OEC Leads Diverse Coalition to Support Healthy Watersheds

In March the Oregon Environmental Council led development of a common legislative agenda for funding to improve watershed health on agricultural, forest, rural, and urban lands. This common agenda was supported by the following groups, with our partners at the Oregon Network of Watershed Councils and the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts also providing critical leadership and support:

Oregon Environmental Council
Oregon Farm Bureau
Defenders of Wildlife
Oregonians for Food and Shelter
Oregon Trout
Oregon Forest Industries Council
The Nature Conservancy
Oregon Small Woodlands Association

These groups don’t always agree on solutions to environmental problems. However, in this case, we all recognized a clear need for funding to support watershed health that crosses political and ideological lines. The coalition successfully advocated for funding for desperately needed staff positions at Watershed Councils and Soil and Water Conservation Districts to provide expert technical assistance and outreach to private landowners who want to do watershed improvement and salmon recovery projects on their land. Funding for project design and monitoring of results was also a high priority. While the legislative session is not yet complete, it appears likely that watershed funding allocated by the Oregon Legislature will come very close to the amounts advocated for by the partnership.

To see the joint letter by the group detailing their priorities for watershed funding, please click here [PDF].