The pandemic has impacted all of us. At worst, Oregonians have experienced the death of loved ones and friends. For others, it has brought economic pain and the loss of cherished family and community rituals.

The past year has reinforced my appreciation and love for Oregon’s incredible natural environment. Even with temporary restrictions on access to certain parks, public lands and recreational activities, Oregonians have enjoyed refuge and rejuvenation in and around our incredible mountains, beaches, trails, forests, rivers, lakes and streams. The incredible devastation from last year’s historic wildfires stung all the more because they were piled on top of pandemic -related hardships.

Oregonians have a proud tradition of making common-sense, far-sighted decisions to protect our greatest natural treasures for future generations to access and enjoy. The Oregon of today is not an accident. It is the work of leaders and citizens, rural and urban, Republican and Democrat, working together to balance the need for economic opportunity with our desire to take special care of very special places. It is a legacy that stretches from Mount Hood and Crater Lake to hundreds of miles of public beaches and coastline — and beyond.

Nowhere is Oregon’s legacy of conservation and access greater than our system of nationally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers. Over 50 years ago, Congress designated Oregon’s eight original Wild and Scenic Rivers — including the epic Rogue River in Southern Oregon. Since then, under both Democrat and Republican presidents, 2,173 miles of Oregon rivers have been designated Wild and Scenic, including 250 miles in 2019 signed into law by former President Donald Trump. That may sound like a lot, but it’s just a small fraction of Oregon’s 110,000 miles of rivers and streams.

This year, Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have introduced legislation to protect an additional 4,700 miles of Oregon rivers as Wild and Scenic. The plan is called the “River Democracy Act” and it follows more than two years of public listening and input from every corner of the state, with 2,500 Oregonians submitting more than 15,000 nominations of their favorite rivers and streams. While ambitious, if approved by Congress, this plan will still mean less than 4% of Oregon’s river land corridors will enjoy Wild and Scenic designation and protections.

Wild and Scenic Rivers are proven to be a catalyst for jobs and outdoor recreation in rural communities. Oregonians and visitors from across the nation and around the world each year journey to view, hike, fish and raft in and around these special rivers and streams. Outdoor recreation in Oregon supports 224,000 jobs and generates more than $15 billion in economic activity.

As critical as the jobs and economic benefits are the common-sense provisions in Wild and Scenic River designations to reduce the risks of catastrophic wildfires and to ensure access to river corridors in the event of devastating wildfire events. Among other fire prevention measures, the River Democracy Act requires federal land managers to assess wildfires risks in Wild and Scenic River corridors and implement plans to reduce those risks to nearby lands, homes and businesses.

During these politically polarized times, protecting Oregon’s most beautiful and treasured rivers enjoys broad support among Oregonians. A recent poll revealed that 65% of Oregonians support Congress adding more Wild and Scenic Rivers — including a majority of voters in all five Oregon congressional districts — urban and rural. This broad public support is testament to the love Oregonians share for our natural environment and the many economic and conservation benefits of Wild and Scenic Rivers.

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