Report from the Field by Western Rivers Conservancy

Report from the Field

2025

BluePAGE Creek, Klamath RIVER NAMERiver, CA

East 4ForkBlue Carson River, CA River, CA Creek, Klamath

6 Fall River, CAFork Carson River, CA East

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Columb i

Trinity7 River, CARiver, CA Trinity

Little8aSurLittle River,Sur CARiver, CA

Sacramento River, CARiver, CA Sacramento

Willamet te R .

S a l mon

19a

9a River, CA Gualala South Fork Gualala River, CA

9b Basin, CO La Jara Fall River, CA

a Sn

19b

R ke

10 Michigan SouthCO Platte R., CO LaCreek, Jara Basin,

12 . Dolores River, COCreek, South Platte R., CO Michigan

. Cliff13aLake, Alamosa Dolores River,River, CO CO

Sacra m

. e n to R

. Racetrack Creek, Clark Carson River, NVFork River, MT 14

nR qu i oa San J

15 . McDermitt Creek,Creek, OR & NV Racetrack Clark Fork River, MT

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13b River, NV . Carson Cliff Lake, Alamosa River, CO

16 Deschutes River, OR . Little McDermitt Creek, OR & NV

18 Deschutes River Park, OR Little Deschutes River, OR 19a Wrights Creek, Rogue Deschutes RiverRiver, Park,OR OR

19b Creek, Umatilla River, OR . Birch Wrights Creek, Rogue River, OR

lora do . R Co

21 0. Badger Creek, TetonSalmon River, ID Sixes Creek, River, OR

22 Joe River, ID 2. Saint Badger Creek, Teton River, ID

. Gila R

24 3. Selway River, ID Selway River, ID

25 . Columbia River, WA ID St. Joe River,

26 6. Willapa River, WARiver, WA Columbia 28

Willapa River, WA

2 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

2025 IMPACT AREA 2025 PROJECT LOCATION

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20 Creek, Salmon River, OR . Sixes Birch Creek, Umatilla River, OR

Letter from the President and Chair

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estern Rivers Conservancy focuses on three enduring outcomes: conserving habitat, protecting cold, clean water, and securing public access along rivers. Last year marked the completion of one of our most significant habitat and cold-water projects to date. After more than two decades, WRC and the Yurok Tribe completed the Blue Creek Salmon Sanctuary and Yurok Tribal Community Forest along California’s lower Klamath River. By partnering with the Yurok, we permanently protected the entire lower watershed of Blue Creek, the cold-water lifeline of the Klamath River. And we did it at the critical moment when dam removal reopened hundreds of miles of historic salmon habitat upstream. Protecting Blue Creek took 23 years of partnership, perseverance and ingenuity. The results are a clear example of why your support matters to fish and wildlife and to people and communities across the West. No rth Conserving habitat, like we are doing now in the La Jara Basin Pla tte and the Teton River canyon, like we did last year on the Fall, the R. Trinity, the Selway and Racetrack Creek, is WRC’s highest priority. Through all these projects, we created public access, too. . ou Access to rivers and the great outdoors remains among the th Pla t t e most widely shared values in this country. But this common ground reflects something deeper than public access alone. It’s access to—and the permanent protection of—healthy rivers, which provide clean, cold water, productive fisheries, verdant forests, lush riparian areas, and riverlands with diverse, abundant wildlife. The 24 projects covered in this report highlight the tangible A r kansas R .ways WRC is delivering these outcomes across the West. They also reveal WRC’s tenacity, creativity and commitment when it comes to finding properties that have exceptional conservation values, and our ability to identify and partner with the best-positioned long-term stewards. They show what’s possible when we take risks for rivers—because the real estate market is inherently risky—and ad what we can accomplish with the trust and support of all involved, i a n R. from private foundations and public funders to people like you. Protecting rivers through land acquisition takes time, and it’s far from simple. But the results endure for generations. We hope these pages bring the impact of your support to life so you can see what we’ve accomplished together—and what your continued support for the great rivers of the West will mean for our future.

