Biodiversity in the Klamath-Siskiyou

Northern Spotted owl fledglings

The Klamath-Siskiyou region is globally recognized as a hub of biological diversity. Constant pressures from exploitative extraction and human encroachment - from timber sales to climate change - are causing concern in this Noah's Ark of biodiversity. KS Wild takes advice from Albert Einstein when he cautioned us to save all of the pieces.

While providing public oversight of federal wildlands and important wildlife habitat, KS Wild promotes proactive change by advocating for permanent species protection. The Endangered Species Act is our primary tool for the protection of endangered species and their habitat. We research the status of imperiled species within the Klamath-Siskiyou region, and when we determine that a particular species warrants federal protection, we develop and submit a listing petition to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is the keystone law that enables KS Wild and other groups to seek federal protection for species, and it may be one of the most important pieces of environmental legislation in U.S. history. The Endangered Species Act works to protect and restore species that are on the brink of extinction. Essential to the Endangered Species Act is the protection of endangered species habitat. This is a crucial component to species recovery; we recognize that to protect and restore a species, the habitat on which that species relies must be protected.

The Klamath-Siskiyou bioregion contains some of the largest intact wild ecosystems left on the West Coast. Despite the fact that public opinion polling routinely demonstrates strong support across America for preservation of wildlands and endangered species, the current administration in Washington, D.C. seems bent on a return to the bankrupt resource extraction policies of the past. This threat to our public lands is compounded by the cumulative effects of past abuses and impending climate change. KS Wild's activities are intended to reduce the loss of biodiversity and advocate for significant restoration of wildland species and their habitats in this unique and ecologically vital area.