was impressed by the countless tumbling waterfalls and the old-growth forest that surrounded me. This forest, and the water flowing from the creek, provide clean water to the city of Bend, where I live, every day.

The serenity of the wild forest grounded me. Without the distractions of screens, the buzz of motorized vehicles, and the hustle of daily commotion, I felt I could focus and breathe.

This enjoyable activity outside also became a mission-driven and purposeful experience as we were also advocating for the Roadless Rule. Photographing the wild forest around me and talking with the hikers about the importance of protecting it made me feel like I was playing my small part in a vital movement that would have lasting impacts for generations to come. During lunch, we sat along the creek and wrote postcards to the Forest Service asking them to keep these places protected.

The Roadless Rule has been protecting a total of over 58 million acres of our most wild and intact public land for the past 25 years, including nearly 2 million acres in Oregon. Like the people on our hike, many Oregonians love and appreciate the access we have to outdoor recreation, fresh drinking water, and clean air. Now more than ever, the voices of the American people must be heard to continue to protect these places.

In June 2025, the Trump Administration announced its intent to repeal the Roadless Rule, which would open up these currently protected places to logging, mining, construction, road development, and more harmful activities. Once these areas are impacted, they are damaged for generations to come.

Over a three-week period through September, I worked with Oregon Wild to get as many people from the public as we could to submit a public comment in support of protecting the Roadless Rule. This included work such as hosting comment writing workshops, talking to local media, creating social media content, writing a Letter to the Editor, and supporting educational guided hikes to local Roadless Areas like Tumalo Mountain and Paulina Lake. In the end, thousands of Oregonians, and over 600,000 people nationwide submitted comments, with over 99% of them in support of keeping Roadless Rule protections in place!

Although the first comment period has come to a close, the fight is not done yet. The Roadless Area Conservation Act (RACA) is working its way through Congress and will hopefully be passed soon. Thank you to Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, Representatives Andrea Salinas, Maxine Dexter, and Suzanne Bonamici, and my representative, Janelle Bynum, who have all signed on in support of this important piece of legislation. Passing this bill would mean permanent protections for all of our roadless wildlands.

Protecting Oregon’s Wild Rivers

Along with RACA, Oregon Wild is working diligently to pass the River Democracy Act, a piece of legislation that would designate 3,200 miles of currently unprotected rivers and streams around Oregon as National Wild & Scenic Rivers. These vital waterways provide habitat for wildlife, recreational activities that many businesses depend on, and clean drinking water for millions of Oregonians. These streams are also important for our fight against climate change as they naturally sequester and store carbon, and provide cold water refuges for fish and wildlife. 

In September, I assisted a second Oregon Wild hike along the Peter Skene Ogden Trail – a 6-mile scenic hike along Paulina Creek, near the Newberry National Volcanic Monument in Central Oregon. For years I had visited Paulina Lake with my family, but never realized that a thriving ecosystem was just beyond the thicket of trees. We had our lunch stop at a scenic waterfall, where I sat along the bank of the creek. I observed the underside of a Matsutake mushroom, with the cool mist from the waterfall on my face and dozens of California Tortoiseshell butterflies flitting around me. It was shocking that such a wonderful natural space, rich and abundant with life, is still unprotected. 

The River Democracy Act would also protect other Central Oregon streams such as Tumalo Creek, the Fall River, the headwaters of the Deschutes, and tributaries of the Metolius. Across the state, parts of the McKenzie, Rogue, Clackamas, John Day, and Grande Ronde watersheds are also included in the bill.

How You Can Take Action Too

Every Oregonian who values this land can become a part of this movement. As I learned over my internship, the voice of the public is so vital in public lands management, and your voice can impact the decisions being made for our environment.

You can take action and get involved through organizations such as Oregon Wild. Contacting your members of Congress and writing Letters to the Editor to your local paper can help influence decision-makers. Become a Citizen Co-sponsor of the River Democracy Act today and join the movement to protect our state’s vital waterways for fish and wildlife, clean drinking water, and outdoor recreation opportunities. Tell your representatives to pass the Roadless Area Conservation Act and save our last wild, undeveloped forests from the administration’s attack on the Roadless Rule.

I am one teen with one voice, and there are millions of other Oregonians who have the right to speak up. You matter in the fight to protect our wild places for future generations. Take action today.

Kyla Guerrero (she/her) is a Wildland Advocacy Intern for Oregon Wild, based in Bend, Oregon. She graduated from Bend Senior High School this Spring and plans to attend the Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon in the Fall 2026.

The post A summer advocating for Oregon’s wildlands appeared first on Oregon Wild.

With an incredibly short three-week public comment period, the administration was no doubt expecting, and hoping, to receive little response from the public.

But, boyyyyy, were they wrong about that.

The agency received over 600,000 public comments, and an initial analysis by the Center for Western Priorities found that opposition to the administration’s plan to repeal the Roadless Rule was near unanimous; a remarkable 99.2% of comments supported keeping Roadless protections in place.

