TU’s Finnerty to Congress: protect SW Oregon salmon and steelhead strongholds

On November 9, Dean Finnerty became the latest Trout Unlimited representative to testify before Congress, when he appeared before the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands in support of the Southwestern Oregon Watersheds and Salmon Protection Act.  Few are more qualified to tout the importance of southwestern Oregon streams for salmon and steelhead than

Oregon conservation groups, timber interests reach historic agreement

The State of Oregon is justifiably famous for many things, among them its world-renowned salmon and steelhead fisheries. But a slew of impacts, including hotter and drier conditions associated with climate change and harmful timber practices (especially on private forest lands), have diminished many of Oregon’s salmon and steelhead runs. Late last Friday, eighteen months

North Umpqua fire changes complexion of an iconic river

We stopped first at Swiftwater Park.  My brother, Greg, and I always start there when we fish the North Umpqua searching for summer steelhead.  It’s not much of a park, really. Just some parking next to the river, along with his and her’s vault toilets.   The river is the attraction. This is the final upstream spot before reaching the North’s famous fly-only water. We

Never been closer: new progress on the Klamath

The Klamath River is one of the country’s most beleaguered watersheds. But on July 27 the Oregon Public Utilities Commission provided some good news, when the agency approved an order granting transfer of four old fish-blocking dams to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation so they can be taken out.

TU staffers turn 2020’s Oregon wildfires into opportunity to improve resiliency

People all around Oregon woke on Sept. 8, 2020, to high winds, extensive power outages and lots of speculation by foresters that it could be the worst day of fires in Oregon’s history. That’s exactly what it turned out to be for Chrysten Lambert, TU’s Oregon director for Western Conservation, and many others when three wildfires whipped through the area in a split second