The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) America the Beautiful Challenge Fund recently announced their 2024 awardees, which included a partner-led, region-wide project focused on restoring oak and prairie habitats in the Willamette River Basin. Oregon Wildlife Foundation (OWF), Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture (Pacific Birds), and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) will jointly administer this funding to partners. The award represents a substantial investment of $4.5 million, leveraged with matching partner funds totaling half a million. This investment speaks to the commitment of the NFWF to creating a more sustainable and resilient future.Â
Led by the Willamette Valley Oak and Prairie Cooperative (WVOPC), a coalition of state and federal agencies, Tribes, conservation districts, land trusts, private landowners, NGOs, watershed councils, city governments, and Pacific Birds, the project will restore upwards of 2,000 acres of oak and prairie habitats across 20 sites in the Willamette River Basin on public, private and Tribal lands. Of the total acres, 798 will be restored by Tribes on Tribal land.Â
While the project sites are unique, each has high conservation and cultural significance and supports federal and state-listed species. Watch this short video by Adam Baylor of ODWF to learn more.
"The work of the Cooperative is a critical investment in the conservation of Oregon’s oak and prairie habitat and the Foundation is pleased to support them in any way that we can."
- Tim Greseth, Executive Director of the Oregon Wildlife Foundation
The WVOPC aims to protect, restore, and maintain a functional, resilient network of oak and prairie habitats in the Willamette Valley. An important element of Indigenous Knowledge in this region is the use of fire to keep the savannas open, reduce disease, improve wildlife habitat, and increase acorn production. This project will increase opportunities for ecocultural burning, use Traditional Indigenous Ecological Knowledge to guide restoration, increase Tribal access to culturally important resources, and develop a stronger, collaborative conservation workforce and restoration supply chain. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are all key partners in this project.Â
"Partners in the Willamette Valley have worked together for decades to increase capacity for oak and prairie restoration, to build prescribed fire programs, to uplift Tribal priorities, and to recover endangered species. This project not only advances that work but celebrates the collaborative nature of partnerships."
- Sara Evans-Peters, U.S. Assistant Coordinator for Pacific Birds
“This partnership is advancing work across public, private, and Tribal boundaries through a strategic ground-up shared approach to conservation. This kind of collaboration benefits all kinds of Oregonians including Tribal communities, recreationists, and private landowners while providing critical habitat for so many species."
- Monica Iglecia, U.S. Coordinator for Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture
Building on work already completed through the ODFW’s Willamette Wildlife Mitigation Program (WWMP), the project will add critical restoration capacity to the land protection program. Oak and prairie systems are some of the most biologically diverse, culturally important, and climate-resilient habitats in the Pacific Northwest. Forty-six species that rely on these systems are so imperiled that they are legally regulated. Eleven species native to the Willamette Valley have been listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). The sensitive and listed keystone species that will directly benefit from this project include Streaked Horned Lark, Oregon Vesper Sparrow, Fender’s Blue Butterfly, Kincaid’s Lupine, Golden Paintbrush, Willamette Daisy, and many more.Â
In addition, the loss and degradation of this habitat threatens culturally important first foods, plant materials, and medicines foundational to Indigenous people's lifeways. This project will help strengthen ecosystem and community resilience and support threatened oak and prairie habitats.Â
Congratulations to the Willamette Valley Oak and Prairie Cooperative and all the partners involved in this incredible accomplishment!
