Author: Arran Robertson

« Back to Blog

Conservationists Challenge Eugene Water and Electric Board with Violating Endangered Species Act

|Arran Robertson|Rivers, Wildlife
Contact:    
Bethany Cotton, Cascadia Wildlands
John Persell, Oregon Wild
Jennifer Fairbrother, Native Fish Society
Lindsey Hutchinson, Willamette Riverkeeper
Hannah Goldblatt, Advocates for the West
Nicole Funaro, Public Justice

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.

ECF No. 1 EWEB Trail Bridge Dam ESA Complaint 3-17-25Download

###

Additional background:

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.

« Back to Blog

ANALYSIS: Trump Executive Order Puts Logging Above All Else

|Arran Robertson|Climate, Forests, Logging, Old-Growth, Public Lands, Wildlife

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.

Photo by Eric DeBord

« Back to Blog

Oregon Wild Condemns Trump’s Forest Decrees

|Arran Robertson|Climate, Forests, Logging, Old-Growth, Public Lands
Contact:    
John Persell, Oregon Wild
Steve Pedery, Oregon Wild

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, faced hostile audiences 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.

« Back to Blog

We will not obey in advance

|Arran Robertson|Oregon Wild, Public 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.

📷 Abiqua Falls by Michael Burkhardt

« Back to Blog

Welcoming Quinn Read as Oregon Wild’s new Executive Director

|Quinn Read|Oregon Wild
Sunrise over Crater Lake by Sungwook Choi
Message from Board President, Lisa Billings

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.

Quinn (Quynh Dien) Read
Executive Director

« Back to Blog

Conservationists Protect Old-Growth Forests from Aggressive Mount Hood Logging Sale

|Arran Robertson|Climate, Forests, Logging, Old-Growth, Public Lands
Contact:    
John Persell, Oregon Wild
Meriel Darzen, Crag Law Center

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.

DOWNLOAD PHOTOS

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.

ECF No. 36 Settlement Agreement 1-13-25Download

###

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.

« Back to Blog

Oregon’s State Forester Resigns

|Arran Robertson|Climate, Drinking Water, Forests, Logging, Public Lands, State Forests
Without a habitat conservation plan, the Tillamook State Forest would be managed like this adjacent industrial timber land. Oregon Wild continues to advocate for a stronger plan that better protects forests, watersheds, wildlife, and fish.

Governor, Forestry Department Must Tackle Toxic Culture and Neglected Conservation Priorities

Contact:    
Steve Pedery, Oregon Wild

Yesterday, State Forester Cal Mukumoto stunned the Oregon Board of Forestry by announcing his resignation. Acting Deputy State Forester Kate Skinner will assume the role of Acting State Forester while the Board begins the search for a permanent director at the Oregon Department of Forestry. Oregon Wild Conservation Director Steve Pedery issued the following statement: 

Oregon’s Governor and Board of Forestry must now find a new State Forester—someone ready to confront the toxic “good ol’ boy” culture of the agency, and the reality that it is captive to the logging interests it is supposed to regulate. These problems have existed within the agency for decades, and long pre-date Mukumoto.

In addition to the egregious behavior by agency leaders that came to light in recent months, this entrenched culture is also raising concerns that the Department of Forestry is slow-walking the implementation of the Private Forest Accords (PFA)—a historic agreement between conservation and timber interests to modernize Oregon’s logging rules. This has been compounded by Governor Kotek’s failure to include funding for PFA implementation in her most recent state budget proposal. The lack of funding and slow pace of PFA implementation could put this historic compromise at risk of being rejected by federal agencies.

It’s time for both the Governor and Board of Forestry to reform this broken state agency.

They must work to rebuild the Department of Forestry as a professional, science-driven agency dedicated to protecting Oregon’s forests, wildlife habitat, and clean water. They must ensure that this agency is independent of the logging interests it regulates, that it prioritizes the protection of our state’s environment, and that its leadership and workplace culture reflect the values of Oregon.   

