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.

While there are so many things an individual can do, the best thing is to simply participate in democracy. Yes, that means voting, but it doesn’t stop there; we must also pressure our legislators and elected officials to stand up for our values and hold them accountable for their actions. One of the best ways to do this and speak directly to our legislators is to attend and ask questions at their town halls.

Fortunately, most of our elected leaders in Oregon prioritize holding regular in-person town hall meetings, and several are scheduled across the state in the coming weeks. With a slew of current threats to public lands and the environment at the federal level, it’s now more important than ever to attend these town halls and demand action from our members of Congress.

Check out our town hall guide below for important tips, suggested questions, and to find an upcoming event in your area!

Upcoming town halls

Josephine County Town Hall with Senator Ron Wyden
Monday, August 18 at 4pm
Rogue Community College gym, 3345 Redwood Highway, Grants Pass, OR

Benton County Town Hall with Senator Ron Wyden
Wednesday, August 20 at 4pm
Philomath High School auditorium, 2054 Applegate St., Philomath, OR

Eugene Town Hall with Rep. Val Hoyle
Wednesday, August 20 at 6pm
South Eugene High School, 400 E 19th Ave, Eugene, OR 97401

Clatsop County Town Hall with Senator Ron Wyden
Saturday, August 23 at 4pm
Astoria High School auditorium, 1001 W Marine Dr., Astoria, OR

Molalla Town Hall with Rep. Janelle Bynum
Monday, August 25 at 6pm
Location and details TBA

Silverton Town Hall with Rep. Janelle Bynum
Saturday, August 30 at 10:30am
Location and details TBA

Visit your legislators’ websites or social media channels to find out about upcoming town halls. Senators Merkley and Wyden each have a goal to visit every county in Oregon at least once per year.

Town Hall Tips

Get there early and get a good seat. If you want to ask a question, you will likely need to sign up upon arrival and be given a raffle ticket.

There is no guarantee that your number will be called, and there will likely be hundreds of others who will also sign up to ask a question. To make sure your point is made, we recommend bringing a sign to hold that will get the legislator’s attention (e.g. “Vote NO on F Our Forests,” “Pass the River Democracy Act,” “Save Our Roadless Forests,” etc).

Think about what you want to say or ask in advance. Prepare two or three key points.  Write them down.

If you get a chance to ask your question, be succinct and follow this general formula (see specific examples under “Suggested Conservation Topics and Questions” below):

• Identify yourself with your name and where you live. If relevant, say what your profession, expertise, or interest in the issue is.
• Thank the elected official for a past action/stance related to your question.
• Present your position and your ask/question of the official. Include any personal experience or connection you have on the issue but keep it brief.
• State your requested action of the elected official (support, oppose, introduce, protect, etc.)
• Thank them for their time.

Even if someone else has already asked a question on your topic, ask it again! The more our elected officials hear about a specific issue, the more they will understand its importance.

If you aren’t selected, or you can’t attend, you can still call the legislators’ office afterwards and ask your question or make your comment. Several of their staff will also likely be in attendance to answer questions before or after the event. You can also bring and leave a pre-written comment with staff.

Suggested Conservation Topics and Questions

Thank you: It’s best to start any comment or question with a thank you.

• E.g.: “Thank you for opposing efforts to sell off and privatize our national public lands”
• For Wyden: “Thank you for your efforts to protect Oregon rivers through the River Democracy Act.”

Sample Topics:

• “I am concerned about the Trump Administration’s efforts to repeal the Roadless Rule and expand logging on public lands.”
• “I am concerned about the Trump administration’s attacks on our public lands and bedrock environmental laws.”

Sample Questions:

• “From the Executive Order to increase timber production to the proposed repeal of the Roadless Rule, our forests and public lands are under attack. Our mature and old-growth forests provide critical habitat for imperiled species, clean drinking water, opportunities for outdoor recreation, and are critical in the fight against climate change. I hope you will defend Roadless Rule protections for our wild forests and support the Roadless Area Conservation Act. What else can you do to ensure our environmental laws are upheld and our forests remain standing?”
• “The harmful and poorly named Fix Our Forests Act is making its way through Congress. Despite its proponents’ claims, the bill does little to invest in proven wildfire community protection measures and instead provides loopholes to allow for cutting large trees and skirting environmental laws. Will you oppose legislation that aims to expand commercial logging on public lands and remove public oversight of logging projects?”
• “The current attacks by the administration and Congress on our national public lands underscore the urgent need for more meaningful and lasting protections. I am encouraged by legislation that would do just that, such as the River Democracy Act, Roadless Area Conservation Act, and Oregon Recreation Enhancement Act. Can we count on you to pass these bills and finally give our public lands and waters the protection they need and deserve?”

For more information on town halls or how to advocate for public lands in other ways, make sure to visit our Activist Toolkit.

