A homegrown movement to protect the clear waters and wild rivers of Oregon's Kalmiopsis - Wild Rivers Coast

The Kalmiopsis and the Wild Rivers Coast

The Kalmiopsis Wildlands are rugged, geologically complex, and home to the National Wild & Scenic Illinois, Chetco and North Fork Smith Rivers—plus five U.S. Forest Service Candidate Wild and Scenic Rivers. These beautiful rivers are free flowing—from their headwaters to the Pacific Ocean and the spectacular Wild Rivers Coast. Their rare plant diversity is legendary.

With other free flowing streams, the rivers of the Kalmiopsis provide clean drinking water for downstream communities, wild salmon and steelhead for local economies and high quality recreation for visitors and locals. The clean water and native salmon of the Illinois River are essential to the famed Lower Wild and Scenic Rogue River 

Millions of years ago this ancient land acted as a climate refuge. It can again, if we take care of it. But metal strip mining threaten the wild National Forest headwaters of its beautiful creeks and rivers and almost a half century conservation. Learn about Kalmiopsis Wildlands (pronounced Kal-me-opsis) and this remote corner of Oregon and California and how to help.protect it. 

January 14, 2018

A first in Oregon | The North Fork Smith Outstanding Resource Waters

A first in Oregon | The North Fork Smith Outstanding Resource Waters
It was unanimous and a first for Oregon. On July 17, 2017, the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission named the National Wild and Scenic North Fork Smith River, its tributaries and… Read more
July 13, 2017

The science behind protecting Oregon’s Wild and Scenic North Fork Smith River’s outstanding water quality

The science behind protecting Oregon’s Wild and Scenic North Fork Smith River’s outstanding water quality
The waters of Oregon's National Wild and Scenic North Fork Smith River and its tributaries are of the highest quality and exceptionally clear. But this is not some… Read more
May 16, 2017

Video – A Southwestern Oregon Mineral Withdrawal thank you—clean water and clean rivers are the future!

Video – A Southwestern Oregon Mineral Withdrawal thank you—clean water and clean rivers are the future!
We made a short video to thank all of you who worked tirelessly on the 20-year Southwestern Oregon Mineral Withdrawal. The withdrawal will help protect 101,000 acres of National Forest… Read more
February 23, 2017

Protect the North Fork Smith River, its tributaries and wetlands as Oregon’s first Outstanding Resource Waters

Protect the North Fork Smith River, its tributaries and wetlands as Oregon’s first Outstanding Resource Waters
Updated 2/27/2017 - The State of Oregon is proposing to designate the National Wild and Scenic North Fork Smith River, its tributaries and associated wetlands as Outstanding Resource Waters,… Read more
February 17, 2017

Southwestern Oregon Watershed and Salmon Protection Act reintroduced

Southwestern Oregon Watershed and Salmon Protection Act reintroduced
Representatives Peter DeFazio and Jared Huffman got right to it. On January 5th, two days after the 115th Congress convened, they reintroduced the Southwestern Oregon Watershed and Salmon Protection Act… Read more
January 13, 2017

DeFazio, Huffman, Wyden, Merkley Proud to Help Protect Unique Southwest Oregon Lands from Mining

DeFazio, Huffman, Wyden, Merkley Proud to Help Protect Unique Southwest Oregon Lands from Mining
WASHINGTON—Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) today secured a twenty-year ban on new mining projects in an ecologically… Read more
November 18, 2016

Local support for a 20-year Southwest Oregon Mineral Withdrawal overwhelms a third time

Local support for a 20-year Southwest Oregon Mineral Withdrawal overwhelms a third time
Neither the dark of night nor the rains of November deterred opponents of nickel strip mining in the Kalmiopsis and Wild Rivers Coast regions from making their… Read more
August 26, 2016

Support for Southwest Oregon Mineral Withdrawal is overwhelming

Support for Southwest Oregon Mineral Withdrawal is overwhelming
Forty-five thousand individuals, organizations, tribes, agencies, water districts, counties and city councils commented or signed petitions during two formal comment periods and two local hearings for the Southwestern Oregon Mineral… Read more
May 23, 2016

Two companies hold most of the mining claims in Southwest Oregon Mineral Withdrawal Area

Two companies hold most of the minng claims in withdrawal area
Two mining companies and what's called an association hold all but five of the existing federal mining claims in the U.S Forest Service and BLM's proposed 101,000 acre Southwestern Oregon… Read more
May 21, 2016

EPA | Metal mining biggest toxic polluter in U.S. again

EPA | Metal mining biggest toxic polluter in U.S. again
Post revised 5/25/2016.   EPA's latest Toxic Release Inventory report shows that the metal mining industry produced 45% of all toxic pollution in the United States in 2014. You won't hear advocates… Read more
May 16, 2016

Will the North Fork Smith River be Oregon’s first Outstanding Resource Waters?

Will the North Fork Smith River be Oregon’s first Outstanding Resource Waters?
It's a favorite of fisheries biologists and a small cadre of intrepid boaters who like their weather wet and their whitewater wild. The National Wild and Scenic North Fork… Read more
April 29, 2016

From headwaters to coast | Kids, communities say no to nickel mines and yes to clean water

From headwaters to coast | Kids, communities say no to nickel mines and yes to clean water
We look back to September 11, 2015 on the Wild Rivers Coast. It was one of those days that verged on perfect. The evening before, the Gold Beach hearing for… Read more
October 4, 2015

The proposed mining withdrawal | decades in the making

The proposed mining withdrawal | decades in the making
What just happened may have seemed out of the blue to some but the recently proposed mining withdrawal has been decades in the making. It's purpose is to provide interim… Read more
September 10, 2015

Officials get overwhelming support for river protection and resounding no to mines

Officials get overwhelming support for river protection and resounding no to mines
Residents of Southwest Oregon's Wild Rivers Coast like their water pure, rivers clean, air fresh and salmon healthy. That was the message about 200 people had for the Forest Service, BLM,… Read more
May 24, 2015

No place for the most polluting industry in America

No place for the most polluting industry in America
Once more the metal mining industry is largest toxic polluter in the United States. On January 15th, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the latest numbers from the nation's… Read more