Although the McKenzie River Trust is working on a relatively small scale when looking at the overall effects of climate change, Moll says implementing new strategies in an attempt to limit climate change is one of the land trust’s main goals. According to the United Nations, climate change is “the single biggest health threat facing humanity.” Moll says the river trust is pushing for a future of green infrastructure, the idea that the country can find sustainable solutions to climate challenges within the natural world. It incorporates the environment and modern engineering to provide clean water and protect ecosystem functions, rather than building harmful infrastructure. “The answer isn’t always found in bricks and cement,” Moll says. “A lot of our answers are already here.” The river trust has been putting this to practice throughout its protected lands. It has been fighting to bring back biological diversity, which it said has been lost in many ways. It’s also been creating a wider floodplain, which will create more water availability for drinking water and industrial/agricultural uses. Moll says in the long-term, the trust aims to expand on the size of its protected lands.
Moll says the battle for protecting Oregon lands and ecosystems is dependent on community involvement and awareness. “The biggest problem we face is irrelevance,” Moll says. “If we move to a point where people don’t care about nature and taking care of it, we’re in trouble.” After 20 years of environmental protection work, Moll says creating a cleaner and more protected McKenzie River can be a gateway to creating environmental change and conversations within the community. “We’re hardwired to have wonder about the natural world, so if you give people the space to rediscover it, I’m confident they will,” Moll says. “Let’s not be quick to wag fingers, but let’s extend a hand instead.”
Finn Rock Landing, a protected land, is the launch point for thousands of raft and drift boat trips down the McKenzie River every year.
Finn Rock Landing, a protected land, is the launch point for thousands of raft and drift boat trips down the McKenzie River every year. A fishing boat floats past Finn Rock Landing on the ice-cold Mckenzie River which, supports nurturing bull trout and Chinook salmon.
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