On behalf of the Oregon Wildlife Foundation’s Board of Directors and staff, it’s my pleasure to present you with our annual report for 2024.
As you may know, our nonprofit organization plays a somewhat unique role in advancing the work of wildlife conservation in Oregon. As an operating charitable Foundation with statewide interests, we stand ready to support this important work wherever there’s a need, and in whatever way we can.
Here’s what advancing wildlife conservation in Oregon looks like for us:
• Leading capital campaigns see p. 4
• Partnering on a large project initiative see p. 5
• Providing financial support to a project see p. 6
• Serving as the fiscal sponsor for nonprofits & coalitions see pp. 9-11
• Raising awareness about wildlife conservation issues see p. 16
We’re also engaged in land stewardship when circumstances call for it. With a bevy of excellent land trusts in Oregon, our efforts are focused on protecting ecologically important habitats and wildlife movement, only if and when service gaps exist. For example, we recently acquired 65 acres along Foley Creek in the Nehalem River Basin. Ultimately this property will be conveyed to a land trust for long-term stewardship.
Finally, through the vision and hard work of our gift store's General Manager and her team, the Foundation’s retail program reflects, more than ever, our mission and conservation values. Stop by to see the difference for yourself! Our stores now feature more Oregon made and local products than ever before, including a growing list of private-label collaborations with Longbottom Coffee, Oregon Hill Farms, and Bruce’s Candy, to name a few.
The success of our work depends on the support of conservation-minded people like you. Join our newsletter list at www.myowf.org/newsletter or follow us on socials, @orwildlife for news and updates.
Tim Greseth Executive Director
Board of Directors and Staff
Board of Directors
Board President
Strawn Dixon
Vice President
Blair Bubenik
Secretary
EK MacColl
Treasurer
Pat Richardson
Past President
Tom Rask
Staff
Executive Director
Tim Greseth
Financial Controller
Kerwin Carambot
Development Manager
Rebecca Roberts
Meg Braestrup
Carl Burnham
Dr. Debbie Colbert
Matt Davis
Blaine Dickason
Roy Elicker
Bryce Gartrell
Chip Graeper
Jim Irvine
Craig Johnston
Gordon King
Dr. Jeff La Rochelle
Nick McDonald
Ryland Moore
Doug Nelson
Gary Papé
Tony Pullen
Blake Seabaugh
Victoria Sise
Morgan Smith
Graig Spolek
Brad Staples
Lori Steele
Rob Stuart
Dr. Jason Surratt
Matthew Tabor
Development Associate Jess Bynum
Project Specialist
Zachary Zeaux
External Communications Manager
Mo Montgomery
Retail Stores General Manager
Heather Pola
Retail Stores Assistant Manager
Megan Breneman
Discovering the Lower Deschutes River
Brad Staples is a long-time supporter, member, and past President of our Board of Directors. Brad is also a fishing guide who has been leading trips on the lower Deschutes River for over forty years.
Brad has donated a scenic jet boat tour of the lower river to the Foundation in each of the last 14 years. We use this trip to educate staff, members, and friends of the Foundation about the Deschutes River and our role in helping acquire the lower portion of it for the people of Oregon.
“The reason that I donate a Deschutes River scenic trip is so that staff, board members, and supporters can experience the lower river,” said Staples. “It was the largest project Oregon Wildlife (Heritage) Foundation has been involved in.”
In 1983, at the request of then-Governor Victor Atiyeh, the Foundation led the effort to purchase a total of 17 miles of lower Deschutes river frontage, an extraordinary undertaking for a fledgling organization only two years into its operation.
Launching from Heritage Landing (named for the Foundation) at the mouth of the river, guests are witnesses to the stunning beauty of the lower 25 miles of the Deschutes, canyons, and a multitude of wildlife sightings that often include California bighorn sheep, mule deer, bald eagles, coyote, osprey, and wild turkey.
The scenery and wildlife of the lower Deschutes River are a living example of conservation’s importance for today’s and future generations of Oregonians.
“I hope that my guests come away from their day on the river with me having learned what the Foundation does around the State of Oregon for our fish and wildlife,” said Staples. “I also hope they gain an appreciation for the animals and the natural environment along the river corridor.”
