An Overview
Wild Rivers Land Trust works with landowners to conserve properties that sustain the functions of human and ecological communities. Through property acquisitions, transfers, and conservation easements, we protect and maintain critical lands and ecosystems that connect all things wild and create a legacy that is truly sustainable.
The Land Trust relies on the generosity of our donors to support our nonprofit conservation work and in return, Wild Rivers Land Trust provides the assurance that a natural world will thrive for future generations. We work to instill the same passion and care for the land and waters in the communities we serve on Oregon's southern coast.
Protect the Natural Environment
Forests, rivers, wetlands, and meadows provide habitat for many vulnerable species, such as coho salmon, spotted owls, marbled murrelets and many others. We manage natural habitat to promote ecological balance, prioritizing restoration and protection of these critical areas. Protecting these natural spaces also provides substantial benefits to our local communities by supporting clean air and water, open green space, carbon storage, coastal economies, as well places to recreate, hunt, and forage.
Establish Conservation Easements
A conservation easement a fundamental way for private landowners to ensure all or a portion of their land is protected forever. It is a binding legal agreement that creates obligations for a landowner and for the partner land trust holding the easement to ensure the protection of “conservation values” of a property—things that are so important ecologically, that everyone agrees to protect them in perpetuity. A conservation easement attaches to the deed of a property, meaning it survives transfers of ownership, making easements a powerful tool for protecting land. All of our work is voluntary, working with private landowners that have a desire to preserve the natural systems that they value for future generations.
Preserve Working Lands
Family farms and forests are an economic lifeblood for many of the rural communities in southern Oregon. Agricultural and ranch lands provide food for people, as well as critical habitat for fish and other wildlife. These places are under threat from development, generational transfer, economic pressures, and the effects of climate change. One strategy to ensure working lands stay in production is through the use of agricultural easements that help preserve the conservation values of owners and assist with intergenerational transfer of productive lands.
Stewardship & Monitoring
Most land requires active management to stay healthy. As part of our conservation agreements, a land trust staff member visits each property and conservation easement under our purview at least once a year to make sure that the property is in good condition and any threats to the ecological function are identified. At times taking action may be needed—whether planting trees, removing invasive plants, creating a more bio diverse forest with selective thinning, or by restoring rivers, prairies or wetlands—we aren’t afraid to dive in and get our hands dirty when needed. The Land Trust staff works with the landowners to ensure the ecological values established at the beginning of the easement are maintained by subsequent owners for future generations.
