Sustainable Northwest

SUSTAINABLE NORTHWEST BRINGS PEOPLE, IDEAS, AND INNOVATION TOGETHER SO THAT NATURE, LOCAL ECONOMIES, AND RURAL COMMUNITIES CAN THRIVE.

FORESTS: IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, NEARLY HALF OF OUR LANDS ARE FORESTS. MANY OF THEM PRODUCE VALUABLE WOOD PRODUCTS. AND MANY OF THEM ARE UNHEALTHY, SUFFERING FROM DROUGHT, OVERHARVESTING, SEVERE WILDFIRES, AND NEGLECT. OUR FORESTS TEAM WORKS WITH COMMUNITIES AND TRIBAL NATIONS TO DEVELOP LOCALLY LED SOLUTIONS THAT IMPROVE FOREST HEALTH FOR NATURE, PEOPLE, AND LOCAL ECONOMIES. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HELP COMMUNITIES CONSERVE FORESTS THAT PROVIDE SOURCE DRINKING WATER, REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK, RECOVER FOREST HEALTH AFTER WILDFIRE, ENHANCE FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE SOURCES OF TIMBER FOR LOCAL AND REGIONAL CONSTRUCTION. IN 2022, WE SECURED PUBLIC FUNDS FOR THIS EFFORT SO THAT COMMUNITIES CAN PURCHASE LOCAL FORESTS FOR LOCAL MANAGEMENT.

WATER: OUR WATER TEAM FOCUSES BOTH ON INCREASING WATER QUANTITY AND QUALITY. WE HELP FARMERS, RANCHES, CITIES, TRIBAL NATIONS AND MORE ASSESS THEIR WATER SUPPLIES AND PLAN FOR THE FUTURE BY BALANCING THE IN-STREAM WATER NEEDS OF FISH AND WILDLIFE WITH THE OUT-OF-STREAM WATER NEEDS OF PEOPLE, COMMUNITIES, BUSINESSES, AND FARMS AND RANCHES. IN 2022, WE FINALIZED THE LOWER JOHN DAY BASIN INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLAN, HELPING RESIDENTS OF THAT BASIN PREPARE FOR A FUTURE THAT SUPPORTS NATURE, PEOPLE, AND LOCAL ECONOMIES. IN ADDITION, IN 2022 WE CELEBRATED THE REMOVAL OF THE FIRST OF FOUR OUTDATED HYDROPOWER DAMS ON THE KLAMATH RIVER TO RESTORE SALMON RUNS.WOOD MARKETS: WE HELP LOCAL, PRIVATE FOREST OWNERS INCLUDING LOCAL FAMILIES, NONPROFITS, AND TRIBES CONNECT WITH GREEN BUILDERS WHO ARE EAGER TO BUILD WITH WOOD PRODUCTS THAT COME FROM FOREST MANAGED FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE, CLEAN WATER, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY WELLBEING. FOR EXAMPLE, WE WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN SOURCING 2.2 MILLION BOARD FEET OF TIMBER FOR THE PORTLAND AIRPORT'S NEW MAIN TERMINAL ROOF, CEILING, AND FLOOR ALL COMING FROM 13 OREGON AND WASHINGTON FORESTS THAT ARE OWNED AND OPERATED BY LOCAL FAMILY BUSINESSES, TRIBAL BUSINESSES, AND NONPROFITS.

RANGELANDS: OUR REGENERATIVE RANCHING PROGRAM IS THE LARGEST IN THE WEST, WITH 120 RANCHERS ON 7 MILLION ACRES IN 13 WESTERN STATES, INCLUDING COUNTY NATURAL BEEF'S 100 PRODUCERS AND OTHER LIKE-MINDED FAMILIES AND TRIBAL RANCHERS. WE ARE HELPING RANCHERS IMPLEMENT REGENERATIVE PRACTICES THAT ARE GOOD FOR NATURE, PEOPLE, AND LOCAL ECONOMIES AND MEASURING THE ECOLOGICAL OUTCOMES INCLUDING CARBON STORAGE, WATER QUALITY, WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND MORE. IN 2022, WE DID BASELINE MONITORING AND MEASUREMENTS ON MORE THAN HALF OF THE RANCHES IN OUR PROGRAM.

ENERGY: WE BELIEVE EVERYONE DESERVES AFFORDABLE, CLEAN ENERGY PRODUCED LOCALLY. WE PARTNER WITH RURAL COMMUNITIES AND TRIBAL NATIONS THROUGHOUT THE REGION TO TRANSITION TO CLEAN ENERGY, REDUCE CLIMATE POLLUTION, LOWER COSTS, AND TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR ENERGY FUTURES. BY REDUCING CLIMATE POLLUTION, WE HELP REDUCE THE RISK OF CLIMATE CHANGE FACING US ALL. FOR EXAMPLE, THROUGH OUR E-FARMS PROGRAM, WE ARE WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO PURCHASE, TEST, AND DEMONSTRATE ELECTRIC TRACTORS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND OTHER ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT ON NORTHWEST FARMS, FORESTS, AND RANCHES. IN 2022, WE LED NINE DEMONSTRATION EVENTS AND REACHED MORE THAN 200 FARMERS AND RANCHERS IN OREGON.