We are grateful to Brad for all he does for the Deschutes River, the Foundation, and the state of Oregon. His support and advocacy are helping ensure that places like this can be enjoyed now and in the future.
In addition to fishing trips, Brad also guides scenic tours of the lower Deschutes through his business, Western Fishing Adventures. Visit www.deschutesriverjetboats.com for more information.
Photos courtesy of Mark Greenfield and Rebecca Roberts.
Herman’s Home
Sturgeon Interpretive Center Capital Campaign
This fall marks the 26th anniversary of the Sturgeon Viewing and Interpretive Center at Bonneville Fish Hatchery. Home to “Herman the Sturgeon,” an Oregon celebrity (how many fish do you know with their own fan club?), the Interpretive Center has hosted millions of visitors since its inception, eager for the opportunity to see a prehistoric fish up close.
The years and Gorge weather have been tough on the Center’s structure and habitat, and the interpretive signage, designed for 1999 audiences, needs an update. The funds raised through the Sturgeon Interpretive Center Capital Campaign will be used to make necessary repairs and improvements to the center’s structure, pond habitat, and interpretive signage.
You are invited to support “Herman” and his home at the Hatchery through a gift to the Sturgeon Interpretive Center Capital Campaign. Your support helps ensure the Interpretive Center continues to be a place of learning and wonder for years to come.
To make a donation, visit myowf.org/sturgeon-interpretive-center or text HERMAN to 44-321.
SAVE THE DATE!
Please join us on Sunday, June 22, to celebrate Herman the Sturgeon’s birthday! How old will he be? We asked him and he said “nun ya bizness!”
For more information, visit www.myowf.org/events.
Conservation Spotlight: Five Rivers Project
Helicopter-Assisted Stream Restoration in Oregon’s Mid-coast Region
Tributaries of Five Rivers, which, in turn, feed into the Alsea River, were treated with large wood late last year by a heavy-lift helicopter. The purpose of this project was to restore these tributaries to a more natural flow, resulting in improved spawning and rearing habitats for Coho salmon and other aquatic species.
Almost eight hundred trees were placed in a series of structures along four miles of Five Rivers feeder streams. Large wood structures are designed to slow stream velocity, engage the floodplain, aggrade gravel for spawning, deepen pools through scour, and provide cover from predators.
This project was made possible by funding from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, with additional support from the Inflation Reduction Act. The partnership included BLM Oregon & Washington, U.S. Forest Service - Siuslaw National Forest, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, and Oregon Wildlife Foundation.
Photos by Justin Vernon, U.S. Forest Service (team, helicopter, staff) and Chris Mayes, U.S. Forest Service (stream flow)
$702.4K Total Grants Awarded in 2024
Championing Conservation Through Stewardship, Funding, and Advocacy
The Oregon Wildlife Foundation’s role in wildlife conservation looks a little different to everyone. That’s because what we do is based on what is needed to move important work forward. It might be as simple as sharing our tax exempt status with a worthy initiative; we’re currently sponsoring 13 different organizations and groups. For other projects, we’re securing and administering funds to implement larger initiatives. In recent years, we’ve become more engaged in land stewardship, filling service area gaps. We’re also promoting, posting, and blogging about wildlife conservation to raise awareness about important issues. Finally, we award grants to conservation projects, and have been doing so since 2004.
Most of what we do begins with the Project committee; a group of Board members and conservation community representatives that evaluate funding and sponsorship requests, and assist Foundation staff with project development.
Last year our committee approved funding for 37 projects, awarding just over $700,000 to fish and wildlife conservation efforts throughout Oregon. Each of these projects contributes to the long-term conservation of Oregon’s wildlife and their habitats. The Foundation is committed to conserving and protecting Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and habitats for future generations. Please join us in these efforts.
