What does ORTWS do to support wildlife conservation in Oregon?
The Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society is committed to promoting the conservation of Oregon's wildlife, and to supporting current and future generations of wildlife biologists. We are actively engaged in conservation and legislative issues in our state affecting wildlife and their habitat.
The Conservation Affairs Committee works diligently to address challenging wildlife related topics across Oregon and throughout the country. ORTWS may provide public comment on state and federal agency actions, proposed bills, rulemaking, and other legislative items. This committee provides information on wildlife issues to aid in public discussion of natural resource management in our state and promotes the application of sound science in resource management decisions.
To better communicate with legislators, ORTWS is seeking to employ a Legislative Liaison in 2025, who provides ORTWS with updates on upcoming bills and other legislative matters, interfaces with legislators on ORTWS' behalf, and assists ORTWS in disseminating natural resource information to legislators, stakeholders, and the public.
Want to get more involved in conservation efforts and happenings in Oregon? Join the Conservation Affairs or Legislative Affairs Committees! Contact us at ortws@ortws.org for more information!
Current Conservation Issues and Opportunities in Oregon
View past policy letters and comments submitted by ORTWS here
Monarch Butterfly Proposal for Listing and Designation of Critical Habitat Under the ESA
Monarch butterfly populations have declined considerably over the last 30 years leading to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposing to list the species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This species decline is due to a multitude of reasons including loss of milkweed and other nectar providing plants, changing agricultural practices, pesticide use, climate change, and habitat loss. Oregon provides key spring/summer breeding habitat and also serves as a migration corridor connecting summer habitats across the west to wintering grounds located in California.
ORTWS has provided comments on this listing that can be found above with past policy letters. Members of the public can find more information on this listing and provide additional comments at the website here until March 12, 2025.
ODFW State Wildlife Action Plan
Oregon’s State Wildlife Action Plan, formerly known as The Oregon Conservation Strategy, is currently under review. This plan is required to be updated every ten years and ODFW must complete this process by October 1, 2025. The plan is designed to identify conservation actions and threats to key species and habitats across Oregon. The revision process is an opportunity to update the State Action Plan to remain relevant and comprehensive, and to continue to identify the state’s fish and wildlife conservation priorities. More information on this revision can be found on the website here.
Members of the public are encouraged to submit feedback and provide comments on Oregon’s SWAP revision and the list of species of Greatest Conservation Need. Comments from the public can be submitted through this email OCS.Revision@odfw.oregon.gov
Oregon Conservation & Recreation Fund
The Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund (OCRF, aka HB2829) was passed in 2019 and directs State General Funds to ODFW based on criteria designed to address under-supported conservation priorities. Specifically, an advisory committee will approve projects and funds that are focused on the goals of the State Wildlife Action Plan. In addition, the OCRF 1) prioritizes non-game related programs and monitoring; 2) is intended to focus more resources toward "non-consumptive" recreation programs and constituents, and 3) seeks to engage demographics that may have been under-served by traditional outreach programs.
If interested in applying for one of these grants or donating funds to help support the Oregon Conservation & Recreation Fund follow this link here.