Advancing landscape-scale forest conservation in Oregon

Columbia Land Trust and partners secure funding to protect land that will safeguard drinking water, recreation, and wildlife habitat

Northern Oregon, just east of the Cascade mountains, is home to a famously beautiful landscape, offering views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and the Columbia River Gorge, and habitat-rich terrain that shifts dramatically from towering forests to sunny wildflower meadows.  

This region supports abundant wildlife and is home to vibrant communities that rely on these forests and open spaces for water quality, recreational access, and jobs. The challenge, and the opportunity, lies in protecting the long-term viability and connectivity of these landscapes, enabling them to continue to thrive and benefit both people and nature. 

A recent award from the U.S. Forest Service brings that sustainable future one step closer. Columbia Land Trust partnered with The Conservation Fund and Oregon Department of Forestry to secure $9,315,000 in funding from the U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program to facilitate the conservation of more than 14,000 acres of forestland. The lands that will be conserved include productive conifer forests as well as oak woodlands that provide habitat for hundreds of wildlife species. The project delivers a range of lasting benefits: protection of drinking water for the City of The Dalles, permanent public access for recreation across, and direct support for the region’s forestry-based economy. 

“Located just east of the Cascade crest, this area is an important transitional habitat zone,” said Columbia Land Trust Conservation Director Nate Ulrich. “The topographic diversity in this area facilitates incredible ecological diversity. Modeling by The Nature Conservancy shows it is well above average for climate resilience and wildlife habitat connectivity. This Forest Legacy funding is critical to conserving the multiple benefits this landscape provides both now and into the future.”

The award is the latest milestone in an ongoing conservation partnership between Columbia Land Trust, Twin Creeks Timber / Green Diamond Resource Company, and The Conservation Fund to conserve important forestland north and south of the Columbia River in Washington and Oregon.  

“This commitment from the federal Forest Legacy Program, made possible with the support of Senators Wyden and Merkley, represents a key step in a collaborative effort to conserve iconic forested landscapes across the Columbia River Gorge,” said Kaola Swanson, Columbia Gorge program manager at The Conservation Fund. “It accelerates our momentum toward a multiyear goal of protecting thousands of acres of regional forestland, while supporting critical habitat, natural resources, and rural economies.” 

This conservation project is comprised of three separate tracts in Oregon:
• Tract 1: 10,653 acres of productive conifer forest and oak woodlands that are owned by Green Diamond Resource Company/Twin Creeks Timber. This tract will continue to be managed as working forest for sustainable timber harvest. A conservation easement held by the Oregon Department of Forestry will permanently prevent subdivision, development, or conversion, and will enable public access for recreational uses like hiking and mountain biking.   

• Tract 2: 3,442 acres of ponderosa pine forest and oak woodlands that are temporarily owned by an affiliate of The Conservation Fund and will be purchased by the City of The Dalles to protect drinking water quality for City residents.

• Tract 3: 1,965 acres of mixed conifer forest and oak habitat that supports important biodiversity and wildlife habitat. This property too is temporarily owned by an affiliate of The Conservation Fund and will be purchased by Columbia Land Trust for permanent conservation and management. (Forest Legacy fun will not be used for this purchase, which is match land for the project.)

The property to be acquired by The City of the Dalles is the last, major, privately-owned parcel within the drainages of The Dalles Municipal Watershed. With approximately 14,000 residents, The Dalles is the largest city in Wasco County. Nearly 80% of the city’s water supply comes from surface water sources located within the watershed. With its acquisition, nearly all of the watershed will be managed by the city or the U.S. Forest Service for protection of drinking water quality.  

Altogether, this collaborative project will help hold together a continuous forested landscape that supports an international migratory corridor for neo-tropical birds, vital winter range for culturally important deer and elk, and local jobs in the timber and recreation industries. Located in the ancestral territory of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, these projects also permanently secure access for cultural uses.   

“Because the lands that this project conserves are adjacent to federal and county owned forests, it protects landscape connectivity that is essential to both people and wildlife as we navigate a climate future that will be different from the past,” said Ulrich. “This project strategically builds upon years of conservation work by Columbia Land Trust and partners and will lead to long-lasting positive impacts.”