13a 13b

Nelson Mathews, President

Mi ss

Carter MacNichol, Board Chair

R io

G rand e

Can

Thank you for making this possible,

Nelson Mathews Carter MacNichol President Board Chair

westernrivers.org

Blue Creek CALIFORNIA

Salmon sanctuary completed on the Klamath River After 23 years, Western Rivers Conservancy and the Yurok Tribe completed the Blue Creek Salmon Sanctuary and Yurok Tribal Community Forest on the lower Klamath River. Now, 47,097 acres of ancestral homelands are back in the hands of the Yurok Tribe. With Blue Creek’s upper basin already protected within the Siskiyou Wilderness, the cold-water lifeline of the Klamath is now fully conserved. The timing was critical. With the recent removal of four dams on the Klamath, hundreds of miles of historic salmon habitat have reopened upstream. As the first major influx of cold water into the lower river, Blue Creek is a life-giving refuge that allows salmon to cool down for their journey upriver to spawn. Bringing this $70 million effort to fruition required creativity, perseverance and support from state, federal and private partners, as well as the commitment and patience of Green Diamond Resource Company to sell the land in phases. In May 2025, WRC conveyed the final 14,968 acres to the Yurok Tribe. Blue Creek is now in the hands of its original stewards, who are committed to restoring and maintaining healthy forests, healthy habitat and healthy returns of wild salmon and steelhead for generations to come.

FAST FACTS ACRES

KEY FISH

47,097

Coho, fall and spring Chinook winter steelhead Pacific lamprey green sturgeon

25 Klamath 9 Blue Creek CONSERVATION STEWARD

Yurok Tribe

4 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

KEY WILDLIFE

Humboldt marten marbled murrelet northern spotted owl DAVE JENSEN

RIVER MILES

Honorable Joseph L. James

Chairman, Yurok Tribe “ There are not enough words to describe the importance of Blue Creek, what it means to the river, the basin, the Tribe. It's a sacred place of prayer and a permanent sanctuary for our salmon. On behalf of the Yurok Tribe, I would like to thank Western Rivers Conservancy for partnering with us over the long term to preserve our lands and resources.”

westernrivers.org

East Fork Carson River CALIFORNIA

A winning mix of conservation and community in the Eastern Sierra Nevada ACRES: 1,688 • RIVER MILES: 1.6 mainstem, 2.97 tributary

6 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

DAVID DINES

lowing from the Sierra Nevada to the Carson Valley, the East Fork Carson River creates a ribbon of life in an arid landscape. A major tributary to the mainstem Carson, it provides critical habitat for native fish and is known for its trophy trout, whitewater and beautiful scenery. Last year, WRC purchased the first phase of the 1,688-acre Park Ranch, 20 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe, including 1.6 miles of the East Fork Carson and three miles of tributary streams, all home to Lahontan cutthroat trout and other native fish. The surrounding meadows provide habitat for mule deer, black bear, bobcat and imperiled western monarch butterfly. WRC’s partner—the property’s future long-term steward—is Alpine County. By conveying the property to the county, we will realize a unique opportunity to marry conservation, recreation and wildfire protection for the community of Markleeville, while benefiting fish and wildlife and expanding public access for anglers, hunters and others.

Trinity River CALIFORNIA

Benjamin Flats protected and recovery efforts continue on Trinity ACRES: 62 | RIVER MILES: 0.5 mainstem

FLY FISHING WATERS

n Northern California’s remote Klamath Mountains, WRC worked with the Bureau of Land Management to protect a critical property along the Trinity River, downstream of Junction City. The acquisition advanced the final piece of the Trinity River Restoration Program, a multi-decade effort to restore one of California’s great salmon and steelhead rivers. The Trinity drains more than 3,000 square miles of rugged, forested mountains and historically produced more salmon, steelhead and clean, cold water than any other tributary to the Klamath River. Mining, logging and water diversions dramatically reduced the Trinity’s fish runs, but the river remains one of the West’s most important steelhead streams and a centerpiece of an ongoing interagency restoration effort. A key step in that effort was bringing the 61-acre Benjamin Flats property into public ownership. In early FY 2025, WRC facilitated the BLM’s purchase of the property, which permanently protected a half mile of the Trinity River, allowed large-scale habitat restoration and opened the door to future public access

westernrivers.org

TEDDY MILLER

KODIAK GREENWOOD

Little Sur River

Sacramento River

Wild stretch of Little Sur River conserved with the Esselen Tribe

Rare intact riverfront forests protected along the Sacramento River

CALIFORNIA

n Big Sur, California, WRC protected 1.3 miles of the Little Sur River by conveying the 327-acre Pico Blanco property to the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County. The Little Sur is one of the Central Coast’s most important river basins and is the region’s most pristine spawning stream for threatened South-Central California Coast steelhead. Historically, tens of thousands of steelhead returned to rivers along the Central Coast. Today, fewer than 100 are believed to return to the Little Sur each year. Conserving habitat is vital to their recovery. Our efforts also protected one of the largest remaining stands of old-growth redwoods on the Central Coast. These forests provide habitat for California condor, marbled murrelet, northern spotted owl and other rare wildlife. Combined with WRC and the Esselen Tribe’s conservation of the nearby 1,199-acre Eagle Peak Rancheria in 2020, our efforts have permanently protected 2.3 miles of the Little Sur River while placing sacred ancestral lands back into Esselen stewardship for the first time in 500 years.