Now grab your friends, draft your questions, make your signs, and use your voice to speak up for Oregon’s public lands, forests, and wildlife! Together, we can make a difference. 

The post 2025 Town Hall Guide appeared first on Oregon Wild.

View the full PIELC program and schedule

Friday, Feb. 28

Saturday, March 1

Sunday, March 2

Bryce Wade

The post Oregon Wild at PIELC appeared first on Oregon Wild.

For those working within the federal government, the anxiety is real. If you are a person of color, LGBTQ+, or a woman in a position of authority, the administration’s war on “DEI” is more than just rhetoric—it’s an attempt to erase progress and silence voices that belong in every room where decisions are made.

But know this: you are not alone. At Oregon Wild, we see you. We stand with you.

While we have long held federal agencies accountable when they fail to uphold environmental laws, we also recognize the dedicated career professionals who work every day to safeguard our public lands, waters, and wildlife. Scientists and civil servants are on the frontlines, pushing for the best possible outcomes, and some good work still happens despite political pressure. We know that for those committed to conservation and public service, these times are particularly fraught.

The challenges ahead are immense, but we are ready to meet them together. Oregon Wild remains committed to protecting our forests, rivers, and wildlife—and to standing with those who do the same from within the system. We will not be intimidated, and we will not back down. We will not obey in advance. We will keep fighting with you and for you.

Together, we will fight for a future where public lands serve the public good, not corporate greed. A future where science, justice, and integrity prevail, and a legacy of wildlands, wildlife, and clean water is preserved for all Americans.

Abiqua Falls by Michael Burkhardt

The post We will not obey in advance appeared first on Oregon Wild.

My conservation career began a little over eleven years ago, sitting around Oregon Wild’s conference table. I was interviewing for the role of Klamath Program Coordinator with Conservation Director Steve Pedery and the late, great Wendell Wood. I had moved to Portland seven months earlier, hoping to make a career transition, but I struggled to gain a foothold in the conservation community. I remember being so nervous, feeling that this was the opportunity—and the organization—I’d been waiting for. An organization with fearless advocates and a remarkable track record of securing victories for nature against all odds.

Oregon Wild took a chance on me, for which I will be eternally grateful. It was here that I learned what it means to be an effective advocate: to hold myself and our leaders accountable, to collaborate, to fight, to laugh, and, most importantly, to love and care deeply for Oregon’s wildlife and wild places. Since then, I’ve worked to protect Oregon’s wildlife and their habitats at both state and national organizations. Yet through all of these experiences, Oregon Wild has always been my advocacy north star.

Returning now as Executive Director feels like coming full circle—and, as Lisa said, like coming home. I’m honored to step into this role and humbled to inherit it from Sean Stevens. It’s a privilege to carry forward the legacy of the many people who have made Oregon Wild the powerhouse for nature that it is today. And just as Oregon Wild took a chance on me, I am committed to supporting the next generation of conservation advocates. Because we are going to need them.

As we face four years under a Trump Administration, I can think of no place I’d rather be than Oregon Wild. This team cares so deeply and is so damn good at what they do. And our work is only possible because of all of you—our community of volunteers, members, and supporters.

The road ahead won’t be easy, but we won’t be walking it alone. I’m ready to dig in and excited to work alongside all of you. Here’s to the next fifty years of keeping Oregon wild—together.

Quinn (Quynh Dien) Read
Executive Director

The post Welcoming Quinn Read as Oregon Wild’s new Executive Director appeared first on Oregon Wild.

Bob’s dedication leaves a lasting mark on the diverse landscapes of Oregon, from the sweeping Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, where greater sandhill cranes find sanctuary, to the ancient old-growth forests that shelter spotted owls and marbled murrelets, and the coastal dunes where snowy plovers once again dart across the sand.

To live in Oregon during Bob’s lifetime was to know there was a relentless champion fighting for the places that sustain both people and nature. His legacy will endure, and we remain deeply grateful for the inspiration he provided.

“It was an honor to call Bob a friend,” said Steve Pedery, Oregon Wild’s Conservation Director. “His grace and good humor made him a delight to be around, and no one will ever match the passion, energy, and tenacity he brought to his advocacy for the wildlife, habitat, and public lands of Oregon. I believe the best way to honor Bob is by carrying on his work to protect the birds, wetlands, and forests he loved so dearly.”

The post Honoring Bob Sallinger, Conservation Champion appeared first on Oregon Wild.

In Roseburg we gathered with our friends at Umpqua Watersheds to celebrate protecting places like the Boulder Creek Wilderness and fighting old-growth timber sales in the Umpqua National Forest and on local BLM lands.

In Medford, our friends with KS Wild, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, Applegate Siskiyou Alliance, and many others joined us to celebrate the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, the return of wolves to southwest Oregon, the Wild Rogue, and the defense of backyard forests in the area.

