FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 8, 2024
Contact:
Grace Brahler, Cascadia Wildlands, 541-393-8178, grace@cascwild.org
The Oregon Board of Forestry made a historic decision to move forward with a Habitat Conservation Plan for 640,000 acres of western Oregon state forests at its March 7th meeting in Salem. Voting 4-3 in favor of directing Oregon Department of Forestry to move forward with the draft Habitat Conservation Plan, the agency will now finalize the plan to establish a network of habitat and riparian conservation areas across roughly 300,000 acres of state forests and await federal approval. The department will also continue developing a new Forest Management Plan to guide implementation of the Habitat Conservation Plan.
Cascadia Wildlands, a Eugene-based non-profit conservation organization that works to defend and restore Cascadia’s wild ecosystems, has expressed consistent support for securing a strong Habitat Conservation Plan for western Oregon’s state forests for years.
“In the midst of worsening climate change and biodiversity loss crises, we are pleased to see the Department of Forestry renew its commitment to species conservation and clean water protection,” said Grace Brahler, Wildlands Director with Cascadia Wildlands. “We thank the Board for moving forward with a strong Habitat Conservation Plan for western Oregon’s state forests that will ensure Oregonians can enjoy these cherished public lands for generations to come.”
The vote follows a recommendation from Oregon State Forester Cal Mukumoto to proceed with the Habitat Conservation Plan without further delay. State Forester Mukumoto made this recommendation following years of public testimony and a recent series of listening sessions where community members from across Oregon spoke in support of strong conservation measures to protect clean water, fish and wildlife habitat and recreation on state-managed public forests.
Cascadia Wildlands will continue to seek alternative and stable funding sources for rural counties where logging revenue may be affected by the Habitat Conservation Plan.
Representing 12,000 members and supporters across the country, Cascadia Wildlands envisions vast old-growth forests, a stable climate, rivers full of wild salmon, wolves howling in the backcountry and vibrant, diverse communities sustained by the unique landscapes of the Cascadia bioregion.
*A high-resolution photo is available for download here for press use. Community members stand up for a strong conservation plan for state forests (photo by Robert Sherle).