The Year Ahead: KS Wild's Priorities for 2020
Focusing on the public lands that comprise the Rogue and Klamath River watersheds, KS Wild monitors and influences federal management of over 8 million acres of forest. We strive to protect and restore forests and watersheds that stretch from the Cascades to the Coast and down through Northern California.
Sometimes it feels like there is no end to the continual threats facing the Klamath-Siskiyou mountains, rivers, and forests. For all of us at KS Wild, staying connected to wild places we love keeps us rooted in our mission to defend those places.
Looking Ahead
Defending and conserving public lands from assaults by the Trump Administration remains in the forefront of our work. Whether that is engaging on federal law rollbacks or fighting the implementation of public lands exploitation project by project, KS Wild is committed to protecting the Klamath Siskiyous. We also encourage Congress to preserve our wild treasures exemplified by our engagement is legislative policy, such as the Oregon Recreation Enhancement Act.
Top 6 Ways to Save Nature from Climate Change
Fighting for climate smart adaptation for our forests and watersheds is a proactive step we can take now for the future of our region. With the launch of our new Climate Program, KS Wild staff uses science to inform our advocacy on behalf of ecosystems threatened from climate change. In the coming year, the U.S. Forest Service will begin a process that impacts all 18 National Forests in the Pacific Northwest through forest plan revisions; KS Wild will be at the forefront of that effort.
Protecting precious wildlife: KS Wild is often the last line of defense for species that are at-risk from human activities, which too often leave behind endangered, threatened, and indicator species. We stand up for imperiled species such as the Pacific fisher, Siskiyou Mountain Salamander, Great Gray Owl, and Coho Salmon.
Engaging in public land stewardship projects, KS Wild’s stewardship team works with the federal agencies and allied conservation groups to identify key projects that need volunteer hands on public lands. Projects include but are not limited to: a monitoring program at Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Area for OHV damage and restoration of a key botanical hotspot, grazing monitoring and fence building at Alex Hole wet meadow on the Siskiyou Crest, the Star Thistle pull within the Mariposa Lily Preserve on the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument, general trash clean ups, and more. Interested in being a public lands steward in 2020? Sign up here: www.kswild.org/volunteer
A land of wild rivers, the Klamath-Siskiyou region of southern Oregon and northern California contains more federally recognized Wild and Scenic Rivers than any area in the lower 48, with many more streams deserving of protection. Senator Ron Wyden is working to add to Oregon's Wild and Scenic River legacy by expanding Wild & Scenic designations to waterways across the state. By gaining federal designation, many of these waterways will be permanently protected from mining, while retaining ecological and recreational values. Map of Wild and Scenic Rivers.
