FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wild Rogue River Tops List of Threatened Oregon Places, Politics the Culprit

Report identifies 10 Most Endangered Places in Oregon for 2010

Conservation groups identify top threats to special places across the state and call on citizens and politicians to step up and protect public interest.

Cover photo by Dave Gutschmidt

Coinciding with President Barack Obama’s declaration of September as National Wilderness Month, Oregon Wild and a coalition of other conservation and recreation organizations from across the state today released a report highlighting Oregon’s most at-risk wildlands. The second annual 10 Most Endangered Places report features landscapes ranging from the Siskiyou Wild Rivers in southwest Oregon to the snow-capped peaks of northeast Oregon – all put at risk by misguided development or extractive industry.

“In his proclamation earlier this month, the President called on all Americans to cherish and protect our remaining pristine wildlands and rivers,” said Steve Pedery, Conservation Director at Oregon Wild who helped to rank the threatened places in the report. “The 10 Most Endangered Places report should serve both as a warning and a roadmap for Oregon in safeguarding our most threatened wildlands..”

The report was compiled from nominations from conservation organizations working across the state. The final list includes submissions from Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands, Hells Canyon Preservation Council, Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Oregon Natural Desert Association, Rogue Riverkeeper, and Siskiyou Project.

Topping this year’s list are the wildlands along the Rogue River. From the forests that embrace its headwaters near Crater Lake, to rugged canyons and pristine tributary streams along its popular lower stretch, this iconic river is threatened. While logging sales, including recent old-growth logging proposals, threaten the scenic beauty, salmon, and recreational opportunities provided by the Rogue political indifference may be the greatest threat it faces.

In May 2010, conservationists and timber industry representatives reached an agreement on a proposal that would protect 58,000 acres of the Lower Rogue River and surrounding forestlands as Wilderness. The timber industry lobby group, American Forest Resource Council agreed not to oppose the legislation. Still, Representative Peter DeFazio and Senator Ron Wyden have yet to introduce legislation in Congress to protect the Wild Rogue.

“Time is running out,” added Erik Fernandez, Wilderness Coordinator with Oregon Wild. “There is no significant, organized opposition to protecting the Wild Rogue and with midterm elections just around the corner, the time to get this legislation before Congress is now.”

The complete list of the Oregon’s 10 Most Endangered Places 2010 is:

1. Rogue River Wildlands threatened by the Bybee Timber Sale, suction dredge mining, climate change, and political indifference;
2. the Blue Mountains endangered by an inadequate forest plan that recommends embarrassingly low numbers of Wilderness and Wild & Scenic Rivers for protection;
3. Upper Klamath Lake suffering from human-caused drought that puts fish and wildlife at risk;
4. Southwest Oregon Ancient Forests (Evans Creek) at risk due to a heavy-handed timber sale program planned by the Medford BLM district;
5. the Glaciers of Mount Hood slowly disappearing due to increased pressure from global warming;
6. Illinois River abused by reckless mining and the outdated 1872 Mining Law;
7. Elliott State Forest where the Oregon Department of Forestry continues to clear-cut native forests and spray toxic herbicides;
8. and Coos Bay Estuary and SW Oregon Watersheds at risk from a Liquefied Natural Gas terminal and associated 235-mile pipeline;
9. Steens Mountain where ill-sited wind energy development projects threaten unique vistas;
10. Mt. Bailey Roadless Area where the sprawling D-Bug Timber Sale continues to use fire and bug hysteria to promote backcountry logging.

“The wild areas across our state represent a natural heritage to be passed on to future generations,” concluded Pedery. “These are the places where our grandfathers and grandmothers taught us to hike, fly- fish, and build a campfire and we have a responsibility to defend them when they are threatened.”

View a full PDF of the report here.

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