In 2021, with the support of members like you, McKenzie River Trust deepened our investments to protect and care for land and water on Oregon’s central coast. Soon after opening our coast office in the summer of 2021, we learned of an immediate need from partners at the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and Lincoln County. A 27- acre property located off of highway 101 was on the open market and at risk of development.
Working in collaboration with our partners, McKenzie River Trust was able to secure a bridge loan to purchase the property as an interim landowner in August of this year. We’ll hold the property until it can be transferred to the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in the coming years. The property, known as Cape Foulweather, is at the heart of Siletz territory, and adjoins Otter Crest State Scenic Viewpoint just north of Newport, OR. Nearby Marine Gardens, State Parks and Marine Reserves highlight the abundance of this area for a variety of plants and animals.
In the intertidal zone of the Pacific Ocean, harbor seals congregate to rear their pups on the water’s edge. Nearby kelp forests provide important food and shelter for an abundance of marine life which flourishes in the ever changing tidescape. Jutting abruptly from the ocean, the property rises across steep and rare salt-spray meadows. These meadows provide critical habitat for threatened Oregon Silverspot Butterflies who rely on this niche habitat for food and breeding. In the upper reaches, meadows transition into dense stands of Spruce trees and native understory. These coastal habitats are at the heart of important cultural practices for the Siletz people.
To purchase the property, McKenzie River Trust used private donations, support from the Lincoln Land Legacy Program of Lincoln County and a low-interest loan from Craft3’s Conservation Bridge Fund. Over the coming year, we’ll work with good people like you to pay off that loan and seed funding for the long-term stewardship of this special place. The conservation of Cape Foulweather ensures ecological and cultural connections from land to sea, and weaves a tapestry of abundance across generations.
After 15 years of planning and development, a major conservation project near the town of Florence has achieved its goal: connecting a large swath of restored farmland to the Oregon Coast. The Siuslaw Estuary is a 217-acre expanse that’s expected to accommodate the return of salmon, lamprey, shorebirds, and native plants as it transforms with the tides.
Our new StoryMap, A Place of Constant Change, invites you to immerse yourself in this incredible landscape. Through stories, research, videos, and on-the-ground examples, this interactive experience traces the Siuslaw’s geologic history, the many people who have cared for this place across time, the changes that have shaped it, and the collaborative restoration efforts now underway.
Across the Pacific Northwest, forests capture and store water. In healthy forests, diverse tree canopies slow the rain as it reaches the ground. Then it
Since moving to Oregon in 2005, Anice Thigpen and Andrea Halliday have been caring for the land here. Now, they’re inviting others to join them through a special donation matching challenge in honor of Earth Day.
Tribes, agencies, and nonprofits are working together to bring prescribed fire back to the landscape. Prescribed fires in spring and fall help restore balance. They limit the spread of invasive plants and reduce the risk of larger, more destructive fires. By supporting prescribed fire, we can help restore these landscapes and ensure wildflowers continue to thrive.
McKenzie River Trust Executive Director Joe Moll shares his reflections on the proposed “Lane County Watershed Bill of Rights” (Measure 20-373).
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