This toxic culture of the Oregon Department of Forestry took decades to create, and past Governors and legislative leaders failed to address it. Governor Kotek has an opportunity to work with the Board of Forestry and ensure that Oregon’s next State Forester has a mandate to reform this broken agency, implement the historic Private Forest Accords, and to serve the people of Oregon. Oregon Wild and our thousands of members will be watching and together we stand ready to hold the State of Oregon accountable.

« Back to Blog

Trouble in Our Backyard Forests

|Arran Robertson|Climate, Drinking Water, Forests, Logging, Old-Growth

When most people think of public forest lands, they picture the Forest Service. But in Oregon, 2.4 million acres of forests are managed by a different agency: the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Many of these BLM “backyard forests” are found at lower elevations, scattered across the landscape in a checkerboard pattern alongside private industrial logging lands. These forests serve as vital refuges for fish and wildlife whose habitats have been devastated by clearcutting.

Last month, a collaborative investigation by Oregon Public Broadcasting and ProPublica examined logging practices on BLM lands. The report revealed a troubling trend: the average annual acreage of older forests logged has surpassed any two-year span since at least 2013. In other words, while scientific research increasingly underscores the critical role of mature and old-growth forests in combating climate change and safeguarding wildlife habitat, the BLM is ramping up efforts to cut them down.

BLM Forests – Before and After

One example: the Bureau of Land Management’s Nails Creek logging project.

Challenging the paradigm

Oregon Wild has filed multiple legal challenges in recent years to combat the BLM’s logging practices, one of which was highlighted in the OPB-ProPublica report. Partnering with Cascadia Wildlands, KS Wild, Crag Law Center, and others, we’ve taken the agency to court for threatening endangered species habitat, drinking water, forest health, and community safety. And we’ve won.

Unfortunately, the BLM persists in proposing destructive logging projects. Just days after the investigative report was published, we filed a new lawsuit challenging the “Last Chance” logging sale in southwest Oregon. The agency is emboldened, in part, by its departure from the guardrails of the Northwest Forest Plan—a framework that, for decades, kept BLM logging in check.

Now, the Forest Service is following suit, attempting to loosen its own conservation safeguards under the Northwest Forest Plan. The agency’s latest proposal revises the definitions of mature and old-growth forests and introduces loopholes that would allow logging in reserves previously set aside for fish and wildlife. Extending BLM-style logging to Forest Service lands would be devastating!

You can learn more about these concerning developments, how we’re pushing back, and how you can help, by checking out our recent webcast: How to Save the Northwest Forest Plan. 

In the meantime, thanks to steadfast champions like you, Oregon Wild will continue fighting to protect our forests!

Make a year-end donation to support our work.

« Back to Blog

ANALYSIS: Northwest Forest Plan Changes Would Slash Environmental Protections, Double Logging Levels

|Arran Robertson|Climate, Forests, Logging, Old-Growth, Public Lands

Project will destroy habitat and increase fire hazard

Contact:    
Steve Pedery, Conservation Director, Oregon Wild
John Persell, Staff Attorney, Oregon Wild
Ryan Talbott, Pacific Northwest Conservation Associate, WildEarth Guardians

Portland, OR – On November 15th the Forest Service released a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) proposing sweeping amendments to the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP). The proposed changes could double – and potentially even triple – logging levels across Pacific Northwest National Forests, remove protections for mature and old-growth forests, and diminish the plan’s foundational focus on wildlife and habitat conservation. 

Conservation groups Oregon Wild, Bird Alliance of Oregon, Cascadia Wildlands, and WildEarth Guardians have developed an analysis of the proposal focusing on the Forest Service’s “Proposed Action.”

“For nearly 30 years, the Northwest Forest Plan has safeguarded our region’s iconic old-growth forests, clean water, and wildlife,” said Steve Pedery, Conservation Director for Oregon Wild. “The Forest Service’s proposed changes threaten to reverse decades of progress at a time when these protections are more critical than ever.”

