On a warm July night last summer in remote northeast Oregon, Russ Morgan and a US Fish and Wildlife Service colleague pulled their truck to the side of a narrow road and began howling into the late evening air. Seconds later the call was returned. Soon, the distinct sound of two adult gray wolves and two wolf pups filled the night sky. Morgan had just discovered Oregon’s first resident wolf pack in over 60 years.

ODFW wolf coordinator Russ Morgan will share this story and more on January 7th as the featured speaker at Oregon Wild Wednesday, a quarterly event hosted by the conservation group Oregon Wild. For two years Morgan has criss-crossed the rugged backcountry of northeast Oregon searching to confirm reports of wolf sightings. In January, the efforts bore fruit as a lone wolf was filmed from a helicopter after Morgan picked up a radio signal belonging to a collared gray wolf from an Idaho wolf pack.

Joining Morgan will be Oregon Wild Roadless Wildlands Advocate Rob Klavins. Klavins will talk about the effort to protect Oregon’s 2 million acres of roadless backcountry (as well as 58.5 million acres nationwide) and the role that big, wild places play in providing essential habitat for gray wolves.

What: Oregon Wild Wednesday – A free event open to all-ages. RSVP is not required, but space is limited, so be sure to arrive early.

When: Wednesday, January 7, 2009, 6-7:30 pm

Who: Russ Morgan, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) wolf coordinator and the state’s point man on tracking and recovering wolves as they repopulate Oregon – and – Oregon Wild Roadless Wildlands Advocate Rob Klavins.

Where: Roots Organic Brewing Company (1520 SE 7th, Portland, OR)

WIN!: Every person who attends this free event will be entered into our raffle for goodies such as Patagonia gear! Drawing to take place evening of event; you must be present to win.