After years of stagnating numbers, Oregon’s wolf population appears to have finally grown in 2024, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Annual Wolf Report. Oregon Wild is cautiously optimistic that a reduction in both poaching and state-killed wolves has given the state’s fragile wolf population a chance to rebound.
“For the first time in several years, it looks like Oregon’s wolves have had a little breathing room,” said Danielle Moser, Wildlife Program Manager for Oregon Wild. “Though human-caused mortality continues to be the primary obstacle to statewide recovery, any substantial growth is a welcome sign.”
2024 updates by the numbers
Population
204
Breeding Pairs
17
Total Mortality
26
Known Poaching
7
ODFW-killed
11
Killed by vehicle collision
1
“Caught-in-the-act”
3
Despite claims from some lobbyists and politicians, there is no credible evidence to support the existence of a large, uncounted population of wolves in Oregon. Such assertions should be met with a demand for verifiable evidence before being treated as fact or quoted uncritically.
The double-digit increase in the wolf population is a marked departure from recent years. Since 2021, annual growth rates have remained under 2%, far below earlier years when protections were stronger and poaching rates were lower. Wildlife advocates point to lower documented cases of poaching and fewer wolves killed by ODFW as key reasons for this encouraging shift.
“This is not a coincidence,” said Moser. “When wolves aren’t being shot by the state or illegally poached with little consequence, they can do what wild animals do best—adapt and survive.”
Despite the improvement, Oregon Wild cautions that wolf recovery remains fragile. Wolves in eastern Oregon—where most of the population lives—still lack federal or state endangered species protections. The state’s current management policies continue to prioritize livestock industry interests, often at the expense of long-term recovery goals.
“We hope this year’s report is a turning point—not an outlier,” Moser added. “The path forward must center on compassion, coexistence, and restoring balance to Oregon’s wild places.”
###
Oregon Wild works to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and water as an enduring legacy for future generations.
WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senators John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) introduced the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA). In a giveaway to the timber industry, the bill – which is presented as a measure against wildfire – could open the door to unlimited logging across millions of acres of national forests, undermining bedrock environmental and public health laws. House Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) introduced companion legislation that passed the House in January 2025.
The Senate version of FOFA arrived less than a week after President Trump’s Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, issued a memo that begins implementation of President Trump’s March 1 executive order to ramp up logging across over half of national forests. FOFA and Trump’s logging directives would both erode environmental laws and make it harder for members of the public to weigh in on government decisions, all of which could devastate forest health.
If passed, FOFA would allow logging on federal lands without scientific review and community input. The bill truncates ESA consultation requirements to protect threatened and endangered species and limits the right of citizens to judicial review, effectively barring communities from bringing lawsuits to hold federal agencies accountable.
Both FOFA and the Trump administration’s recent actions call for changes in forest management that could ultimately worsen the risk of fire. The executive order seeks to increase timber targets, which would focus limited Forest Service staff on meeting commercial timber amounts rather than taking appropriate measures to reduce wildfire risk. These directives would also facilitate the removal of large old-growth trees that are naturally more fire-resilient. More logging will exacerbate the underlying causes of severe wildfire blazes – namely, dry forest conditions, caused by rising temperatures and a lack of precipitation due to climate change.
The following is a statement from Earthjustice, Oregon Wild, Standing Trees, and the Center for Biological Diversity, groups in the Climate Forests Coalition.
“Whether we are talking about the Fix Our Forests Act or President Trump’s executive order on forests, we are talking about an attack on our national public lands. This Senate bill could open the door to unlimited logging of forests owned and cherished by all Americans. Cutting down our old-growth and mature trees will ultimately worsen climate change. Rather than handing the keys to the Trump administration to unleash a logging bonanza, Senators should propose an alternative bill focused on supporting sensible wildfire mitigation strategies such as home hardening, local emergency planning, and defensible space.”
Oregon Wild’s mission is to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and water as an enduring legacy. Oregon Wild is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year.
In response to a secretarial memo focused on expanded logging, Oregon Wild Conservation Director Steve Pedery issued the following statement, calling out the administration’s attempt to exploit public fear and override environmental safeguards for the benefit of the logging industry:
“This memo isn’t about protecting forests. It is about logging and looting 60% of America’s National Forest Lands, 112,646,000 acres, by declaring a fake emergency to justify weakening protections for our clean water, wildlife, and wildlands. When the Secretary of Agriculture says the primary goal is to ‘protect timber resources,’ it pulls the mask off this manufactured emergency.
