For Immediate Release

Conservation Groups Withdraw from Northern Blues Forest Collaborative

Rob Klavins, NE Oregon Field Coordinator
Oregon Wild, [email protected]

Veronica Warnock, Conservation director
Great Hells Canyon Council, [email protected]

Enterprise, OR -- June 23, 2020

Today the Greater Hells Canyon Council (GHCC) and Oregon Wild withdrew from the Northern Blues Forest Collaborative Group. The two organizations were founding members of the Northeast Oregon collaboratives and the last remaining environmental advocacy organizations participating. 

Letters from the respective organizations are here:
Oregon Wild

Greater Hells Canyon Council

Representatives from the organization had this to say:

Rob Klavins, Northeast Oregon Field Coordinator, Oregon Wild, Enterprise, OR:
Oregon Wild has participated in more collaboratives around the state than any other NGO and are founding members of this collaborative. Unfortunately the Northern Blues Collaborative has devolved such that it is no longer a venue where the voices of conservation advocates are welcome.

Veronica Warnock, Conservation Director, Greater Hells Canyon Council, Joseph, OR:
As founding members of Northeastern Oregon’s forest collaborative groups, we do not come to this decision lightly. Today's collaborative no longer functions to identify and work toward shared values and solutions for the National Forests of our region. As such, our continued participation no longer supports our mission.