Soda Mountain Wilderness Proposal Considered by Congress

The Wilderness area in southern Oregon is a biological hotspot and the proposed legislation has broad support.

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2008 could be the year of wilderness for Oregon. That’s the hope of environmental groups supporting several proposals in Congress to increase protection for public lands. A Senate Committee today (Wednesday) held a hearing on the Soda Mountain wilderness proposal.

The Soda Mountain area comprises 23 thousand acres in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in southern Oregon. Eric Fernandez with Oregon Wild calls the area a melting pot of biodiversity.

Eric Fernandez: The diversity there of plants and animals is nationally recognized and significant on a national scale. So when you look at wanting to protect your most sensitive areas and your most important wildlife habitat areas, this is that area.”

Fernandez says Wilderness designation still allows the public to hike, camp and hunt, but outlaws motorized vehicles and equipment on protected land.  Democratic Senator Ron Wyden and Republican Senator Gordon Smith are both sponsors of the legislation Other Wilderness proposals in Oregon include Mount Hood, the Copper Salmon area, and the wild Rogue River.