This order would gut the ability of the American public to ensure that their clean drinking water and local forests are protected from poor logging practices These safeguards ensure that science, transparency, and community voices are part of the decision-making process. Gutting them only serves corporate logging interests.
The map shared by the Secretary is both vague and misleading. It includes areas that are off-limits to commercial logging and temperate rainforest areas where claims of high fire risk or other justifications are dubious at best. The chaotic and haphazard nature of the Secretarial Order’s release raises serious concerns about how these maps were produced, and who is really making decisions about Trump forest policy.
If this administration were serious about wildfire, it would invest in protecting homes and communities through programs to help homeowners with home hardening, defensible space, and emergency planning— not industrial logging in remote forests that destroys wildlife habitat and makes fire risks worse. The science is clear, and so is the motive behind this memo. Anyone who cares about clean water, wildlife, and public lands should join us in opposing this reckless scheme to loot our National Forests.”
Oregon Wild’s mission is to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and water as an enduring legacy. Oregon Wild is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year.
MEDFORD, OR — Medford, Ore., – Yesterday, Federal District Court Judge Ann Aiken ruled that the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) “Integrated Vegetation Management” (IVM) logging program illegally authorized the destruction of old-growth forest stands located within Late Successional Reserves. With this ruling, the court agreed that “gap creation” and “open seral” logging prescriptions within the Late Successional Reserves would have increased fire hazard while removing old-growth forest habitat.
Conservation groups from across Oregon challenged the IVM logging project with the goal of getting BLM forest managers to focus on fuels reduction and fire resiliency instead of logging old-growth forests to meet artificial timber targets.
“This ruling confirms that Late Successional Reserves are exactly what their name says,” said George Sexton, KS Wild Conservation Director. “These fire-resilient old-growth forest stands capture carbon while providing some of the best wildlife habitat left in southern Oregon.”
The first commercial IVM timber sales called Penn Butte and Late Mungers were located in the Williams Late Successional Reserve and would have removed over 400-acres of old-growth habitat through “open seral” logging and another 51 acres through “gap creation” clearcutting.
“Reckless timber sales like this are exactly why we need strong public oversight,” said John Persell, Staff Attorney for Oregon Wild. “Trump’s executive order to ramp up logging pushes for more destructive projects to benefit the timber industry, but the forests at Penn Butte and Late Mungers should be protected as key habitat and for carbon storage, not sacrificed for corporate profit.”
A primary problem with BLM’s IVM timber scheme was that timber planners hoped to avoid site-specific analysis and public input while removing old-growth forest habitat from Late Successional Reserves and increasing fire hazard in logged forest stands.
“If the BLM is interested in real fire-focused restoration, we would be fully supportive,” said stated Cascadia Wildlands Legal Director Nick Cady, “but that is not what the IVM logging program is. Aggressively logging wildlife habitat in the Late Successional Reserves that will increase fire hazard for the surrounding community is ridiculous. It demonstrates that this agency does not care what this community has been through and is only concerned with producing timber volume.”
The successful legal challenge was argued by Meriel Darzen of the Crag Law Center on behalf of KS Wild, Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands, and the Soda Mountain Wilderness Council. In the shadow of the Trump Administration’s anti-environmental Executive Orders, Crag remains committed to the rule of law.
###
Eugene-based Cascadia Wildlands defends and restores Cascadia’s wild ecosystems in the forests, in the courts, and in the streets. The organization envisions vast old-growth forests, rivers full of wild salmon, wolves howling in the backcountry, a stable climate, and vibrant communities sustained by the unique landscapes of the Cascadia bioregion.
Oregon Wild’s mission is to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and water as an enduring legacy. Oregon Wild is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year.
KS Wild‘s mission is to protect and restore wild nature in the Klamath-Siskiyou region of southwest Oregon and northwest California.
Through a unique model of “legal aid for the environment,” Crag Law Center provides free and low-cost legal services to people and organizations who are working on the ground to protect our environment, climate and communities.
