The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Wildflower journal. © William Neuhauser

Share your wish — in 50 words or less — for the next 50 years in Oregon.

Our story began with the Conservancy’s first three preserves in Oregon — Camassia, Cascade Head and the Sandy River — and the people who saved them. Those places are still there, vibrant with wildlife and with stewardship and restoration work benefiting the broader community.

The fate of those places would have been so much different without the bold actions taken by our volunteers and members.

What a privilege it has been for me to take this journey with you.

As we celebrate and reflect, what do you think we should promise to future generations? What do we save for them? What do we set in motion, so that 50 years from now, The Nature Conservancy is still achieving results we can hardly imagine today?

I invite you to share your wish — in 50 words or less — for the next 50 years in Oregon. We’ll gather yours and others, and share them back with you throughout the year.

What do you want Oregon to look like? What places are important? What should we strive for?

Don’t shy away from thinking big. As we’ve just been reminded, a committed group of people can accomplish an amazing amount in 50 years.

For that and so much more, I thank you for everything you do to make a difference for Oregon’s future.

Sincerely,

Russell Hoeflich, Oregon Director

A lifelong conservationist and avid birder, Russell Hoeflich has been director of The Nature Conservancy in Oregon since 1987. He began working for the organization 30 years ago, yet initially partnered with us to restore habitats at his New York high school.