Donor Roll
Unrestricted Gifts exceeding $20,000
Greenfield/Hartline Habitat Conservation Fund at The Nature Conservancy
Craig & Lynn Johnston
Strawn Dixon and the Searle Family Trust
Unrestricted Gifts of $10,000 - $19,999
Randy Labbe In honor of Gordon King
Unrestricted Gifts of $5,000 - $9,999
Anonymous**
Kim MacColl Jr and Melinda Bishop MacColl
Elizabeth S Holden Fund of Oregon Community Foundation
Unrestricted Gifts of $1,000 - $4,999
J & S Bishop Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation
Blair & Peggy Bubenik
John D. Carr
William Culver
Jilda & Craig Danielson
Janet Davis & Mark Rogers
Bud & Kitty Dietrich
In memory of Frank Halvorson
Ron & Linne’ Dodge
Diana Gardener & Judson Parsons
In memory of Raphael Gardener
Bryce Gartrell
John & Emma Gilleland
Chip & Emily Graeper
The Horstkotte Family Foundation
Knapp Family Philanthropic Fund
Craig & Louanne Koch
Jeff La Rochelle
Mike & Tracy Martinson
John & Susan McCracken
Sally & Paul McCracken Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation
Bruce & Michelle McIntosh
Jim & Mary Meier
Danielle & Sanders Nye
Gary Papé
Unrestricted Gifts of $500 - $999
Anonymous
Jim Atwood
David & Judith Berg
Ethel & Robert Berney and Sons Philanthropic Fund
Christ & Barbara Bouneff
Wayne & Patty Bowers
Todd Brickey**
William Edlefsen
Elements MassageTanasbourne
Roy & Marny Elicker
Marvin & Penny Harrison
Marcia & Bud Hartman
Harriett Kazzimir
In honor of Strawn Dixon
Unrestricted Gifts of $500 - $999
Anonymous (x 12)
Anonymous In honor of Herman’s Birthday
John Matthew Kolar In honor of Brad Staples
Bill & Susan Parks**
Ted & Rita Powell
Pat & Priscilla Richardson
Nelson Rutherford
Victoria Sise
Brad Staples
Lori Steele
Mr/Mrs LL Stewart Subfund of Oregon Community Foundation
Stuart Family Gift from the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette
Nancy Zvan
Anonymous In honor of Tom DeArmond
Sherilyn Aasen
Theresa Kirsch
E.K. & Christy MacColl
Jim Diamond & Judy Rea
Dale Suran
Jason Surratt
Tim & Tracie Unterwegner In memory of Jeff Unterwegner
Marvin Abe
Jacklyn Amberwood
Unrestricted Gifts of $1 - $499
Lisa Ashcraft
Gene Banducci
Adrienne Banks
Charlotte & Richard Barnhart
Lee Barth
Lonny Bass
In honor of Dr. Philip Marucha and Jamie Marucha
Jason Bergstrom
Nancy Bower
In honor of Devin Macam
Lynne Bridges
Barbara K. Brown
Charlene Brown
In honor of Janelle St. Pierre
Brett Brownscombe
Ann & Andrew Clark
Simon Colcord
Elizabeth Collins
Kathy & Dallas Coon
Charlotte Corkran
John Crawford
Catherine Dalziel
In honor of all who love the natural wonders of Oregon
Dobbes Family Estate
Tom & Julie Donovan
In memory of Dick & Gail Clairmont
Les Fahey
Ariana Flores
Cinda Flynn
John & Susan Fortune
Kyle & Trisha Freres
Melissa Garcia
Samuel Gaumer**
Jim Greer
Christina Gullion
Paul Hazel
Rob Hehlen
Jeffrey Hicks
David Holaday
Gary Host
Edward House
Greg Hublou
Jim Irvine
Julia Jackman
David Jarman
Dave Johnson
Lynn Jones
Sameer Kapur
Eliza Kelly
In honor of Suzanne & Dick Linford
Kathie Koellmann
Nancy K Koontz
Kurt Kremers
Ron & Sharon Krettinger
William Douglas LaCour
Suzanne Linford**
Shawn Looney
Kim MacColl Jr & Melinda
Bishop MacColl
In memory of Jeffrey David Waarvick
Ken MacDonald
Stu Magee
In honor of Tom and Alison
Theodore & Terri Malaska
Stephen & Lee McConnel
David McGrouther
Karen Moss
In memory of Snowflake
Next Level Burger
Kenneth Olson
William & Joanna O’Sullivan
Jim Owens
Stephen Pio
Point Forward Wealth
Advisors
In honor of Megha Agarwal
In honor of Todd Seidel
Marna & Robert Porath
Rebecca & Evan Roberts
Linda Robinson
Barbara Russell
Nathan Rutledge-Gorman
Gregory Sanduinetti
Peter Saraceno
Guy Schoenborn
Ethel Schoenborn
Robert Schroeder
Alexander Schwindt III
Steve Scroup
Ryan Shepard
Paula Sheppard
Dave Sill
Tracie Sorenson
Manuel Soto**
Kristin Stern
Jim Sternberg & Kathleen
Huntington
Yi-Shan Sung
In honor of Barko Meow
Gary Tate
In honor of Austin and Megan, in Memory of their Father
Dani Terrazas & Mike
Downing
Matthew Thompson
In memory of Darlene Thompson
Megan Thornton
In memory of Thomas Thornton
Randy Tomer
Jordan Trefzger
In honor of Tucker Trefzger
Christy Uhrich**
Nicholas Van Zante
Lauren Vick
Sara Viernum
Tracy Villano
Jon Waldum
Kenneth Walter
Mark Ward
David Whitmore
Capt. Dennis Widme & Deborah Widme
James Williams
We regret any errors or omissions to these lists. Contact OWF with any questions.