EUGENE, OR — Today, conservation organizations filed suit against the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) alleging ongoing violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). For over sixteen years, the public utility has been out of legal compliance with federal requirements to provide proper fish passage for ESA-listed Chinook salmon and bull trout at the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project and Trail Bridge Dam on the famed McKenzie River.
EWEB’s failure to provide adequate fish passage has resulted in killing and injuring Chinook salmon and bull trout as the fish try to migrate up and downriver, a violation of the ESA’s prohibition on “take” — including harming, harassing, wounding, and killing— of listed species. EWEB’s inaction also prevents the fish from accessing important spawning, rearing, and feeding areas.
“For nearly two decades, Upper Willamette River Chinook salmon and bull trout have paid the price for EWEB’s chronic non-compliance,” said Peter Jensen, an attorney with Cascadia Wildlands. “Accountability for the serious harm to protected fish species is needed to correct course and ensure the health of the river and persistence of these iconic fish species.”
EWEB’s dam license at the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project (issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC) is conditioned on the construction of fish passage at Trail Bridge Dam. EWEB initially agreed to install a fish ladder at the dam, but later scrapped this plan for an inferior proposal for a trap-and-haul system based on an updated economic analysis. The National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service consented to the less effective plan largely because EWEB promised to build that facility quickly. EWEB then missed multiple deadlines and has yet to even break ground on a trap-and-haul facility that was required to be completed n in 2022. Moreover, EWEB has publicly admitted that its temporary mitigation efforts have either entirely or nearly completely failed.
In 2023, on-the-record statements from a former EWEB employee-turned-whistleblower came to light, alleging that EWEB never intended to implement fish passage and that its excuses for delays were not valid. Both the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service then withdrew from the 2018 joint settlement agreement with EWEB and other stakeholders. The expert fish agencies also notified FERC that EWEB could no longer rely on their 2018 Biological Opinions and Incidental Take Statements without reinitiating consultation under the ESA.
“EWEB is blatantly disregarding federal law,” said Hannah Goldblatt, staff attorney at Advocates for the West. “Short of a court requiring it to do so, it appears the public utility will continue to delay its commitments to complete adequate fish passage, at the expense of threatened Chinook salmon and bull trout.”
The Upper Willamette River Chinook salmon subpopulation, long seen as a stronghold for this threatened species, has further declined over the past 16 years with known salmon deaths occurring at the Trail Bridge Dam due to the lack of passage. The dam is also a full barrier to genetic exchange between bull trout populations below and above the dam.
“The McKenzie River and the threatened salmon and trout that call it home belong to all of us, but for years EWEB has failed to keep its promise to help fish get around Trail Bridge Dam to spawn,” said John Persell, staff attorney for Oregon Wild. “We are going to make them fulfill that promise and protect the McKenzie.”
In addition to the ongoing harm caused to Chinook salmon and bull trout, the myriad delays have likely increased costs to ratepayers and the overall expense of bringing the project into compliance with federal law. Cascadia Wildlands brought their concerns to EWEB’s board of commissioners in May 2024 in both oral and detailed written comments.
“Salmon and bull trout have an extraordinary capacity to recover when we simply fulfill our responsibility to provide effective and safe fish passage to and from high-quality habitat like we have in the upper McKenzie River,” said Jennifer Fairbrother, legislative and policy director for the Native Fish Society.
The organizations bringing suit are Cascadia Wildlands, Willamette Riverkeeper, Native Fish Society, and Oregon Wild. They are represented by attorneys at Public Justice, Advocates for the West, Cascadia Wildlands, and Willamette Riverkeeper.
Tribal entities and regional conservation groups have long engaged in advocating for fish passage at the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project and Trail Bridge Dam. In 2008, EWEB filed a settlement agreement with the Federal Energy and Regulatory Commission (FERC), conservation organizations, and Tribes in which EWEB agreed to construct new state-of-the-art volitional fish passage measures (a fish ladder) to allow fish access to miles of pristine river habitat above the Carmen-Smith Project. This never occurred.
In 2018 a new settlement agreement was reached with FERC, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Fish and Wildlife Service to implement inferior trap-and-haul facilities in lieu of volitional passage within three years. These lessened standards prompted Cascadia Wildlands and Oregon Wild to leave the settlement.
