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A closeup view of wildflowers in a field with Mt. Hood in the background.
Wildflowers on Mt. Hood Wildflowers bloom in the foothills of Mt. Hood, Oregon. © Kayla Sulak

Stories in Oregon

Conservation Impact: Highlights From Our Strategic Plan

Celebrating successes of the last five years.

October 25, 2021

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Between protecting estuaries on the Oregon Coast, working with ranchers in Wallowa County, reconnecting the Willamette River, restoring tidal wetlands, advocating for key legislation, and more, the last 5 years have been a busy time for The Nature Conservancy in Oregon. As we look towards new challenges and inspire transformative change at this urgent time for nature, we take a moment to reflect on just a few highlights the last 5 years of conservation work across Oregon.

Conservation Wins (6:44) Travel with us across the state to visit a few of the places we work and meet some of the people responsible for protecting and restoring nature in Oregon.
Portrait of Jim Desmond, State Director, TNC in Oregon
Jim Desmond Jim Desmond, director of the Oregon chapter of The Nature Conservancy © Tim Jewett

"Despite the many challenges facing us today, our vision for the future is a hopeful one. Grounded in science and powered by your support, our vision is bold but achievable. We are working toward a future where all Oregonians benefit equally from clean air and water, our state helps lead the way in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and our most critical lands and waters are connected, protected, and managed to sustain nature in the face of climate change."

—Jim Desmond, State Director, The Nature Conservancy in Oregon

Conservation in Action

Aerial view of Miami Wetlands Preserve in Oregon on a sunny day with puffy clouds over mountains in the background.
Restoring an Estuary We're working to protect this Miami Wetlands Preserve near Garibaldi and other critical habitats along the Oregon coast. © Zach Putnam
Dressed in a hard hat and fire-protective gear, Katie Sauerbrey speaks to members of a fire crew.
Forests and Fire Katie Sauerbrey, TNC Oregon Fire Program Manager, addresses a fire crew during the Bootleg Fire that burned across 413,000 acres in Southern Oregon. © Brady Holden
Closeup of grass cluster on sagebrush steppe with blue sky overhead.
Innovative Restoration Oregon scientists developed innovative solutions to sagebrush steppe restoration that promote native perennial grasses and increase ecosystem resilience. © Brady Holden
A small group of people sit at the edge of a city park overlooking Portland, Oregon, as the setting sun shines through a nearby tree.
Urban Tree Canopy Urban trees can provide tremendous benefits, such as helping to lower temperatures, enhance air quality and improve human health. © Kevin Bermingham
A man and a woman examine fish in a small net while at the edge of a river.
Sustainable Water TNC staff Jason Nuckols and Melissa Olson monitor native fish at the Willamette Confluence Preserve; we’ve restored six miles of river and planted 500,000+ trees and shrubs. © Mitch Maxson/TNC
A man in a cowboy hat walks in front of a horse along a dirt road that cuts through a large, green, grassy prairie, with a mountain range in the background.
Resilient Rangelands Over the past five years, the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve has grown to more than 55,000 acres, providing tremendous opportunity for both native habitat and strategic grazing. © Aaron Huey
× Aerial view of Miami Wetlands Preserve in Oregon on a sunny day with puffy clouds over mountains in the background.
× Dressed in a hard hat and fire-protective gear, Katie Sauerbrey speaks to members of a fire crew.
× Closeup of grass cluster on sagebrush steppe with blue sky overhead.
× A small group of people sit at the edge of a city park overlooking Portland, Oregon, as the setting sun shines through a nearby tree.
× A man and a woman examine fish in a small net while at the edge of a river.
× A man in a cowboy hat walks in front of a horse along a dirt road that cuts through a large, green, grassy prairie, with a mountain range in the background.

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Oregon Stories

Forest grove in Boardman, OR

Four Ways Nature is Fighting Back Against Climate Change

Restoring, protecting and harnessing the power of our forests, grasslands and wetlands will provide at least 30% of the reduction in greenhouse gasses needed for a prosperous, low-carbon future.

A drone shot of the Coyote Area after the Bootleg Fire showing a road bisecting a forest; the right half of the forest is burned, while the left half is not.

Through the Fire

In summer of 2021, the Bootleg Fire became the third largest wildfire in Oregon history, burning through nearly 15,000 acres on The Nature Conservancy's Sycan Marsh Preserve.

Willamette Confluence Oregon Aerial

Reconnecting the Willamette River

After a century of being separated, we've reconnected the Willamette River to floodplain and wetlands, improving habitat and safeguarding the community from the risk of flooding.

Aerial view of winter lake and the Coquille River.

Restoring Tidal Wetlands at Winter Lake

The installation of tide gates and restoration of tidal wetlands at Winter Lake will provide critical rearing habitat for juvenile salmon, boosting populations in the Coquille River.

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