Donor Roll — Restricted and In-kind Gifts
Corporate Support and Matching Gifts
Apple
Benevity Community Impact Fund
Grants
Bright Funds Foundation
Clorox
Intel Kroger Microsoft PayPal Giving Fund
Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund
Gifts In Kind
Blair & Peggy Bubenik
Crowley Wines
Hood River Distillers Inc
Irwin Hodson
Breakside Brewery
Nick McDonald
Gifts of Estate and/or Property
Estate of William K. Lofton
Basalt to Breakers
Anonymous
Kelly Ausland
Taylor Ayers
Jesse Cauble
Beverly Hobbs
Brian McCool
Kent Naffziger
Steve Smith
Bend to Suttle Lake Wildlife Crossing Initiative
Anonymous (x 5)
Rebecca Adams Savage
Adrienne Banks
Lauren Barnes
Gary & Diane Beeler
Rod Carter
Central Oregon LandWatch
Will Clark
In honor of Aubriana
Grace Clark
Kyle Collins
Kathy & Dallas Coon
Brown Folks Fishing
Dora Quach
Elizabeth Dawn Creach
Emily Farrer
Cinda Flynn
Shireen Gastineau In memory of Jerry Gastineau
Kristi Gilman-Miller
Donna Harris & Dwane Williams
Andrew Hill
Karl & Michele Kugler
Ruth Malloy
Friends of Baltimore Woods
The Portland Garden Club
Sumner Sharpe & Margaret Strachan
Doug & Candace Nelson
Rebecca & Evan Roberts
Sage Canyon Outfitters
Jacob Turner
Kendall Williams
Christopher Powell
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Gillian Rowley
Patricia Scarci
Jonathan Thorn
Tracy Villano
Mike & Christin Zapp
In honor of Mike and Christin Zapp
Leslie Smith Nikkie West
Forest Park Pond Project
Greenfield/Hartline Habitat Conservation Fund at The Nature Conservancy
Friends of Fanno Creek Headwaters
Anonymous (x 3)
Jason Bergstrom
Dennis Brown
Rob Diffely
Joan Hamilton
Elizabeth Johnston **
Portland Parks Foundation
Ilana Rembelinsky
In memory of Terrible Tim
Rebecca Smith
Barbara Stedman
Marilyn Trusty
Harborton Frog Crossing Project
Anonymous
Henry Clifford
Nicholas C. Esser
Sherry Hanrahan
Brooke Huber
Ann Littlewood
Sally LeBaron
In honor of Linda, Top the Border Collie
Linnton Frogs/Harborton Frog Shuttle
Kirsten Croswell
In honor of Elaine Akamian
Gary Lothian
Ian Meyer ** In honor of Bee
Metolius Winter Range Projects
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Oregon Hunters Association Bend Chapter
NE Oregon Wildlife Crossing Coalition
Olseth Family Foundation
Stuart Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation
Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund
Sunny Bane
Simon Colcord
Reva Gillman
Patty Nordyke
In memory of Mike Nordyke
Richard Ray & Anne
Philipsborn
In honor of Mark Stern
Lauren Powell ++
Linda Robinson
Peggy Runcorn ++
Barry Sanders
In honor of Garrick Schermer and The Book of Hours
Mike Schrankel ++
Luke Seus
Laurie Wall
Andrea Wall
Steven Wasserstrom
Melanie Wilson
Candace Lynn Sweeney
In memory of Bob Sallinger
June Yamrick
Darrick Wong
In honor of World Frog Taxi Day
Mary Wahl
Melissa Wells ++
Diane Whipple ++
Jennifer Wright ++
++ Denotes gifts given in honor of Stephen Ford
Donor Roll — Restricted and In-kind Gifts
Oregon Conservation Strategy Implementation Fund
Jane Hartline
Oregon State Police K-9 Team