It doesn’t get much clearer than that. Americans love their public lands and want our last undeveloped forests to stay ROADLESS.

Oregonians speak up for wild forests

In Oregon, thousands of people made their voices heard during the public comment period by submitting comments, showing up to events, and sharing their endearment for Oregon’s wild places.

Oregon Wild and partners hosted comment-writing events in Bend and Eugene, where over 100 people showed up to take action for our state’s roadless forests. Dozens of others joined us on guided hikes through Roadless Areas like Tumalo Mountain in Central Oregon, Larch Mountain in the Columbia Gorge, and Gordon Lakes in the Willamette National Forest.

Thank you for showing up, and thank you for clearly and forcefully rejecting this attack on our wild public lands.

What’s next?

The comment period may have ended, but this is just the start of the process, and there will be other opportunities for the public to engage. The Forest Service must now analyze all of these comments, and we expect the agency’s draft plan to be released in spring 2026, kicking off another comment period. We can expect a final rule and decision by early 2027.

What can you do now?

Until then, we are focused on passing legislative protections for roadless areas through the Roadless Area Conservation Act (RACA). This bill would codify the Roadless Rule into law, creating lasting protections for these places that can’t be undone by this–or a future–administration.

We are fortunate to have congressional champions for public lands in Oregon like Rep. Andrea Salinas, who introduced the House version of RACA. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Maxine Dexter, and Janelle Bynum are co-sponsors of the House bill, and both Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are co-sponsors on the Senate side.

Rep. Cliff Bentz and Rep. Val Hoyle are the only two Oregon representatives who have not yet supported the bill.

While we don’t expect public lands protections to pass the current Congress, any support we can secure now makes it more likely this will be on the short list of things a new Congress can do after the 2026 election.

Reach out to your members of Congress today and urge them to advance this critical legislation to keep our undeveloped forests wild.

The post Americans push back on Trump’s plan to repeal Roadless Rule appeared first on Oregon Wild.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Forest Service has concluded a three week public comment period on the Trump administration’s plan to rescind the landmark Roadless Rule. The rule protects approximately 44.7 million acres of National Forest System lands, including nearly 2 million acres in Oregon, but the Trump administration wants to open these wild areas up for logging and mining.

Hundreds of thousands of comments were submitted from across the country, including thousands of unique and personalized comments from Oregonians. A coalition of conservation organizations, including Oregon Wild, Central Oregon LandWatch, Central and Eastern Oregon Bitterbrush Broadband, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Cascadia Wildlands, Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project, Greater Hells Canyon Council, and Oregon Sierra Club helped facilitate this outpouring of public input.

An initial analysis by the Center for Western Priorities found that opposition to dropping safeguards for Roadless Areas was nearly unanimous, with 99.2 percent of comments supporting keeping Roadless protections in place.

“The American people have clearly and forcefully rejected this attack on our wild public lands,” said Sami Godlove, Central Oregon Field Coordinator for Oregon Wild. “Proceeding with the rescission of the Roadless Rule after such an overwhelming outpouring of opposition would be another example of how the Trump administration allows campaign donors, like those in the logging industry, to buy the policies they want, even when the public has spoken nearly unanimously against them.”  

Adopted in 2001 after the most extensive public involvement process in federal rulemaking history, the Roadless Rule safeguards some of America’s last intact national forest landscapes. These areas provide clean water, critical wildlife habitat, and world-class recreation opportunities while sustaining rural economies.

“Roadless areas contain much of our last remaining mature and old-growth public forests, which absorb climate pollution and provide refuge for vulnerable fish and wildlife,” said Grace Brahler, Wildlands Director with Cascadia Wildlands. “Targeting these areas for destructive extractive practices would further erode the ecological resilience we need in the face of a warming climate.”

View an interactive map of Oregon Roadless Areas

Roadless Areas are also some of the most fire-resilient landscapes. Because they are remote and intact, they experience fewer human-caused ignitions. Building new roads would dramatically increase the number of man-made fire starts and redirect scarce firefighting resources away from protecting homes and communities. Instead of focusing on strategic fuel reduction projects near communities where it matters most, the logging industry is pressuring agencies to pursue logging in unroaded backcountry areas where timber is more lucrative. Logging in these areas would make them more vulnerable to fire, fragment wildlife habitat, and degrade water quality. Road construction and the sediment runoff that follows are already among the greatest threats to clean drinking water across the West.

“Even the Forest Service’s own research shows that building more roads neither improves forest health outcomes nor mitigates wildfire risks. More roads lead to more fires, pulling vital wildfire response resources away from where they’re needed most,” said Fiona Noonan of Central Oregon LandWatch. “Rolling back of the Roadless Rule is not only scientifically baseless — it’s reckless, putting people and ecosystems at greater risk.”

The Trump administration’s attempt to roll back the Roadless Rule is part of a broader campaign to weaken bedrock environmental safeguards. Other targets include the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, individual Forest Management Plans, and the Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Conservation Rule. The administration has also slashed staff at the Forest Service and is attempting to relocate experienced staff and leadership away from the Pacific Northwest. These efforts undermine public accountability while falsely claiming to be about “local control.”