8 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

CALIFORNIA

n Northern California, WRC and the BLM permanently protected the 288-acre Jelly’s Ferry property along the Sacramento River, between Redding and Red Bluff. By conveying the property to the BLM for inclusion in the Sacramento River Bend Area, we conserved nearly a mile of river frontage and rare riparian stands of cottonwood, valley oak and sycamore. The parcel lies within the last stretch of the Sacramento below Shasta Dam that persists in a relatively natural condition, where healthy forests and side-channel habitats are critical for Chinook salmon, green sturgeon, winter steelhead and Pacific lamprey. Western monarch butterflies, which rely on the property’s abundant milkweed, are also found here. Black-tailed deer, ringtail, Swainson’s hawk, yellow-billed cuckoo and other wildlife all stand to benefit from our efforts. Now that WRC has conveyed the property to the BLM, the agency will be able to restore the property's forests, enhance habitat connectivity, and increase access for hunters and anglers.

VAL ATKINSON

WILL BOUCHER

South Fork Gualala River

Fall River

A new effort launched for redwoods and steelhead on the Sonoma Coast

Conserving and enhancing wetlands on a famed spring-fed river

CALIFORNIA

n California’s fog-blanketed Sonoma coast, WRC set out to conserve a property spanning 1.2 miles of the South Fork Gualala River to protect towering stands of redwood and prime habitat for threatened Northern California steelhead. The effort builds on our work within the Gualala River basin, where we conserved 4,440 acres along the Wheatfield Fork Gualala in 2022. Flowing from the Coast Range to the Pacific, the Gualala remains one of the region’s most beautiful and intact coastal river systems. Along the South Fork, deep, shady pools provide refuge for migrating steelhead, while redwood-shaded tributaries and forested canyon slopes help maintain the cold, clean water these fish need. We will convey the property to the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians, who will begin forest recovery efforts to improve habitat for steelhead and other native fishes, as well as for terrestrial wildlife like threatened northern spotted owl and Sonoma tree vole, a state species of special concern.

CALIFORNIA

ate last summer, WRC conserved three miles of California’s legendary Fall River by purchasing a property in Shasta County called Pope Jensen Ranch and conveying it to the Pit River Tribe. The Fall is one of the country’s largest spring-fed rivers and flows through the Tribe’s ancestral homelands. Rising from ancient lava beds, the Fall flows cold and clear year-round, sustaining one of California’s most productive rainbow trout fisheries and habitat for native fish like the increasingly rare bigeye marbled sculpin. The river and its tributaries also form a rich mosaic of sloughs, ponds and wetlands that support vast numbers of migratory birds traveling along the Pacific Flyway. Half of the 270-acre ranch is wetlands, which the Tribe will restore by reintroducing native plants and controlling invasive species to improve habitat for fish, wildlife and migratory birds that depend on the Fall River’s cold waters.

westernrivers.org

La Jara Basin COLORADO

Continued effort to keep the La Jara Basin intact and accessible to all

hroughout FY 2025, WRC continued its efforts to permanently protect the vast La Jara Basin in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. Spanning 45,952 acres, Colorado’s La Jara property is one of the largest intact landscapes in southern Colorado, with more than 30 miles of cold-water streams flowing through it on their way to the Rio Grande. For at least 7,500 years, people have lived on and used this place, and it remains central to life in the Valley for ranching families, hunters, anglers and local communities. It provides expansive, unbroken habitat for bighorn sheep, elk and especially mule deer, while two creeks support populations of imperiled Rio Grande cutthroat trout. Surrounded by other public lands, the La Jara is both a natural and cultural cornerstone of the region. WRC is working with the Colorado State Land Board, US Forest Service, BLM, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and a broad coalition of partners to secure its permanent conservation, ensuring the landscape remains intact, managed for fish and wildlife and open to the public.

FAST FACTS KEY FISH

45,952

Rio Grande cutthroat trout

RIVER MILES

KEY WILDLIFE

30 mainstem

Rocky Mountain elk Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep mule deer

CONSERVATION STEWARDS

Colorado Parks & Wildlife, BLM and USFS

10 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

BENJAMIN RASMUSSEN

ACRES

Deborah Froeb

Board President, Natural Resources, Colorado State Land Board “ The Colorado State Land Board’s goal in pursuing the strategic transfer of the La Jara property has been to generate long-term revenue for Colorado’s public schools while conserving the exceptional natural resource values of this remarkable landscape and maintaining public access. Western Rivers Conservancy has been an invaluable partner throughout this effort, bringing conservation transaction expertise and a longstanding commitment to the San Luis Valley. We appreciate their continued partnership as we work toward a successful outcome that reflects the interests of Colorado’s trust beneficiaries, the local community, and the long-term future of the property.” westernrivers.org