Roger Emigh**
Warren King
Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture
Barbara & Peter M. Folger
Southern Oregon Wildlife Crossing Coalition
Anonymous
Beatrice Frederickson
Head and Heart Foundation
Timothy and Bridget Molinari
Sturgeon Interpretive Center Improvement Project
Anonymous (x 3)
Elizabeth Collins
Kelley Deas
Anonymous Donor
Sonja Farris
In honor of Herman’s Birthday
Steve Glazer
Bryan Gonzalez
Andrea Moore
Austin Roberts
Jim Scheppke
Urban Ecosystem Research Consortion
Claire Carder
USFWS, Oregon Fish & Wildlife
City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services (BES)
Watch for Wildlife Fund
Gene Conner
Marita Ingalsbe
Lynn Jones
In memory of Peggy Lewellyn
Carol Murdock
Wendy Beth Oliver
Margaret Shannon
Perry Waddell
West Willamette Restoration Partnership
Forest Park Conservancy
Will Staiger Suky Wan
Douglas Witham In honor of Lois Witham
Ron Walp In honor of Dale Madden
Robert Woodward
Donor Roll — Summer Soiree Paddle Raise
Gifts of $5000 and above
Strawn Dixon and the Searle Family Trust
Craig & Lynne Johnston
Gifts between $1000 and $2000
Blair & Peggy Bubenik
Blaine & Cynthia Dickason
Sally & Hayden Gaussoin Fund at the National Christian Foundation
Tim & Lisa Greseth
Jim Irvine
Lynn Loacker
McBain Associates
Pat & Priscilla Richardson
Gifts between $250 and $500
Carl Burnham III
Bruce & Beth Carpenter
Dave & Patti Cummings
Roy & Marny Elicker
Spencer French
Bryce Gartrell
Chip & Emily Graeper
Dan Grierson
Allison & Michael Halvorson
Marie Hepner
Gordon King
Jeff La Rochelle
E.K. & Christy MacColl
Bill & Susan Miller
Doug & Candace Nelson
Tom & Suzy Rask
Jill & Mark Reynolds
Rebecca & Evan Roberts
William Russell
Blake Seabaugh
Gifts between $1 and $249
Anonymous
Franc Cafferata
Debbie Colbert & Eric Johnson
John Loen
Brad & Kim Pepper
Victoria Sise
Stuart Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation
Graig Spolek
Charlie Stenvall
Dani Terrazas & Mike
Downing
Chris & Tracy Vaughan
Zach Walker & Angelina Pereira
Patsy VandeVenter In memory of Gary VandeVenter
Event Sponsors (see page # for event information)
Aquatic Contracting LLC
Blair & Peggy Bubenik
Carl Burnham III
Certified Languages International
Conrey Electric
Dave & Patti Cummings
Roy & Marny Elicker
Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Co.
Bryce Gartrell
Chip & Emily Graeper
Hoffman Construction
Irwin Hodson
Craig & Lynne Johnston
JW Fowler
Kell Alterman & Runstein LLP
Gordon King
Jeff La Rochelle
Steve Leeb
Kim MacColl Jr & Melinda Bishop MacColl
David Mansfield
Moss Adams LLP
Doug & Candace Nelson
Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife
Pacific Foundation
Gary Papé
David & Gagan Pazourek
Perkins & Co.
River Design Group
Victoria Sise
Strategic Solutions NW
Umpqua Bank
Animal Migration and Movement Initiatives
The Watch for Wildlife Fund
All species must move to live. Be it for food, water, shelter, finding mates, or escape from predators, the ability of wildlife to move between habitat patches is critical to their survival.
