775 Acres of Southern Oregon Ranchlands Permanently Protected by Wahl Family and Wild Rivers Land Trust
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2025
Port Orford, OR – Wild Rivers Land Trust (WRLT) and the Wahl Family have partnered to
permanently protect 775 acres of ranchlands in Southern Oregon, safeguarding wildlife habitat,
watershed health, and agricultural heritage for generations to come.
The easement was made possible through funding support from the USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program (OAHP), a
program of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB), with partnership and technical
assistance from The Conservation Fund.
“This project holds deep personal meaning for me,” said Amy Knapp Pettit, Executive Director of
Wild Rivers Land Trust. “I have known the Wahl Family my entire life and I have seen firsthand
their commitment to steward the land with care and integrity. To be able to partner with them to
protect their ranch for future generations is both an honor and a joy.”
Pete Wahl, representing the Wahl Family, shared: “We see the conservation easement as the best
way for our ranch to stay permanently in its current combination of agricultural production and
wildlife habitat. We are grateful for the federal and state programs that make conservation
easements possible for ranch and farm families, and for the land trust community that has long
been the backbone of these efforts. The easement tool may not work for all agricultural family
businesses, but it’s a remarkable option for those who choose to protect both production and
habitat in this way.”
Sara O’Brien, Executive Director of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB), which
oversees the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program, sees the Wahl Ranch Conservation
Easement as a powerful investment in Oregon's working lands and wildlife habitat. The project
illustrates how these two important values can coexist.
“The easement will support fish and wildlife habitat and watershed health in a rare landscape on
the Southern Coast while ensuring the area remains under working lands management.
OWEB is proud to partner with Wild Rivers Land Trust and the Wahl family to protect some of Oregon’s
treasured lands and those that depend on them,” O’Brien said.
Gates Watson, Vice President of Mountain and Northwest Regions at The Conservation Fund,
said this project marks another step forward in what he hopes will be a growing legacy of
conservation and stewardship in the region.
“We’re grateful to Wild Rivers Land Trust, the Wahl Family, and to the committed funders who
made this project possible. By protecting Southern Oregon’s coastal ranchlands and vital
watersheds, we’re not only conserving the landscape, but supporting regenerative
ranching practices that sustain both the land and the agricultural heritage central to this
community,” Watson said.
Amy Knapp Pettit added: “This project would not have been possible without the Wahl Family’s
determination and patience. They stayed committed to seeing this vision through, and that
persistence is what made permanent protection possible. We are also deeply grateful for the
collaboration of our funding partners, whose support was essential every step of the way.
Together, we look forward to building on this momentum and taking on the next conservation
project in Southern Oregon.”
Accreditation Renewal Underway for Wild Rivers Land Trust
Please use these links from the letter above as they are not live within the letter:
http://www.landtrustaccreditation.org/help-and-resources/indicator-practices
www.landtrustaccreditation.org
info@landtrustaccreditation.org
Wild Rivers Land Trust Acquires Critical Elk River Property to Advance Restoration & Protection of Key Habitat
August 31, 2023
PORT ORFORD, Oregon – The Wild Rivers Land Trust recently acquired over 270 acres of property along the banks of the lower Elk River in order to preserve and protect low elevation forests, riparian and aquatic ecosystems, and agricultural practices. The lower Elk River property harbors more than two miles of cold-water habitats that are critical for Coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead, coastal cutthroat trout, Pacific lamprey, numerous amphibians, birds, and other wildlife. Approximately 190 acres of the property consists of mature and diverse forests with hardwoods and conifers, including Port Orford Cedar groves and as identified in the Oregon Conservation Strategy, Oregon’s statewide conservation plan. (Elk River / Sixes River Conservation Opportunity Area, Oregon Conservation Strategy) The Land Trust will work to protect and enhance the upland and riparian forests, continue to lease high quality pasture lands for agricultural use, protect and restore wetland and streamside areas, and eliminate invasive species.
“We are eternally grateful to an Elk River multi-generational family for managing this land to protect Oregon’s natural heritage and for their generous work conveying it the Land Trust so that future generations may enjoy it,” said Scott Fogarty, executive director of Wild Rivers Land Trust. “In addition, this is the largest single acquisition in the history of our small and growing organization and will complement our ongoing work on adjacent lands where we have taken a leadership role in watershed restoration efforts, obtaining millions of dollars in EPA funding to clean up an old mill site along Bagley Creek just across the river.”
$1.9M EPA Grant to Fund Wild Rivers Land Trust Brownfield Cleanup on Elk River
EPA Selects 7 Oregon Projects for Brownfields Funding
June 6, 2023
Port Orford, Oregon
EPA announces the largest investment ever in brownfields communities made by President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda
Wild Rivers Land Trust received $1,940,000 – Bagley Creek to clean up the former Western States Plywood Mill in the Town of Port Orford
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $8,240,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup of seven brownfield sites in Oregon while advancing environmental justice.
Oregon’s communities will receive EPA funds through the Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grant programs, as well as the Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities Program.
“Wild Rivers Land Trust is appreciative of the U.S.EPA Brownfield Grant to remediate the Western Plywood Mill that has been out of production for over 50 years. This project will restore Bagley Creek, a tributary of the Elk River, which is critical habitat necessary for Coho Salmon and other species to thrive,” said Scott Fogarty, Executive Director of Wild Rivers. “We are excited to engage the local community, local tribes and the state of Oregon in restoration and community conservation in the heart of the dark coast. Ultimately, the site will be used as an educational center to highlight the history of the area and the need for conservation.”
Read the article posted by the EPA here:
EPA News Release
Scott Fogarty - New Executive Director for Wild Rivers Land Trust
Scott Fogarty Joins Wild Rivers Land Trust as New Executive Director
Wild Rivers Land Trust (WRLT) is excited to share the news that Scott Fogarty has been selected as the Executive Director of the Land Trust. He will replace Ann Schmierer who is retiring in May. Scott has extensive experience with environmental non-profits and the Land Trust is thrilled to have him lead the organization in both ongoing and new projects. “WRLT is delighted to have Scott Fogarty lead us forward”, stated Jan Hodder, WRLT Board President. “We know with Scott’s experience and passion for the environment, our organization will be in good hands for the future.” Ann Schmierer said, “I’m excited for the Land Trust to have such a capable leader coming on board. Scott is the right person to take the organization to the next level.”
Fogarty received his bachelors in public policy and history at Santa Clara University, followed by a masters and law degree from West Virginia University. His accomplishments in the role as executive director include leading the Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center, OR, Friends of Trees in Portland, OR, and Northern Alaska Environmental Center, Fairbanks, AK. Scott’s dedication to environmental protection and enhancement supports the goals of WRLT and our vision of a future with clean drinking water, abundant salmon runs, sustainable working lands and prospering communities along the southern coast of Oregon.
To learn more about Wild Rivers Land Trust, visit the website: WildRiversLandTrust.org, Facebook page at facebook.com/WildRiversLandTrust/ or call the office at 541-366-2130.
Wild Rivers Land Trust is a 501c(3) non-profit organization, accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission in 2019, working to secure Oregon’s legacy of clean waters, healthy habitats and working lands for future generations.