“The Forest Service recently announced plans to substantially increase logging levels nationwide and the proposed changes to the Northwest Forest Plan are an unfortunate part of that misguided plan,” said Ryan Talbott, Pacific Northwest Conservation Advocate for WildEarth Guardians. “Weakening habitat and species protections in exchange for short-sighted increases in timber production targets is what led to the need for the Northwest Forest Plan in the first place. We should learn from that history, not repeat it.”

NWFP Amendment DEIS Initial Analysis 12-3-24Download

Background: A Conservation Landmark at Risk

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.

“Under these changes, hundreds of thousands of acres of mature and old-growth forests would be opened to logging, undermining their ecological and climate benefits,” said John Persell, Staff Attorney with Oregon Wild.

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.

“The Forest Service seems more focused on boosting timber quotas than on upholding its legal obligation to protect salmon and wildlife, mature and old-growth forests, and clean water,” said Persell.

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.

“These steps toward meaningful Tribal engagement and co-stewardship are commendable and long overdue,” said Pedery. “It is frustrating that the Forest Service has paired these potential improvements with the agency’s plans to weaken protections for wildlife and mature and old-growth forest habitat embedded in the same plan.”

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.

“Oregonians and all Americans who care about wildlife, clean water, and climate resilience should be deeply concerned,” said Pedery. “Over the coming year, it will be more important than ever to rally vocal support for the protection of mature and old-growth forests and expose the cynicism and recklessness embedded in this Forest Service proposal.”

Photo Credits: David Herasimtschuk. The Siuslaw National Forest.

« Back to Blog

Conservation Groups Challenge BLM SW Oregon Old-Growth Logging Sale

|Arran Robertson|Climate, Forests, Logging, Old-Growth, Public Lands

Project will destroy habitat and increase fire hazard

Contact:    
George Sexton, Conservation Director KS Wild
John Persell, Staff Attorney, Oregon Wild
Nick Cady, Legal Director, Cascadia Wildlands

Medford, Oregon — Today forest conservation organizations filed a legal challenge in Medford federal district court challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) latest old-growth timber sale located in the Cascade foothills east of the community of Sunny Valley, Oregon.

The aptly named “Last Chance” timber sale targets old-growth forests for logging on BLM lands known as Late Successional Reserves, Riparian Reserves, and the Harvest Land Base. Most of the timber sale units would remove the old-growth forest canopy down to less than 30% effectively destroying the existing wildlife habitat while increasing fire hazard throughout the project area.

“The Medford BLM does not care about wildlife, wildfires or watersheds,” said George Sexton, Conservation Director for KS Wild. “They care about only one thing and that is meeting their arbitrary old-growth logging timber targets.”

The Last Chance timber sale authorizes 8,420 acres of logging activities including 1,297 acres of streamside logging in riparian reserves, and the construction of 28 miles of new logging roads.

“Most Oregonians believe that these remaining old-growth forests are worth more standing,” said John Persell, Oregon Wild Staff Attorney. “They are fire-resilient, they are soaking up carbon, and they represent our irreplaceable natural heritage.”

While the Medford BLM’s neighbors in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest have largely moved away from old-growth logging and towards small-diameter fuels reduction, the BLM remains mired in controversy and contention.

“It’s time for the Medford BLM to work with conservation groups to reduce rather than increase fire hazard,” said Nick Cady, Cascadia Wildlands Legal Director. “The BLM’s relentless old-growth logging agenda isn’t doing its neighbors any favors.”

KS Wild, Cascadia Wildlands, and Oregon Wild are represented by Meriel Darzen and Oliver Stiefel of the Crag Law Center.

 ###

Background: On September 19, 2024, Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands, and Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, along with 40 other organizations, sent a letter to the BLM asking that the agency issue guidance on mature and old-growth logging. 