Cascadia Wildlands works on behalf of its over 15,000 members and supporters to defend and restore Cascadia’s wild ecosystems in the forests, in the courts, and in the streets.
Oregon Wild represents 20,000 members and supporters who share our mission to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and water as an enduring legacy. Our goal is to protect areas that remain intact while striving to restore areas that have been degraded.
Willamette Riverkeeper is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1996 with thousands of members in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Willamette Riverkeeper focuses on protecting and restoring the resources of the Willamette River Basin in Oregon and works on programs and projects ranging from the Clean Water Act compliance and river education to Superfund cleanup and restoring habitat.
The Native Fish Society is a conservation nonprofit with a mission to restore abundant wild fish, free-flowing rivers, and thriving local communities across Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.
Advocates for the West is a non-profit, public interest environmental law firm that works to defend public lands, water, fish, and wildlife throughout the American West.
Public Justice takes on the biggest systemic threats to justice of our time – abusive corporate power and predatory practices, the assault on civil rights and liberties, and the destruction of the earth’s sustainability. We connect high-impact litigation with strategic communications and the strength of our partnerships to fight these abusive and discriminatory systems and win social and economic justice. For more information, visit www.PublicJustice.net.
The Trump administration has issued a sweeping executive order that prioritizes industrial logging over the health of America’s forests. Titled “Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production” this directive seeks “to fully exploit” our public forest lands for timber production. Paired with a second order that falsely frames increased timber production as a matter of national and economic security, the timber production order is, in reality, an unprecedented assault on science-based decision-making, environmental protections, wildlife, and the communities that depend on these forests for clean drinking water. By systematically dismantling safeguards and fast-tracking logging projects while at the same time eliminating resource specialists and other civil servants from agencies, Trump is taking steps towards his goal of gutting hard-won protections and handing our public lands over to industry.
Removing Environmental Protections to Expand Logging
This executive order directs federal agencies to identify pathways to aggressively weaken key environmental protections, including those established by the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act. These laws exist to ensure public involvement and science-based decision-making and to prevent reckless exploitation of public lands, but under this directive, agencies must now take the following actions:
Within 30 days: Issue new guidelines to accelerate logging under various contracting authorities and propose legislative changes to further expand logging operations.
Within 60 days: Develop a strategy to rush through endangered species reviews for logging projects, slashing oversight that protects at-risk wildlife.
Within 90 days: Propose aggressive new logging targets for federal lands for the next four years, measured in millions of board feet of timber.
Within 120 days: Finalize a broad review of whitebark pine forests under the Endangered Species Act, setting the stage to undermine protections for this imperiled species.
Within 180 days: Consider adopting blanket exemptions that would allow logging projects to bypass environmental review entirely under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Within 280 days: Review and reinstate past exemptions for thinning and salvage logging, further cutting back environmental oversight.
Gutting Environmental Safeguards
In addition to attempting to bypass statutes passed by Congress, this executive order attacks existing environmental protections head-on. It instructs federal agencies to eliminate any policy—whether a regulation, legal settlement, or guideline—that creates an undefined “undue burden” on timber production. This vague and dangerous language provides a blank check for industry to push for the elimination of any rule standing in the way of profit-driven deforestation.
Of particular concern is the expansion of Categorical Exclusions demanded in this order. These loopholes allow federal agencies to bypass environmental review and other public processes. Some have no size limit, meaning agencies would have the discretion to log vast landscapes while declaring the project has no impact. Oregon Wild and our allies are currently challenging such exemptions in court.
Oregon Wild and our allies have also won a string of victories against reckless Bureau of Land Management logging projects that target old-growth forests, degrade drinking water and endangered salmon habitat, and increase fire risks to nearby communities. This executive order appears designed to push logging projects like those found illegal by the courts through new loopholes.
An Anti-Law Order
The executive order seeks to set the stage to expand logging through legally dubious—if not outright illegal—means. Executive orders can not override federal statutes, but this directive is focused on identifying ways to circumvent the Endangered Species Act and NEPA to expedite logging.