“Rescinding the Roadless Rule would put clean drinking water at risk for people in downstream communities,” said Paula Hood of the Blue Mountain Biodiversity Project.  “National Forests provide clean drinking water to millions of people nationwide, and Roadless areas are strongholds for the cleanest, coldest water.”

Meanwhile, most of Oregon’s congressional delegation has signed on in support of the Roadless Area Conservation Act, legislation that would make the rule permanent. The only two members who have not cosponsored the bill are Representative Val Hoyle and Representative Cliff Bentz.

“Eliminating the Roadless Rule would be a disaster for Oregon’s forests and communities,” said Jamie Dawson of Greater Hells Canyon Council. “Building new roads in these wild places opens the door to invasive species and habitat fragmentation. Once these areas are cut apart, we lose the clean water, wildlife, and solitude they provide forever.”

The next step in the Forest Service process will be to analyze the public comments and issue a draft plan, likely in the spring.

Oregon’s Roadless Wildlands

Oregon’s roadless forests are among our state’s most spectacular and irreplaceable landscapes. From the flower-studded meadows of Iron Mountain in the Willamette National Forest, to the dramatic canyons and cultural homelands of the Nez Perce Tribe in Joseph Canyon, to the clean drinking water flowing from Tumalo Mountain into the taps of more than 100,000 people in Bend, these places embody the best of Oregon’s natural and cultural heritage. They also sustain recreation economies and wildlife habitats.

Other iconic areas include Lookout Mountain in the Ochocos, where diverse forests and meadows form the headwaters of critical streams; Rough & Ready Creek, a unique botanical wonderland threatened by mining in southwest Oregon; and Larch Mountain, a lush old-growth haven just minutes from Portland. These and dozens of other roadless areas across Oregon safeguard clean water, biodiversity, cultural values, and recreation opportunities that are impossible to replace once lost.

Learn more about the Roadless Rule and Oregon Roadless Areas here. 

The post Over 99% of Public Comments Oppose Trump Administration’s Attack on Wildlands Protections appeared first on Oregon Wild.

BEND, OR — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has opened a public comment period on a proposal that threatens to dismantle the landmark Roadless Rule. This rule preserves the last of our intact public lands as a home for wildlife, a haven for recreation, and a heritage for future generations. Oregon Wild is calling on Oregonians to speak up in defense of these critical protections.

Adopted in 2001, the Roadless Rule had the most extensive public involvement process in federal rulemaking history. It protects nearly 2 million acres in Oregon (60 million nationally) of the most pristine national forest lands from logging and road-building. These “roadless areas” are some of the last intact landscapes in America, providing clean water, critical wildlife habitat, and world-class recreation opportunities.

“Eliminating the Roadless Rule would be a disaster for Oregon’s forests and communities,” said Erik Fernandez, Wilderness Program Manager for Oregon Wild. “Building new roads in these wild places opens the door to invasive species and habitat fragmentation. Once these areas are cut apart, we lose the clean water, wildlife, and solitude they provide forever.”

View an interactive map of Oregon Roadless Areas

The Trump administration’s proposal would also undermine public accountability. Unlike the original Roadless Rule, this attempt to repeal protections is being rushed through with minimal opportunity for input, scientific review, or oversight.

“These forests are some of Oregon’s most treasured landscapes, from the flower-studded meadows of Echo Mountain to the headwaters of Tumalo Creek, which provides Bend’s drinking water,” said Sami Godlove, Central Oregon Field Coordinator for Oregon Wild. “Oregonians value these places deeply, and now is the time to raise our voices to ensure they remain protected for future generations.”

Oregonians can submit their comments to the USDA before the close of the comment period on September 19, 2025.

Oregon’s Roadless Wildlands

Oregon’s roadless forests are among our state’s most spectacular and irreplaceable landscapes. From the flower-studded meadows of Iron Mountain in the Willamette National Forest, to the dramatic canyons and cultural homelands of the Nez Perce Tribe in Joseph Canyon, to the clean drinking water flowing from Tumalo Mountain into the taps of more than 100,000 people in Bend, these places embody the best of Oregon’s natural and cultural heritage. They also sustain recreation economies and wildlife habitats.

Other iconic areas include Lookout Mountain in the Ochocos, where diverse forests and meadows form the headwaters of critical streams; Rough & Ready Creek, a unique botanical wonderland threatened by mining in southwest Oregon; and Larch Mountain, a lush old-growth haven just minutes from Portland. These and dozens of other roadless areas across Oregon safeguard clean water, biodiversity, cultural values, and recreation opportunities that are impossible to replace once lost.

Learn more about the Roadless Rule and Oregon Roadless Areas here. 

The post Oregon Wild Rallies Public to Defend Roadless Rule appeared first on Oregon Wild.

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.

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.

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.