Only five million acres of unprotected roadless forest remain in Oregon, stretching from the rain drenched shores of the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Range, across the snow covered Cascades to the Blue Mountains, Wallowas and Hells Canyon; and from the Deschutes, John Day, Malheur, Klamath, Umpqua, Siskiyou and Rogue basins, to the ponderosa pine forests of the Ochoco, Winema and Fremont national forests.

These public forests shelter ancient trees, protect our purest drinking water and provide vital habitat for fish and wildlife, including many of the Pacific Northwest's last healthy runs of wild salmon, steelhead and trout, as well as numerous species of rare and imperiled flora and fauna. These awesome landscapes offer stunning views, quiet inspiration and outstanding recreational opportunities.

Oregon's unprotected wild forests are currently threatened by development and management policies. Clearcuts, roads, and mining operations destroy old-growth forests and degrade water quality, fragment wildlife habitat, diminish fisheries, and waste taxpayer dollars.

Only a small fraction of Oregon's unprotected forests remain intact. Oregon Wild: Endangered Forest Wilderness describes these precious wild forests with 40 maps and 168 photographs and is designed to inspire readers to join the Oregon Natural Resources Council and conservation partners in steadfast efforts to conserve them.Working together for wilderness protection, we can leave a legacy for future generations to cherish and enjoy.

The book is published by Oregon Natural Resources Council and distributed by Timber Press. Booksellers must purchase through Timber Press. ONRC makes the most money from direct purchases from them (click here to order). It is also available for online purchase from Timber Press, your favorite on-line source or your favorite local bookstore.

Read an excerpt from the book on the Timber Press Web site.

Table of Contents

Foreword xi

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xv

Introduction xvii

Chapter 1: A Brief Natural History of Oregon's Forests

The Forests of Oregon

Major Oregon Forest Ecoregions

Major Oregon Forest Types

Featured: Whitebark Pine

Major Oregon Forest Owners

Old, Mature and Young Forests

Featured: Quaking Aspen

Featured: Western Larch

Selected Fish and Wildlife in Oregon's Forests

Carnivorous Mammals

Lynx
Marten
Fisher
Wolverine
Cougar
Wolf
Black Bear
Grizzly Bear

Herbivorous Mammals

Beaver

Elk

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

A Maybe Mammal

Bigfoot

Birds

Brown Creeper

Goshawk

Marbled Murrelet

Northern Spotted Owl

Pileated Woodpecker

White-headed Woodpecker

Fish

Bull Trout

Pacific Salmon

Enigmatic Microfauna

Mollusks

It's the Water

The Carbon Connection

Chapter 2: A Brief Unnatural History of Oregon's Forests

Deforestation in Oregon

Featured: The Worst of All Microbes by C.E.S. Wood

Roading Oregon's Forests

Forests and Fire

Featured: The Warner Creek Fire

Featured: A Top Dozen Threats to Oregon's Forest Wilderness

Livestock Grazing: A Major Factor in Unhealthy Forests 46

Chapter 3: A Brief Political History of Oregon's Wilderness Protections

Inadequacy of Administrative Protections

Featured: Judge John B. Waldo: Oregon's John Muir

The Wilderness Act

Featured: Other Congressional Protections

Oregon Wilderness Protection 1930-2002

Before The Wilderness Act of 1964

Featured: U.S. Senator Richard L. Neuberger

Mount Jefferson, Oregon Island and Three Arch Rocks

Minam River and Hells Canyon

Endangered American Wilderness Act and More Oregon Islands

The Oregon (Forest) Wilderness Act

Wilderness Designations on Hold

Almost a Thaw

Unfinished Legacy and Even More Oregon Islands

Featured: U.S. Senators Mark Hatfield and Bob Packwood

Oregon's First Desert Wilderness

Chapter 4: A Brief Political Future for Oregon's Forest Wilderness

Why Wilderness?