A few examples of legally dubious assertions in the order:
Revisiting legal settlements already approved by the courts represents yet another attack on the judicial branch’s ability to check executive overreach. Its inclusion in this order is part of Trump’s broader assault on the separation of powers.
There is no provision in the Endangered Species Act that allows its use to “improve the speed of approving forestry projects” or to maintain the Endangered Species Committee (also known as the “God Squad”) as a standing body with the sole purpose of fast-tracking timber production.
The order’s direction to force emergency consultations to rubber-stamp logging projects under a fabricated “national security emergency” is a lawless interpretation of the ESA.
Weakening Protections for Endangered Species
Trump’s executive order directs agencies to exploit ESA emergency provisions and the Endangered Species Committee to fast-track timber harvests and identify endangered species that “stand in the way” of logging. This committee is sometimes referred to as the “God Squad” because of its ability to essentially give permission to activities that will drive a species to extinction.
The committee has rarely met since its creation in 1978 and has only ever removed protections for endangered species three times, including the northern spotted owl in 1992.
While legally dubious, the administration is setting up a scenario where it could declare that endangered species like Coho salmon, northern spotted owls, and marbled murrelets will lose protections and be driven toward extinction in pursuit of logging profits.
A Manufactured National Security Crisis to Justify Logging
In a blatant attempt to justify this giveaway to the timber industry, the Trump administration issued a second Executive Order framing timber production as a national security issue. This order claims that reliance on foreign lumber threatens U.S. industries and insists that a stable domestic timber supply is essential for both defense and civilian needs.
To reinforce this false narrative, the Secretary of Commerce has been ordered to investigate the supposed national security impact of timber imports. This investigation will assess:
Whether domestic logging operations can meet U.S. demand.
How foreign trade practices affect the American timber industry.
While this national security order hints at trade measures, the real objective is clear: manufacturing a crisis to justify stripping environmental safeguards and maximizing corporate profits.
A Coordinated Attack on Public Lands and Science
This executive order is part of a broader campaign to undermine public lands and environmental science. From slashing the ranks of park rangers and wildlife biologists to purging career scientists from public land agencies, the Trump administration has systematically dismantled the expertise and oversight needed to protect America’s natural heritage.
By firing the very people responsible for safeguarding public lands and then removing the laws that protect them, this administration is making it easier than ever for corporate interests to exploit forests without accountability.
What This Means for Forests and Wildlife
This executive order marks a dangerous turning point in federal forest policy that requires multiple uses are balanced on public lands—one that prioritizes logging over conservation, climate resilience, and biodiversity. By rolling back environmental safeguards and pushing for increased timber extraction under a false national security pretense, the administration is setting a reckless precedent that could cause irreversible harm.
Our public forests are more than just a resource for timber corporations. They store carbon, protect watersheds, and provide critical habitat for countless species. They are the places we go to enjoy nature and spend time with our families. Weakening protections in favor of short-term economic gain will have lasting consequences for ecosystems, communities, and future generations.
This is not just about logging. It is about whether America’s public lands remain protected for the benefit of all—or become just another asset to be looted by powerful industries. As the Trump administration moves to implement this order, it is crucial to stay informed, speak out, and fight back against these dangerous rollbacks.
Eugene, OR – Today, the Trump administration issued a sweeping anti-environment directive that targets America’s National Forests for an increase in industrial logging at the expense of fish and wildlife habitat, clean drinking water, recreation, and the health of our forests. Oregon Wild strongly condemns this order, which promises to ramp up logging of mature and old-growth forests and threatens the health and safety of communities across the country.
“After pointlessly draining California reservoirs and gutting the ranks of park rangers, wildlife biologists, and other public lands civil servants, Trump has now set his sights on looting the American public’s forests. This plan is just as reckless and ill-conceived,” said John Persell, Oregon Wild Staff Attorney. “Oregonians have fought for decades to protect our forests from destructive logging, and we’re not about to let this administration unravel those hard-won protections without a fight.”
The executive order seeks to fast-track logging. By calling out the Endangered Species Act and the imperiled fish and wildlife habitats it protects, Trump is making it clear his administration will be targeting mature and old-growth forests. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that these forests are the most resilient to fire and essential for wildlife, clean water, and carbon storage. By gutting environmental protections and slashing oversight and citizen involvement, the Trump administration is making it easier for industry to log public lands without accountability.
