Dear John,

Have you heard of the Owyhee (ow·wai·hee)? This wild and rugged part of Southeast Oregon–called the Grand Canyon of Oregon for its deep canyons–is unforgettable and truly worth protecting. Join us in thanking our US Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, who are working to do just that.

The Owyhee Canyonlands are a national and Oregon treasure that have been 17 million years in the making. With more than 2.5 million acres of wilderness-quality lands, it features deep, rugged canyons and miles upon miles of rolling sagebrush grasslands, supports a diversity of wildlife, and preserves some of the darkest night skies in the country. It also contains sacred lands and cultural resources significant for the indigenous Northern Paiute, Bannock, and Shoshone tribes. The surrounding landscapes, rivers, fish, and wildlife are a part of tribal traditions to this day. 

The bill that Sens. Wyden and Merkley are championing would permanently protect more than one million acres of the most ecologically sensitive public lands in the Owyhee as wilderness. And, the bill would support important tribal priorities and provide for improved recreation management and economic development–all while promoting science-based management to improve the long-term economic health of these lands. It is a community-driven, Oregon-crafted solution for protecting the most important and threatened places in the region, and it's scheduled for a hearing this Wednesday.

Write to our senators right away, thanking them for their groundbreaking proposal, and urge them to do everything they can to protect one of the most remote, wild, and untouched places in the country. The region has a rich cultural, geologic and natural history worthy of the highest levels of protection now and forever. We must not wait any longer to protect the Owyhee.

Thank you for all that you do,

Lindsey Scholten

Executive Director, OLCV