Photo by KS Wild

« Back to Blog

Honoring Bob Sallinger, Conservation Champion

|Arran Robertson|Old-Growth, Oregon Wild, Public Lands, State Forests, Wildlife

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bob Sallinger, a cherished colleague, dear friend, and an unparalleled advocate for the conservation of Oregon’s wildlife and wild places.

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.”

« Back to Blog

Conservation Groups Challenge Old-Growth Logging in Oregon Coast Range

|Arran Robertson|Climate, Forests, Logging, Old-Growth, Public Lands
The Blue and Gold BLM logging project - photo by Cascadia Wildlands

Former Agency Personnel Allege Feds Misrepresented Forest Age, Avoided Imperiled Wildlife Detection

Contact:    
Nick Cady, Legal Director, Cascadia Wildlands (314) 482-3746 | nick@cascwild.org                 
Meriel Darzen, Staff Attorney, Crag Law Center (503) 525-2725 | meriel@crag.org
John Persell, Staff Attorney, Oregon Wild (541) 344-0675 | jp@oregonwild.org

Oakland, Oregon — Today Cascadia Wildlands and Oregon Wild filed a legal complaint challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Blue and Gold logging project. The project proposes clearcutting old-growth forests in the Oregon Coast Range outside of Sutherlin, Oakland, and Yoncalla in the Umpqua River watershed.

“We will not allow the destruction of the few older forest stands that remain in the Coast Range for the profit of private timber companies,” said Nick Cady with Cascadia Wildlands. “The Bureau of Land Management is putting Oregonians at increased risk of forest fires, jeopardizing water quality, and further imperiling at-risk species.” 

Current science shows older forests are far more resilient to wildfire than plantations and are key to mitigating the worst impacts of climate change. The Blue and Gold Project targets thousands of acres of some of the oldest and most pristine forest remaining on public lands, including several hundred acres of old forests along rivers and creeks. These are multi-century-old,  high-quality habitat for federally protected wildlife species, including northern spotted owls, marbled murrelets, and Oregon Coast coho salmon. The proposed logging would permanently degrade these rare older forests and convert them into timber plantations, destroying what little old-growth habitat remains for endangered species, increasing fire risk, and undermining climate resilience.  

The Bureau of Land Management is not legally permitted to log old-growth, and the targeting of this cherished area fomented dissent within the agency. Two former agency personnel who worked on the Blue and Gold Project have come forward, stating that the agency intentionally misrepresented the age of the targeted forests to permit the proposed logging. The individuals also informed Cascadia Wildlands that the agency’s wildlife surveys were conducted in a manner to avoid detections of imperiled species that would have prevented the timber sale. Agency biologists who generally ensure projects do not illegally harm endangered species were removed from oversight roles to expedite the proposed logging. 

“It should surprise no one that BLM has been manipulating its analysis to maximize logging. Courts have repeatedly exposed the agency’s disregard for the public interest in its pursuit of board feet,” said Oregon Wild staff attorney John Persell. “The mature and old-growth forests targeted for logging in the Blue and Gold project should instead be protected for the critical role they play in fighting climate change and protecting vulnerable fish and wildlife.”

The organizations are represented by attorneys from the Crag Law Center, Oregon Wild, and Cascadia Wildlands. Photo by Cascadia Wildlands.

 ###

Background: The agency first proposed the Blue and Gold Project in December of 2019, releasing its Environmental Assessment on April 27, 2022, just five days after President Biden issued Executive Order 14072, directing federal agencies to protect remaining old-growth forests. Two days later, the agency pulled the proposal, citing a need for internal review. On August 1, 2024, the agency revived the project without significant changes, failing to follow the President’s direction to expand “bold efforts to tackle the climate crisis.” At each stage, the agency received hundreds of public comments opposing the project. 

On September 19, 2024, Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands, and Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, along with 40 other organizations, sent a letter to the BLM asking that the agency issue guidance on mature and old-growth logging. 

Join Our
Newsletter.

Staying informed is the first step to becoming a public lands and native wildlife advocate.

Skip to content