“The idea that this is about wildfire prevention is a sham,” said Steve Pedery, Oregon Wild Conservation Director. “Trump’s order is about enriching timber corporations and deregulating the industry. Our public lands agencies have all the tools they need to log and manage for wildfire, but thanks to the Musk firings, they do not have the staff and expertise. What Trump is championing will not only increase wildfire risk, it will harm communities across Oregon and the country.”
“This move is part of a broader pattern of chaos, incompetence, and corruption that has defined the Trump administration’s early moves on public lands. By weakening environmental protections and fast-tracking logging permits, Trump is undermining safeguards that have protected our forests and communities for decades.”
At town halls across the country, including in Oregon, Americans have voiced fear and outrage over the mass firing of National Park Service, Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management professionals as part of Trump and Musk’s ideological crusade to dismantle the federal workforce. Oregon’s sole Republican Congressman, Cliff Bentz, facedhostileaudiences throughout his conservative district last month, with many attendees expressing deep concern over the purge of public lands employees.
“Trump and his allies fundamentally misunderstand America’s public lands. He sees them not as a shared heritage that belongs to all Americans, but as just another asset to be looted by political cronies,” continued Pedery. “Oregon Wild has a long history of holding both Republican and Democratic administrations accountable and upholding protections for America’s National Forests, Parks, Monuments, and other public lands. We stand ready to do so again.”
Trump also signed a second order today that tries to present this effort to loot America’s public lands as a solution to housing prices and lumber imports from Germany, Brazil, and Canada. The US imports almost no construction lumber from Germany or Brazil, and housing experts have warned his planned taxes on trade with Canada will slow homebuilding and drive up the price of materials.
“There couldn’t be a starker contrast between administrations,” said Lauren Anderson, Climate Forests Campaign Manager for Oregon Wild. “The Biden administration’s executive order on forests provided broad public benefits and was grounded in science, recognizing that mature and old-growth forests are our best natural climate solution. That initiative generated over one million supportive comments. Trump is doing the exact opposite—undermining the very idea of public lands to benefit his wealthy allies.”
###
Oregon Wild represents 20,000 members and supporters who share our mission to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and water as an enduring legacy. Our goal is to protect areas that remain intact while striving to restore areas that have been degraded.
Oregon Wild is excited to once again participate in the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (PIELC) in Eugene this Friday through Sunday! As the largest and longest-running event of its kind, this conference brings together activists, advocates, attorneys, scientists, government officials, and concerned citizens from around the world to share knowledge and strategies for protecting the environment and advancing social justice. Best of all, it’s free and open to the public!
This is a great chance to learn more about Oregon Wild’s work and how you can get involved. Check out the schedule below for panels featuring our staff, and don’t forget to stop by our table in the law school lobby to say hello!
Pursuing the Nation’s First Old-Growth Amendment & Shifting the US Forest Service Culture 9:00-10:30 AM | EMU Rm 119 Exploring the National Old-Growth Amendment (NOGA) and Public Lands Rule, this panel examines policy conflicts within federal agencies and the future of old-growth forest management.
Oregon’s Drinking Water Crisis 9:00-10:30 AM | Law 184 Climate change, deforestation, and agricultural practices threaten Oregon’s drinking water. This panel discusses resilience strategies and the potential for a 2028 ballot measure to safeguard water sources.
What’s Next for Public Lands in Oregon? 1:30-3:00 PM | EMU Rm 232 This panel explores ongoing threats and opportunities for public land conservation.
Saturday, March 1
Western Wolves in the Crosshairs: Politics, Poaching & Protections 8:30-10:00 AM | Law 142 Wolves in the western U.S. face inconsistent protections, rising poaching, and policy challenges. This panel examines legal frameworks, scientific findings, and conservation efforts.
A Just World is Possible: Oregon Leaders Respond to the 2024 Election 10:15-11:45 AM | Law 142 Environmental and political leaders discuss the impact of the 2024 election on climate, conservation, and justice efforts in Oregon.
Stop Extinction: Solutions to the Biodiversity Crisis 10:15-11:45 AM | Law 242 With nearly one-third of U.S. species at risk, this panel explores local, national, and global strategies to combat the biodiversity crisis.