Small Wilderness

Wilderness Economics 101

Featured: Top Dozen Reasons for Wilderness

Across the Landscape and Over Time

Wilderness: Expanding Concept, Shrinking Supply

Top Ten Arguments Against Wilderness (and Refutations)

Other Threatened Forest Wildlands

Get Involved

Chapter 5: A Long-Term Vision for a Wild Oregon

Inviting Nature Back

Unroading the Wild

More Public Forestlands

Self-Restraint for the Betterment of All

Chapter 6: Home to Oregon's Rainforests: Coast Range Ecoregion

Ecoregions of Oregon's Coast Range

Coast Range Wilderness

Featured Unit: Mount Hebo

Elk River Wilderness

Featured Unit: Copper Salmon

Oregon Dunes Wilderness

Featured Unit: Umpqua Dunes

Chapter 7: World Class Biodiversity: Klamath Mountains Ecoregion

Ecoregions of Oregon's Klamath Mountains

Kalmiopsis Wilderness Additions

Featured Unit: Rough and Ready Creek

Siskiyou Crest Wilderness

Featured Unit: Dakubetede

Soda Mountain Wilderness

Featured Unit: Jenny Creek

Wild Rogue Wilderness Additions

Featured Unit: Zane Grey

Chapter 8: Young Volcanoes and Old Forests: Cascades Ecoregion

Ecoregions of Oregon's Cascades

Clackamas Wilderness

Featured Unit: Roaring River

Columbia River Gorge Wilderness

Featured Unit: Larch Mountain

McKenzie Wilderness

Featured Unit: Chucksney Mountain

Mount Hood Wilderness Additions

Featured Unit: Twin Lakes

North Umpqua Wilderness

Featured Unit: Mount Bailey

Rogue-Umpqua Wilderness

Featured Unit: Bitter Lick Creek

Santiam Wilderness

Featured Unit: Iron Mountain

South Cascades Wilderness

Featured Unit: Pelican Butte

Three Sisters Wilderness Additions

Featured Unit: Waldo Lake

Upper Deschutes Wilderness

Featured Unit: Little Deschutes River-Big Marsh Creek

Upper Willamette Wilderness

Featured Unit: Hardesty Mountain

Chapter 9: Dry Open Forests: East Cascades Slopes and Foothills Ecoregion

Ecoregions of Oregon's East Cascades Slopes and Foothills

Fremont Rims Wilderness

Featured Unit: Dead Horse Rim

Klamath Basin Wilderness

Featured Unit: Yamsay Mountain

Metolius Wilderness

Featured Unit: Metolius Breaks

Newberry Volcano Wilderness

Featured Unit: Newberry Crater

Chapter 10: Neither Cascades nor Rockies, but with Attributes of Both: Blue Mountains Ecoregion

Ecoregions of Oregon's Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains Wilderness

Featured Unit: Forks of the Walla Walla

Grande Ronde Wilderness

Featured Unit: Joseph Canyon

Hells Canyon Wilderness Additions

Featured Unit: Lord Flat

Malheur Basin Wilderness

Featured Unit: Myrtle Creek-Silvies River

Malheur Canyons Wilderness

Featured Unit: North Fork Malheur River

North Fork John Day-Elkhorns Wilderness

Featured Unit: Elkhorn Ridge

Ochoco Mountains Wilderness

Featured Unit: Lookout Mountain

South Fork John Day Wilderness

Featured Unit: Murderers Creek

Upper John Day Wilderness

Featured Unit: Dixie Butte

Wallowa Mountains Wilderness

Featured Unit: Lake Fork Creek

Afterword

Footnotes and Sources

Bibliography

Appendices

A: National Wilderness Preservation System in Oregon

B: Protected and Protectable Oregon Forest Wilderness

C: National Wild and Scenic Rivers System in Oregon

D: Other Congressional Conservation Designations in Oregon

E: Enjoying Oregon's Unprotected Forest Wilderness

F: How You Can Help Save Oregon's Wilderness

G: Recommended Reading

About the Contributors

Colophon

Index

To Order a Copy

You can obtain from bookstores, from the publisher, the distributor, or get an autographed copy directly from the author.

1. Direct from Publisher. If you buy direct from Oregon Natural Resources Council, the most money ends up going for conservation.

2. Bookstores Go to your favorite local bookstore. If they don't have it, you may order it and should receive it in a few days. If they don't have it in stock, you'll have to order it and go back to the store later.

3. From Author This is the option to use, if you want an autographed copy. Mail a check for $35 ($29.95 for book and $5.05 for postage and handling) payable to:

The Larch Company

7128 Highway 66

Ashland, Oregon 97520 USA

Be sure to note how you would like your book autographed.

It shouldn't take more than two weeks to arrive after I receive the check (unless I'm traveling). A check is the only payment method allowed (I don't recommend cash, as it may get lost in the mail and you might blame me) as the volume doesn't justify The Larch Company doing the credit card thing.