Speaker: Daniela Naomi Molnar

Trained in science and art, Molnar brings a unique background. She’s the founder of the Art & Ecology Program at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, a former Art Director for Scientific American and helped found the Signal Fire artist residency. A longtime Portland resident and advocate for wild landscapes, her work is rooted in the ecology and spirit of the Pacific Northwest. 

Additional Resources

Check out Daniela’s website to learn more about her and view her work.

The post Webcast: Art, Ecology, and Activism appeared first on Oregon Wild.

The post Fall 2025 Newsletter appeared first on Oregon Wild.

Listen in to learn about the history of the Roadless Rule, and explore what’s at stake if it is repealed. We zoom in on specific wild places around Oregon, and give you the tools you’ll need to make your voice heard.

Speakers

Marina Richie, from Bend, is on the board of the Greater Hells Canyon Council. She’s the author of Halcyon Journey in Search of the Belted Kingfisher, awarded the 2024 John Burroughs Medal and a National Outdoor Book Award. She wrote a series for Oregon Wild’s 50th Anniversary called “Every Wild Place Has a Story” that featured several roadless areas. Her passion for saving wildlands in the state date to volunteering for the then Oregon Wilderness Coalition in the late ’70s and lobbying for the Oregon Wilderness Bill of 1984. Her new book featuring birds at every level of ancient forests of the Pacific Northwest will come out in September, 2026. You can find more about her and read her blogs at www.marinarichie.com.

Chandra LeGue is the Senior Conservation Advocate for Oregon Wild and the author of Oregon’s Ancient Forests: A Hiking Guide.

Sami Godlove is the Central Oregon Field Coordinator for Oregon Wild.

Additional Resources

We need your help defending the Roadless Rule. View the map of Roadless Areas at risk here, and submit your comment in defense of Oregon’s wildlands here.

Feeling extra inspired? Turn your comment into a Letter to Editor using our how-to guide.

The post Webcast: Defending Roadless Wildlands, Oregon’s Wild Heart appeared first on Oregon Wild.

The post Summer 2025 Newsletter appeared first on Oregon Wild.

From secretive industry ties and stock trades to sweeping attacks on the Endangered Species Act, the Antiquities Act, and public land protections, the reporting team at Public Domain—Jimmy Tobias, Chris D’Angelo, and Roque Planas—has been digging deep into the actions of the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans as they work to dismantle some of our most vital environmental safeguards.

In this video, you’ll hear directly from the team about what they’ve uncovered, what’s at stake for Oregon and the country, and what they’re watching next. Don’t miss this chance to go behind the headlines with the reporters on the front lines of environmental accountability journalism.

To continue hearing from Public Domain subscribe to their Substack here: https://www.publicdomain.media/

The post The Journalists Exposing Trump’s War on Public Lands and Wildlife appeared first on Oregon Wild.

At this critical moment, listen in on Oregon Wild and the National Parks Conservation Association’s urgent and timely conversation about the future of America’s public lands. We were joined by Chuck Sams, former Director of the National Park Service and the first Indigenous person to lead the agency, and Kristen Brengel, Vice President of Government Affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association.

Together, we explored the growing threats to our public lands, what these changes will mean for the places we love, and how everyday Americans can take action to defend our shared natural heritage.

Photo by Sungwook Choi

The post America’s Public Lands in Peril: The Future of Our National Treasures appeared first on Oregon Wild.

In this engaging talk with renowned naturalist and storyteller David Lukas, we explored how and why birds sing, what their songs communicate, and how scientists study these vocalizations to better understand avian behavior. You’ll gain a new appreciation for the role bird song plays in the lives of birds—and in our own connection to the natural world.

Additional Resources

David Lukas’ Website

Photo by Cody Clark

The post Webcast: Unlocking the Secrets of Bird Song appeared first on Oregon Wild.

Wildfire: Threat and Necessity

Wildland fires can endanger homes and lives, but it’s also essential for healthy forests. Fire clears undergrowth, recycles nutrients, creates habitat like standing dead trees (snags), and supports biodiversity. Forests east and west of the Cascades evolved with fire, and many plants and animals depend on it. However, unnaturally intense fires—especially near communities—are a growing concern.