Sunday, March 2
Ignoring Science, Policy & NEPA: BLM’s Push to Log Western Oregon’s Last Best Forests 9:00-10:30 AM | Law 142 BLM is pushing aggressive logging in Western Oregon’s last intact old-growth forests, bypassing NEPA analysis and federal conservation policies. Panelists will discuss legal battles challenging these actions and the future of BLM lands.
The first few weeks of the Trump administration have been exhausting and alarming. We won’t rehash the daily barrage of news, but the reality is clear: the separation of powers, the rule of law, and the Constitution itself are under attack. Trump repealed an Executive Order protecting old-growth forests, froze funding for environmental justice programs, and suspended hiring by the National Park Service and other federal agencies. Meanwhile, Elon Musk and his enablers are running a chaotic shadow government that is recklessly endangering the personal information of millions of Americans.
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.
The Forest Service is trying to weaken the Northwest Forest Plan—one of the most important safeguards for our region’s mature and old-growth forests. Their proposed changes could dramatically increase logging in Oregon’’s most iconic forests, putting wildlife habitat, clean water, and climate resilience at risk.
Now, the agency is holding public listening sessions, and we need to show up in force. This is our chance to ask tough questions, push for stronger protections for that mature and old-growth forests, and fight for critical habitat for the fish and wildlife that would be degraded in these proposals. We need advocates like you to show up in the following cities (additional details in the Listening Session Guide):
Corvallis, OR – February 11th, 5:30 pm
3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331
Springfield, OR – February 12th, 5:30pm
3106 Pierce Parkway, Springfield, OR 97477
Sisters, OR – February 13th, 5:30pm(Cancelled due to winter weather. Rescheduled date TBD)
301 S Elm St. Sisters, OR 97759
Stevenson, WA – February 24th, 5:30pm (closest session to the Portland Metro area)
*This meeting had previously been scheduled for the 13th
We put together a Listening Session Guide with all of the information you need to attend and advocate for our forests. Inside, you’ll find detailed information on the format of these meetings, suggested questions to ask, a carpool list, and addresses to all of the sessions. You can find more details on the Northwest Forest Plan proposals below.
The Forest Service needs to hear from those who love and depend on these forests—not just the timber industry. Show up, speak out, and help us protect the wild places we all cherish.
Adopted in 1994, the NWFP was a groundbreaking response to unsustainable logging practices that decimated old-growth forests and triggered Endangered Species Act (ESA) listings for species like the coho salmon and northern spotted owl. The plan prioritized ecosystem recovery, emphasizing protections for mature (80+ years old) and old-growth forests.
Since its inception, the NWFP has successfully halted large-scale old-growth clearcutting, promoted wildlife recovery, and turned public forests into vital carbon sinks, offsetting climate change. For 30 years, forests, recreation areas, and rivers and streams that provide millions of Northwest residents with clean drinking water supplies have been protected from commercial logging under the plan, including beloved areas in the Willamette, Mount Hood, Olympic, and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests.
Now, under the DEIS, the Forest Service has introduced four alternatives, including a Proposed Action (Alternative B), which would:
Redefine “mature” and “old-growth” forests by raising the age class of what qualifies for protection, weakening protections for trees up to 120 years old, and providing broad exceptions for logging in centuries-old forests.
Increase aggressive logging on non-reserve lands
Allow logging in Late-Successional Reserves (LSRs)—a cornerstone of the NWFP—for purposes beyond old-growth restoration.
Expand logging in dry forests, targeting over 964,000 acres in just 15 years. This proposed aggressive logging in older, fire-resistant forests are likely to increase the frequency and severity of wildfires in the coming decades.
Concerning Increase in Logging
The DEIS projects that timber harvests under Alternatives B and D could exceed one billion board feet annually, more than doubling 2023 logging levels and tripling the most recent 10-year average. These vastly expanded logging levels would occur on fewer acres than initially covered by the 1994 NWFP, magnifying ecological damage and habitat loss.
Encouraging Steps on Tribal Inclusion
Conservation groups applaud positive proposals in the DEIS, particularly efforts to better engage with Native American Tribes through consultation, co-stewardship agreements, and the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge and prescribed fire into Forest Service management practices. Provisions to restore culturally significant species such as camas, huckleberries, and beargrass are a step in the right direction.
