Help Deschutes Land Trust preserve habitat

Fifty years ago, before the dams were built on the Deschutes River, salmon and steelhead swam many of our local streams and rivers. The most productive area within the entire upper Deschutes basin for wild, ocean-going steelhead was Whychus Creek. After the dams were built, the streams above the dams which flow through Sisters and Prineville from the high mountains, were devoid of these great animals.

Thanks to an unprecedented investment by Portland General Electric and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, these legendary fish are once again able to pass through the dams and access the upper Deschutes and its tributaries. However, engineering feats to get the fish up and over the dam are only one step in the process and won’t complete the job of bringing the salmon and steelhead home to the waters in Central Oregon. Fish above the dams need cold, clean water running through meandering, well-vegetated small streams to spawn, nurture, and shelter the young hatchlings. Today, the best hope for an increased, successful run of wild steelhead is once again on Whychus Creek.

The Deschutes Land Trust has worked with landowners on Whychus Creek for over a dozen years, and to date has permanently conserved three properties.

The Land Trust now has an opportunity to buy a fourth property we’re calling the Whychus Canyon Preserve, located on a key stream reach between two previously conserved properties. At 450 acres and a full two miles of the creek, this rugged canyon and juniper woodland is a remarkable place. Along with the Land Trust’s earlier acquisitions, Whychus Canyon Preserve will create the scale of habitat needed to bring the fish home. Bringing the fish home, if all goes as planned, means not only fish above the dams, but a 50 percent increase in wild steelhead in our favorite river.

With your help, the successful acquisition of Whychus Canyon Preserve by the Land Trust, would permanently protect the longest privately owned stretch of the high quality habitat that these amazing fish require. The Land Trust has the skills, experience and expertise to enhance Whychus Creek and improve its fish capacity, as well as benefit birds, native plants, and big game. Whychus Canyon Preserve would protect a key link in an important corridor that allows deer and elk herds to move between summer ranges in the High Cascades and winter range on the desert, as well as provide the only public access to the creek between Sisters and the Crooked River National Grassland. With that access will come new opportunities for hiking and mountain bike trails.

The cost of permanently protecting Whychus Canyon is $2.9 million. With over $2.5 million already secured, we’re less than $400,000 away from our goal. These dollars will allow for not only the purchase of the land along the creek, but will help start the rehabilitation of this special place for fish, birds and our children.

We are co-chairs of the Deschutes Land Trust’s 15th Anniversary Campaign because we believe in making a strong statement about a positive vision for the future. It’s a vision of large numbers of wild, sustainable runs of salmon and steelhead, community forests, cherished scenic views, clean water, wildlife habitat, walking and biking trails and sustainable jobs. If this is your vision of the future, we ask that you strongly support the Deschutes Land Trust’s 15th Anniversary Campaign.

Though we acknowledge that these are challenging times, the old proverb “From adversity comes opportunity” is instructive. Opportunities like Whychus Canyon are rare. The decline in real estate values has been painful for many; however, it has also brought this key property to the market at an affordable price. This is an unprecedented opportunity and demands unprecedented efforts. There is no second chance. The funds must be raised by year end.

Since its founding in 1995, the Deschutes Land Trust has permanently protected 7,750 acres for wildlife, scenic views, trails, old growth forests, native plants, and most importantly, our local communities. The Land Trust is a stable, experienced land manager and has proven it along Whychus Creek. While the Land Trust’s achievements of the past 15 years are notable, our aspirations for the next 15 are truly ambitious. From a protected and restored steelhead and wildlife stronghold on Whychus Creek to the 30,000 acre Skyline Community Forest — accurately called “Bend’s front yard” — protecting stunning scenic views, high quality wildlife habitat, a forest done right, and countless miles of new trails for our children, we’ll continue the work that’s so important to the future quality of life in our vibrant community and to its economic health.

Win Francis and John Casey live in Bend.