Human-made alterations to our landscape, including roads, fences, and development, have fragmented wildlife habitats, creating barriers to their movement that have profound impacts on them and the function of our ecosystems.
Like a dam in a stream, busy roads can become almost impassable barriers for wildlife. A fish ladder helps aquatic species get around dams in the same way that wildlife under and overpasses help terrestrial species migrate and move to fulfill their life purpose.
We use the proceeds from the sale and renewal of our Watch for Wildlife specialty license plate to support projects that reduce barriers to wildlife movement. Purchasing our specialty plate or donating to our Watch for Wildlife Fund helps prevent further loss of biodiversity by lowering the incidence of wildlife-vehicle collisions, supporting habitat connectivity, and increasing wildlife resilience to climate change.
Visit www.myowf.org/watchforwildlife to make a charitable gift or learn more about our Watch for Wildlife specialty license plate.
$1.32MM
$$ Generated $246.8K Spent on projects so far
Some projects supported so far:
• Bend to Suttle Lake Wildlife Crossing Project
• Coastal Marten Wildlife Crossing Project
• Palensky Highway Wildlife Crossing Project
• NE Oregon/Highway 82 Wildlife Crossing Project
Southern
Oregon Wildlife Crossing Coalition
The Southern Oregon Wildlife Crossing Coalition (SOWCC) is a broad-based partnership focused on reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions and increasing habitat connectivity in a 14-mile corridor of I-5 between Ashland and the California border. This section of I-5 bisects the Klamath Siskiyou National Monument, established largely because of the area’s remarkable biodiversity.
The Foundation has served as SOWCC’s fiscal sponsor and agent since the Coalition’s inception in 2021. SOWCC commissioned a phase 1 wildlife crossing and conceptual design study in 2022. The study identified eight priority wildlife crossing locations within the study corridor, and conceptual designs for different crossing configurations at each one. Among those locations and crossing options was a wildlife overcrossing near Mariposa Preserve, approximately 4 miles north of the California border and squarely within the Klamath Siskiyou National Monument.
ODOT began engineering design and submitted a funding request for construction funding in 2023 through the Federal Highway Administration’s Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program. While our initial funding proposal wasn’t approved, the feedback was extremely positive. The Department and Coalition agreed to reapply in summer 2024.
Success! The Department received word at the end of last year, that the Mariposa Preserve Wildlife Overcrossing Project was awarded $33 million to complete design of and construct all elements of the project (fencing, jumpouts, and deer guards). The Mariposa Preserve project will be the first wildlife crossing project anywhere on I-5 and, once completed, the first overcrossing in Oregon.
2024 Event Snapshot
Oregon Wildlife Fundraising events help raise important funds for conservation in Oregon, and comprise roughly a fifth of the Foundation’s operating budget. We are thankful for our event sponsors, guests, and donors who help to make our annual events a success each year. Event support helps to keep us moving forward with conservation projects in an efficient and expedited manner, and under the guidance of a vision that our citizens experience a remarkable diversity of fish and wildlife in natural habitats that are healthy for all.
We held our second annual Clays for Conservation event in June at Mid Valley Clays, and it was a smashing success! Thirteen enthusiastic teams gathered for a morning of friendly clay shooting competition, followed by lunch, an awards ceremony, and camaraderie among fellow OWF supporters.
A special congratulations to Team Aquatic Contracting for clinching the top prize of the day! Thank you to all who participated and made this event memorable. We look forward to seeing you all again next year.
Platinum Team Sponsor
Hoffman Construction
Gold Team Sponsors
Blair and Peggy Bubenik
Conrey Electric
Irwin Hodson Company
Team Sponsors
Aquatic Contracting
Carl Burnham
Dave Cummings
Roy Elicker
JW Fowler
Save the date for our 3rd Annual Clays for Conservation event! Join us Friday, June 6, at Mid Valley Clays in Gervais.
Celebrate the last day of summer at Summer Soirée on Sept. 21st, 2025, at the Butler Barn.
Gordon King
David Mansfield
Pacific Foundation
Strategic Solutions NW Station Sponsor
Tori Sise
After several years of hosting our largest annual fundraising event on Sauvie Island, OWF switched gears in 2024 by welcoming supporters and friends of the Foundation “off island” at the Butler Barn in Scholls.