A Call for Public Scrutiny
The Forest Service’s timeline ensures the final decision will be made after the next Presidential administration takes office, raising concerns that the Forest Service proposal, which already contains significant weakening of environmental protections under the NWFP, could be eroded even further.
Photo Credits: David Herasimtschuk. The Siuslaw National Forest.
After a thorough search and interview process involving Oregon Wild Staff and Board, followed by an exhaustive review of the qualifications of our pool of extremely talented and accomplished candidates, we’re proud to announce that Quinn Read is Oregon Wild’s new Executive Director!
For those who have been involved with Oregon Wild for a while, Quinn’s name is undoubtedly familiar. She served as the organization’s wildlife coordinator over a decade ago, and in the intervening years has built an incredible resume as a conservation leader at Defenders of Wildlife, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Bird Alliance of Oregon. We’re thrilled that she has “come home” to Oregon Wild to take the reins of this historic organization we all know and love. Quinn will be guiding Oregon Wild through its next chapter which will undoubtedly be full of challenges as well as highlights, and the mission and vision for our organization will remain steadfastly intact under her leadership.
Please join me in welcoming Quinn aboard!
Lisa Billings Board President
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.
Portland, Oregon — Oregon Wild announced today a settlement with the U.S. Forest Service regarding the Grasshopper logging project in the Mount Hood National Forest. The agreement includes significant changes that will result in better protections for mature and old-growth forests, northern spotted owl habitat, and carbon storage, while allowing for forest management activities focused on smaller-diameter thinning and prescribed fire.
Under the settlement, the Forest Service has agreed to:
Impose diameter limits throughout the project to protect the largest, oldest trees.
Retain cedar and Pacific yew trees throughout the project area.
Drop two old-growth logging units.
Limit logging in four additional units to ensure better outcomes for mature and old-growth stands.
These measures represent a substantial improvement over the original project decision, which conservationists argued would have caused significant harm to the area’s ecological integrity and the species that depend on it.
“The settlement reflects a vital correction to the Grasshopper Project, ensuring that forest health, wildlife habitat, and climate resilience are not shortchanged,” said John Persell, Staff Attorney for Oregon Wild. “By getting a commitment from the Forest Service to protect the largest and oldest trees, protect key species, and scale back aggressive logging, long-term ecological benefits are now prioritized over short-term extraction.”
The Grasshopper Project is located in a unique transition zone between the wetter west-side and the drier east-side forests of the Cascade Crest, directly south of the Badger Creek Wilderness. Originally, the project proposed logging across 5,000 acres and would have removed 4,000 logging trucks’ worth of timber from public lands, including large swaths of mature and old-growth trees.
Oregon Wild challenged the project in June of 2023, citing violations of the National Environmental Policy Act and the project’s misalignment with the Biden Administration’s policy to conserve mature and old-growth forests for biodiversity and as a natural climate solution. Oregon Wild is represented by its staff attorney John Persell and Meriel Darzen from the Crag Law Center.
“We are encouraged to see the Forest Service agreeing to make meaningful improvements to this project without requiring protracted litigation. This outcome represents an important achievement for Mt. Hood National Forest that will benefit the community and the forest,” said Meriel Darzen, senior attorney at Crag Law Center who co-represented Oregon Wild in the lawsuit and settlement negotiations.
The settlement also addresses concerns regarding carbon storage and the impacts of logging on northern spotted owls, a species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The revised project design maintains key habitat features, such as canopy cover and stand density, that are essential for spotted owls and other old-growth-dependent species.
Oregon Wild represents 20,000 members and supporters who share our mission to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and water as an enduring legacy. Our goal is to protect areas that remain intact while striving to restore areas that have been degraded.
Crag Law Center is a nonprofit environmental law center based in Portland, Oregon that supports community efforts to protect and sustain the Pacific Northwest’s natural legacy. Implementing a unique model of legal aid for the environment, Crag balances the scales of justice by offering free and low-cost legal services to people who are working on the ground to protect our environment, climate and communities.
Join Our
Newsletter.
Staying informed is the first step to becoming a public lands and native wildlife advocate.
