Protecting the beautiful rivers, wild lands and legendary botanical diversity of Oregon's Kalmiopsis Country
Protecting the beautiful rivers, wild lands and legendary botanical diversity of Oregon's Kalmiopsis Country
Introduction and fall of 2018 update On July 13, 2002, a lightning storm ignited five fires in southwest Oregon’s rugged river-rich Kalmiopsis region. Four of the fires, plus massive U.S. Forest Service burnout operations (part of the agency’s fire suppression…
A series of thunderstorms moved through southwest Oregon and northwest California on September 6th and 7th bringing cooler temperatures, relief from smoke, intermittent rain, and unfortunately lightning. What effect the storms had on the Chetco Bar fire we can’t assess but…
The Wild and Scenic Illinois River, leaves civilization and heads into the wilds of Southwestern Oregon’s Kalmiopsis backcountry. This is one of the most underappreciated, beautiful stretches of river on the West Coast and fall is one of the best…
When Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve Superintendent Vicki Snitzler pointed to a ridge top marking the park’s new boundary at a ribbon cutting ceremony on April 10th, a crowd that included Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Congressman Peter…
Cathedral Hills Park is a 560 acre woodland minutes from downtown Grants Pass. It’s to Grants Pass, what Central Park is to New City and a delight any time of year. Best of all, enjoying its numerous amenities won’t cost you a…
Described as a little biological gem, the proposed Illinois Valley Salmon and Botanical Area is comprised of about 15,000 acres of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management on the west side of the Illinois Valley. The special…
Cathedral Hills is to Grants Pass as Central Park is to New York—or close to it. Only no one would think of constructing a 60 foot wide road through Central Park or managing it for timber production. That’s what’s facing…
In a June 25th editorial, the Grants Pass Courier endorsed the Oregon Caves expansion. Calling the National Monument the “crown jewel of Josephine County,” the Courier editorial says it’s time to act on legislation that’s been floating around Congress for six…
Like most places, we have our prophets of doom in Southwest Oregon. They oppose just about everything—even the most modest proposals, such as a bill expanding protection for the Oregon Caves National Monument. The legislation will help assure clean safe drinking water…
Update and great news This post was previously updated in May of 2014. We began updating it again in early 2018 because we learned that the 2017 Chetco Bar fire burned through the part of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness where Emily…