Guests enjoyed a memorable evening filled with delicious food, beer, and wine, thanks to the generous contributions from Breakside Brewery and local winery Crowley Wines. The farm-to-table dinner and live music from Portland’s own Pressure Point added a unique charm to the event.
We were thrilled to witness the generosity of our supporters during the paddle raise, which helped us collect over $33,000 for conservation efforts in Oregon. Please see the donor roll and back cover for the full list of contributors.
A Conversation With Ben Goldfarb
The Oregon Wildlife Foundation believes in the symbiotic relationship between education and conservation. Our initiatives support wildlife migration and movement through collaboration with state agencies and community partners on essential wildlife passage projects throughout Oregon. From frogs to deer, the Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that all wildlife species are able to move safely around roads and highways for their health and long-term survival.
The Foundation was honored to host award-winning conservation journalist and author, Ben Goldfarb at the Multnomah Arts Center last October. Ben has traveled extensively, sharing his research and vision for a better future that builds on our growing understanding of road ecology. His books include Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping The Future of Our Planet and Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter.
Ben used his talk to highlight road ecology, which studies the interaction between roads and nature. He discussed the problematic impact roads have on ecosystems and the importance of finding solutions that minimize those negative effects. There are 4 million miles of road in the U.S., making our traffic system the largest and densest in the world. Our efforts at OWF include improving habitat and conserving migration corridors to help ensure that wildlife can move safely around the many barriers we put in their way. These efforts are vital for the health of Oregon’s ecosystems and the diverse species that inhabit them.
Ben’s Insights
“Road ecology is basically this relatively small but fast growing field of science that looks at all of the different ways that roads and nature interact, all of the connections between our transportation infrastructure and the natural world, most of which, of course, are problematic and negative for ecosystems. And I think just as important as that, road ecologists tend to try to figure out how to heal those negative interactions and make our roads lie a little bit lighter on the land and be less harmful for wildlife. We have these kinds of related problems, right? We have all of these wildlife vehicle collisions that are both an existential threat to some populations and even species, and are a huge danger to human drivers. And we have this habitat fragmentation problem. There, again, these walls of cars, preventing animals from getting where they need to be to survive. So, how do we solve those two problems? The best solution in our toolbox are wildlife crossings. Overpasses, underpasses, culverts, various structures that allow animals to safely move across highways, back and forth.”
Your Support
Your support is vital in helping us accomplish our mission. Donate to the Foundation or a wildlife crossing project by visiting www.myowf.org, and learn more about Ben Goldfarb and his work by visiting www.bengoldfarb.com.
Ways to Give
Help Us Do Good Work Across Oregon
Supporting the Oregon Wildlife Foundation empowers us to drive and execute wildlife conservation initiatives across the state. Your individual contributions form the cornerstone of our organization. Thanks to the commitment and generosity of conservation-minded individuals like you, we can forge a brighter future for Oregon’s wildlife.
Contributions to OWF are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. OWF is a registered 501(c)(3) organization with tax ID 93-0797904.
Donate Online
Use the donate button on our website, www.myowf.org, or text OWF to 44-321.
Send a Check
Checks can be mailed to the address below. You will receive an acknowledgement letter appropriate for tax purposes.
Oregon Wildlife Foundation 2337 NW York St. #201c Portland, OR 97210
Rather than donating gifts of cash, many of our supporters opt for non-cash options that not only support our mission but also offer a variety of tax benefits.
For gifts through a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), gifts of stock, Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD), or gifts of crypto currency, visit www.myowf.org/smartgiving, or navigate from the Ways to Give drop down menu on our homepage.
For gifts of property, art and other physical items, contact Development Manager, Rebecca Roberts at rebecca@myowf.org or by calling 503-255-6059.
Oregon Wildlife Foundation is pleased to partner with FreeWill, an online platform that helps individuals create a free will or trust to support the people and causes they care about most.
To learn more about Legacy Giving and how you can join OWF as a Conservation Circle Member, visit www.myowf.org/legacygiving.
Platinum Gold
Blair & Peggy Bubenik
Blair & Peggy Bubenik Jeff La Rochelle Gartrell Group Thank you to our