In Eugene, Ninkasi Brewing hosted us as we toasted the town where we got our start, the partners and friends we work with on forest defense and the Climate Forests Campaign like Cascadia Wildlands, and the work we’ve done protecting the McKenzie River and Willamette National Forest.

In Bend, we took over a room at Worthy Brewing to celebrate the success our central Oregon staff and partners have achieved in protecting the amazing rivers, wild places, and old-growth trees in the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, and the long-time advocacy of the iconic Tim Lillebo.

In Corvallis, supporters and friends (including a big showing of Great Old Broads for Wilderness!) celebrated protected Wilderness and endangered species in the Coast Range, our advocacy for restoration in the Siuslaw National Forest, and looked to the future of engaging folks in this community.

In Lincoln City we welcomed folks from all along the central and north coast to check in about our work supporting the return of sea otters to Oregon, reforming state and private forest logging policy, and the coastal streams ready to be protected under the River Democracy Act.

Finally, in northeast Oregon we got together in La Grande and Joseph at the end of October with some of the original staff, board members, and activists involved with Oregon Wild – including our first Executive Director James Monteith. Partners with the Greater Hells Canyon Council, Forest Service and wildlife agency staff, scientists, and river guides helped us toast the wild places of the Blue Mountains, Hells Canyon, and the Wallowas. Our staff even had time to enjoy some of the wild lands we fight so hard for!

In every community, we gathered with enthusiastic supporters to reminisce about their involvement and appreciation of the places we’ve worked to protect together. Many added notes to our giant map showing conservation successes over 50 years to point out their passions and where they hope we’ll achieve success in the future.

Our roadshow tour has been really rewarding for our team as well – as we reflect on our history of work in different regions of the state, connect with supporters old and new, and join together in a vision for the future.

Thank you to everyone who has been able to join us at these events and to those who have made a special donation or picked up a shirt or sticker with our new logo to help show off your Oregon Wild pride and to inspire other lovers of the wild! (You can still make a special donation in honor of our 50th anniversary here!)

The post Taking our 50-year celebration on the road appeared first on Oregon Wild.

Sean Stevens
Executive Director

The post A new chapter for Oregon Wild appeared first on Oregon Wild.

Being an advocate for wildlands and wildlife in Oregon is not easy. And often, after a big win – designating a new Wilderness area or securing endangered species protections for at-risk wildlife – we just move on to the next fight rather than relishing our accomplishments and celebrating the people that made them happen. For a 20-year period starting in the late ‘70s, the Oregon Wilderness Conference provided a perfect venue to do just that. And during that time we handed out awards to dozens of individuals and organizations in recognition of their sacrifices for and dedication to the wild. 

On this occasion of our 50th anniversary, we wanted to return to that tradition and celebrate some of the conservation heroes among us, so in addition to celebrating our collective love of wild places and wildlife, the events’ program also recognized the dedication and accomplishments of some of the conservation heroes in our midst. Candice Guth, finance director at Oregon Wild for 17 years, received the Holly Jones Award for Organizational Development. Doug Heiken, a 30-year veteran on staff, received the Carol Alderson Award for Perseverance. Regna Merritt was awarded the William O. Douglas Award for Courage for her 20 years of work, including 10 at the helm, for Oregon Wild. Andy Kerr, legendary conservationist and director at Oregon Wild in the 1980s and ‘90s, received the David Simons Award for Vision. 

In addition, Ann Vileisis, a champion for the wild rivers and natural areas of the southern Oregon coast, was awarded the Tim Lillebo Wildlands Warrior Award.

Photos from both evenings can be found in this album. (Thanks to Curtis Smith and Chloe LaMonica for lending their photography skills to the cause!)

These grand events would not have been possible without generous sponsorships and beverage donations from Mahonia Reality (Seth Prickett), the Elizabeth G. Maughan Foundation, Killian Pacific, Wyld, B+B Print Source, Mountain Rose Herbs, Worthy Brewing, Fullerton Wines, Ninkasi Brewing, Avid Cider Co., Breakside Brewery, and Schilling Hard Cider. And a special thanks to Expedition Old Growth for donating two tree-climbing adventures to the evening’s raffle!

From all of us here at Oregon Wild, thanks to everyone involved in helping out, attending, and supporting these celebrations of our past, present, and future. Look for more opportunities to celebrate in communities around the state later this summer and fall!

The post Evergreen: Oregon Wild’s 50th Anniversary Gala Events appeared first on Oregon Wild.

So when millions of dollars started flowing from taxpayers to the logging industry to greenwash clearcutting, we knew there was a different story to tell. 

Last month, we were able to take a CBS News correspondent out to Bureau of Land Management forests outside Carlton, Oregon that had been clearcut for a mass timber project.

Mass timber is a promising technology, but is currently being marketed as sustainable and “climate-smart” despite little concern for how the wood is being sourced. No “green” building should be associated with large-scale clearcuts, especially not clearcutting on public lands.

The post Lights! Camera! Clearcuts! appeared first on Oregon Wild.