Northeast Oregon is home to America's deepest canyon and the longest recorded habitation by humans. Learn about the importance of the Snake River to indigenous people, wildlife, and generations of battles to protect and restore it from a diverse group of multigenerational advocates.
Northeast Oregon is home to America's deepest canyon and the longest recorded habitation by humans. Learn about the importance of the Snake River to indigenous people, wildlife, and generations of battles to protect and restore it from a diverse group of multigenerational advocates.
Oregon is home to North America's deepest Canyon. That's right. Hells Canyon - which marks much of the boundary between Oregon and Idaho - is even deeper than the Grand! Connecting Yellowstone to the Columbia, the Snake is an artery of life through some of America's wildest and most diverse landscapes. The watershed is also home to the oldest current evidence of human habitation in America. The Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) have been here for over 16,000 years.
The Snake once hosted abundant salmon runs and gave life to people and wildlife alike. It still plays an important role, but has been fought over and degraded for decades. Things may be about to change. Learn about the river's importance to indigenous people, the successful battles to keep parts of the river wild and free, and current efforts to free the Snake!
Presenters:
- Julian Matthews is the Coordinator for Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment. He is an advocate for environmental issues and protecting Nez Perce Treaty rights.
- Christina de Villier is the Connections Coordinator for Greater Hells Canyon Council, an organization founded to protect Hells Canyon that has expanded its work to connect, protect, and restore the natural systems of the larger region.
- Brock Evans was a scrappy young attorney who led the impossible effort to stop the damming of the last stretches of the Snake over 50 years ago. Those efforts ultimately led to the creation of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.
