Very Important and Vital News from Oregon Wild
As an Oregonian, I feel honored and blessed to be surrounded by such beauty and wonders as abound in the forests and wilderness of the Oregon Wilds. Clean, green, and beautiful. There is nothing I enjoy more than getting out and hiking to a lovely waterfall, or finding back trails to some fantastic and lovely water holes to cool off in the summer time. The tall green forests always feel so magical and special, and wildlife is abundant in a way the creators meant this planet to be.
Surely others feel the wonderful bond we humans have to nature, and can understand the integral part they play in Life on this beautiful planet Earth? We are conscious stewards who must remember to walk softly, with a great respect for these sacred lands. Because truly, all places on this planet are sacred, and we can each make a difference when it comes to preserving the pristine wild places. Please take a few precious moments to offer your support in caring for the land which provides for all of our needs. The following letter is the latest news from Oregon Wild. I give grateful thanks for your time.
Oregon Wild Supporter,
Here’s a quick quiz for you:
The Malheur, Wallowa-Whitman, and Umatilla Nation Forests in northeast Oregon cover 5.3 million acres of land. In the new draft Forest Service plan that will chart the course for their future management, how many acres of Wilderness is the agency recommending?
a) 1,800,000 acres
b) 953,000 acres
c) 16,000 acres
Collectively, these national forests make up the spectacular and diverse Blue Mountains where Ponderosa pine forests and sweeping vistas are home to elk, steelhead, and now wolves. Out here, the forests are more open and the chance of running into another person out in the backcountry is slim.
The opportunities for expanded Wilderness protection are vast.
With only 4% of the state of Oregon permanently safeguarded with the highest level of protection Congress can bestow on public land, we have a long way to go to make up our Wilderness deficit. Sadly, the Forest Service (even with new leadership in the Obama administration) doesn’t seem to understand how vital Wilderness protections are to Oregonians today and for future generations.
Click on the chart below to see the numbers and find out what the Forest Service is recommending for Wilderness protection in the Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revisions.
From Hell’s Canyon west to the headwaters of the John Day River, the national forests that make up the mighty Blue Mountains need your voice.
Thank you.
For the wild,
Erik Fernandez
Wilderness Coordinator
Oregon Wild
PS: The Forest Service doesn’t always move quickly. The Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision has been years in the making. Throughout the process, Oregon Wild staff have been diligently monitoring the process, attending meetings, and now holding the Forest Service accountable for a lackluster plan. We couldn’t keep the Forest Service honest without the support of people like you. Please donate or become a member today to support our work protecting our remaining wild forests. Thanks.
Leave a Comment





Forests and Trees
While “General Sherman” may be the world’s biggest tree, the world’s tallest tree is another giant sequoia named “Harry Cole.” Harry measures over 112 meters from base to crown – the height of a 37-story building!
29.6 per cent of the world’s land area is covered by forest. About 10 per cent of that is in Canada. Rain forests generate about 40 per cent of the world’s oxygen. A 30 meter tree with 200,000 leaves can suck up 43,000 litres of water and breathe it into the air in just one growing season. Medicine in aspirins originally came from the bark of a willow tree. One acre of trees can absorb over 2.5 tons of carbon dioxide in a year. Every ton of recycled paper saves approximately 17 trees and saves 4,100 kilowatt hours of electricity – enough energy to heat the average home for six months.
“We cannot win this battle to save the species and environments without forging an emotional bond between ourselves and nature as well — for we will not fight to save what we do not love.”
Can you even imagine how many products are used each day, in which are created from harvesting trees? The paper we use to write on, the books we read, as well as the paper products being used in our household create an unbelievable demand upon our forests. Not to mention the dozens of other products derived from trees, from furniture to houses. There is a serious imbalance being created through the rampant destruction of our forests, which is not only affecting wildlife, yet is creating a serious danger to human life as well. Unless one wishes to wear an oxygen mask to live and breathe in safety, we need to take action and realize how important it is to be proactive in replanting our forests, and preserving the existing forests before some very necessary natural resources are totally lost forever. And the loss of the medicines derived from the Plant Nation is a very sad tragedy to contemplate.