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Oregon's
Greatest Wetlands Statewide Conservation Plan
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Oregon's
Greatest Wetlands
Oregon does not have a statewide strategy for identifying
and protecting the biologically important wetlands in the state.
Oregon’s wetland resources have suffered substantial losses in
geographic distribution and diversity. In Western Oregon, 53 percent of
wetlands have been converted to other uses since European settlement.
According to the "Oregon State of the Environment Report 2000", more
than 500 acres of wetlands are being lost annually in the Willamette
Valley alone. Nationally, 35 percent of all rare and endangered species
depend on wetlands. As wetland habitat is destroyed, the number of
species threatened with extinction increases.
In Oregon, local
watershed councils, soil and water conservation
districts, land trusts, landowners and others often work in isolation,
with a limited comprehensive view of wetland conservation efforts
throughout the state. As a result, wetland protection and conservation
efforts are often disjointed and there is little sharing of information
about critical wetland resources.
Coordinating
Conservation Efforts
This project is an effort in Oregon
to coordinate statewide conservation efforts for biologically
important wetlands. TWC envisions a comprehensive Oregon wetland
conservation concept that creates a vehicle for better collaborations,
partnerships and information exchanges; assures conservation of
important wetland resources; and creates a stronger position for
increasing funding.
The "Oregon's Greatest Wetlands" project is
an effort to identify, map, and gather information on the state's most
valuable wetlands. In order to conserve and restore Oregon's wetlands,
The Wetlands Conservancy (TWC) is working closely with local
communities, land trusts, watershed councils, individual landowners and
state resource managers to build local stewardship acquire and restore
wetlands. The Oregon's Greatest Wetlands website (wetlands.pdx.edu) is
the first step in providing a mechanism to promote exchange of
information related to Oregon wetlands among other non-profits,
community groups, individual landowners, state and federal agencies,
and interested members of the community.
While all wetlands have value, this project targets conservation of
wetlands that meet specific criteria for significance.
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Regional
Wetlands Conservation
The second phase of
the Oregon's Greatest Wetlands Project is convening interested groups
and parties in different areas of the state to develop and implement
strategies to conserve the valuable wetlands. This process is underway
in Yaquina, Alsea and Beaver Creek watersheds of the central coast, The
Deschutes Basin and the Lower Columbia Estuary.
The Oregon's
Greatest Wetlands Open MapServer
Project is offline at
this time.
We are moving to a brand new server and implementing our most recent
changes.
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