Forests Were Once More Resilient

Many Indigenous peoples used fire to shape diverse, resilient forests full of big trees and complex habitats. These forests were better able to withstand fire, drought, and other disturbances. In contrast, modern industrial logging and fire suppression have led to dense, uniform tree plantations that are more flammable and less resilient.

Logging Increases Fire Risk

Research shows corporate tree plantations burn more severely than nearby public forests. Logging often removes fire-resistant old trees, replaces them with dense young ones, and suppresses beneficial fire. Aggressive thinning can dry out forests, making them more flammable. Add climate change and development, and the result is larger, more destructive fires.

Climate Change is a Major Driver

Hotter, drier summers, less snow, and extreme wind events are increasing fire risk. Protecting mature and old-growth forests is one of the best ways to combat both climate change and fire risk. These forests store carbon, resist burning, and help regulate the climate. By contrast, logging releases carbon and creates flammable conditions.

Fire Releases Less Carbon Than Logging

Despite the smoke, wildfire emits far less carbon than logging. Fires often burn patchily, and dead trees continue storing carbon for decades. Logging, on the other hand, strips carbon-storing trees from the land, depletes soil, and relies heavily on fossil fuels.

Restoration Can Help—But Only If Done Right

Some dry forests benefit from careful thinning of small trees and managed fire to restore old-growth conditions. But too often, these practices are misused to justify commercial logging that removes large trees and harms ecosystems. True restoration focuses on small-diameter trees, improving habitat, and supporting natural disturbance.

Protect Homes, Not Just Trees

Thinning remote forests doesn’t protect homes. Fireproofing homes—by clearing vegetation near buildings, using fire-resistant materials, and maintaining defensible space—is far more effective and cost-efficient. Yet agencies often spend more on backcountry logging than on proven strategies near communities.

Salvage Logging Harms Recovery

After fires, the logging industry and their allies push for “salvage logging”—clearcutting both live and dead trees. This destroys recovering habitat, damages soil, releases more carbon, and pollutes waterways. Studies show that letting forests recover naturally is the best way to support long-term health.

Not All Solutions Fit All Places

Oregon’s forests are diverse, and so are their relationships with fire. One-size-fits-all policies like widespread thinning, aggressive suppression, or mass prescribed burning can backfire. Instead, we should tailor approaches to each landscape and focus on where we can have the most impact—near homes and vulnerable communities.

The Logging Industry Exploits Fear

Sensational media and industry talking points exaggerate wildfire damage to justify more logging. In reality, fire often renews forests. We should report on fire with honesty and context—not fear and hysteria.

Nature Offers the Best Solutions

Agencies often treat fire, insects, and drought as problems to be controlled. But these natural processes are essential for healthy forests. They create diversity, structure, and the very conditions that make our forests so awe-inspiring. Forest management should respect this complexity—not try to override it.

The post A Quick Guide to Wildland Fire appeared first on Oregon Wild.

Discover how this groundbreaking work is making a difference for species on the brink, the native plants they depend on, and the health of entire ecosystems. Whether you’re a nature lover, gardener, or conservation advocate, you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of how invertebrate conservation supports a thriving planet—and how you can help.

Additional Resources

Milkweed propagation guidelines
ESA public comment docket # for monarch proposed threatened listing
How large should a milkweed patch be to attract monarchs?
How do monarchs find milkweed?

Photo by Stephanie McKnight / Xerces Society

The post Webcast: Monarchs, Migration and Milkweed appeared first on Oregon Wild.

Chances are, many of the places you love to camp, fish, forage, picnic, mountain bike, or hike have benefited from Oregon Wild’s work to protect public lands, ancient forests, and clean water. But that doesn’t mean the work is done!

Join us for a special webcast with Sami Godlove and Chandra LeGue—two of Oregon Wild’s most experienced explorers and hike leaders. You’ll get inspiration for hikes along proposed Wild & Scenic Rivers, in mature and old-growth forests, and more. Plus, we’ll share upcoming opportunities to join guided hikes with Oregon Wild staff, and how to turn your recreation plans into powerful advocacy.

The post Webcast: Your 2025 Adventure Guide appeared first on Oregon Wild.