Support is growing to protect Owyhee Canyonlands

During legislative days in Salem last week, Environment Oregon staff had the opportunity to meet with several state legislators to tell them about our campaign, as part of a broad coalition to protect the Owyhee Canyonlands, and there was a lot of support.

It’s really not surprising given that the Owyhee Canyonlands is the largest conservation opportunity in the American West. Boasting more than 2.5 million acres of deep, rugged canyons, rolling sagebrush grasslands, and rushing rivers, this area provides a home to more than 200 species of wildlife, 28 plant species found nowhere else in the world, and is one of the last places in the lower 48 where the skies are dark enough that you can still see the Milky Way at night — this is truly an Oregon treasure worth protecting.

We’ve reached a critical point in the decades-long effort, with nearly 80% of Oregonians in favor of protecting this land and an opportunity that we can’t let slip away. For the third time in four years, U.S. Sens. Wyden and Merkley have introduced legislation that would protect 1.1 million acres of wilderness across the Owyhee that is supported by tribal communities, local ranchers, sportsmen and sportswomen, local businesses and conservationists alike.

The Owyhee’s vastness is intimidating and humbling; its foreboding canyons and expansive plains invite reverence and wonder. From each awe-inspiring vista, the land goes on farther than the eye can see. Yet today, only 5% of the Owyhee Canyonlands is permanently protected, and with the threats of industrial development, roadbuilding, and climate change clawing at the landscape’s edges, that could change — unless we protect it.

So while we’re doing all we can to show support for congressional action, we’re also building support from across the state to let Congress know that if they don’t act soon, we’re urging President Biden to work alongside Sens. Wyden and Merkley to establish the Owyhee Canyonlands National Monument before the end of 2024.