Michigan Creek COLORADO

Conserving habitat and access in South Park ACRES: 120 • RIVER MILES: 0.25 mainstem

In 2024, we placed a conservation easement on the property with Colorado Open Lands. Then, in 2025, we conveyed the nowencumbered land to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Our joint efforts guarantee this stretch of Michigan Creek will remain intact and open to anglers, hunters and wildlife viewers. Combined with our efforts at the nearby Collard Ranch on Tarryall Creek, WRC has now protected 1,980 acres of habitat for fish and wildlife and created more than five miles of recreational access on two key tributaries to the South Platte.

12 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

CHRISTI BODE

n 2025, WRC conserved a quarter mile of Michigan Creek, a tributary of Tarryall Creek and the South Platte River. A lifelong conservationist donated the 120-acre property to WRC in 2023, knowing we could permanently protect this special stretch of the river. The parcel lies along two scenic bends of Michigan Creek that are flanked by towering granite cliffs and grassy uplands.

CHRISTI BODE

Dolores River

Cliff Lake & Alamosa River

Conserving a high-altitude wetland in the Dolores’ headwaters

Conserving a beloved alpine headwater of the Alamosa River

COLORADO

fter a five-year effort, WRC successfully conveyed the 160-acre Dunton Meadows property to the San Juan National Forest, forever protecting an essential subalpine wetland complex in the headwaters of the Dolores River. Critical to the Dolores River ecosystem, the meadows on the property store rain and snowmelt and deliver ice-cold flows during warmer months. On its eastern end, Dunton Meadows drains into Coal Creek, a stronghold for Colorado River cutthroat trout. Meadow Creek, a West Fork Dolores tributary, meanders through the parcel’s western corner. Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, black bear, Canada lynx and American marten are all found on the property. An access road through Dunton Meadows connects hikers to two of Colorado’s most scenic hikes: the Navajo Lake Trail and the Kilpacker Trail. By transferring the property to the Forest Service, WRC ensured this pristine meadow and its mountain views remain intact for good.

COLORADO

n southern Colorado’s Rio Grande National Forest, WRC purchased a spectacular 800-acre inholding on an alpine lake called Cliff Lake. The property includes the northeastern shore of the lake and nearly a mile of a stream called Castleman Gulch, a headwater tributary to the Alamosa River. Cliff Lake supports a healthy population of native Rio Grande cutthroat trout and provides critical cold, clean water to the Alamosa. With over 200 acres of oldgrowth spruce forest and expansive mountain meadows, the property is a haven for Rocky Mountain elk, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, mule deer and endangered Canada lynx. We plan to convey the property to the Rio Grande National Forest, conserving the last unprotected lands around Cliff Lake and allowing the Forest Service to reestablish prized public access to the only portion of the lake that people can easily get to.

westernrivers.org

Lower Carson River NEVADA

Conserving a ribbon of life in the Great Basin’s Carson Desert ACRES: 1,627 • RIVER MILES: 4.5 mainstem

n Nevada, the driest state in the nation, life follows rivers. The Carson is one of those lifelines, drawing mule deer, migratory birds, beavers and other wildlife to its banks on its course across the Carson Desert. To conserve 4.5 miles of this oasis stream, WRC signed an agreement to purchase the 1,627-acre Lower Carson Ranch in 2025. That laid the groundwork for what will soon become Nevada’s newest state park. By conveying the property to Nevada State Parks, we will permanently conserve this stretch of the Carson and create superb new river access near the towns of Reno, Carson City and Dayton.

14 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

TEDDY MILLER

Protecting the property will also bolster WRC’s ongoing work across the Carson River basin. Roughly 45 miles upstream, in California, we are working to conserve a stretch of the East Fork Carson (see p.6). Together, these projects protect key stretches of the Carson from its headwaters in the Eastern Sierra to its lower reaches in the Nevada desert, strengthening the greater health of the river system.

Racetrack Creek MONTANA

Protecting a wildlife corridor on a Clark Fork tributary ACRES: 131 • RIVER MILES: 1.0 mainstem

acetrack Creek runs clear and cold out of the Flint Creek Range for 23 miles before joining Montana’s famed Clark Fork River. In the creek’s scenic upper canyon, WRC conserved a remote 131-acre property called The Oxbows to protect some of Racetrack Creek’s best fish and wildlife habitat in a corridor that is also critical for large animals moving between the Greater Yellowstone and Crown of the Continent ecosystems. The property was the last significant unprotected stretch of upper Racetrack Creek.

KYLE DUDGEON

The Oxbows sits where the creek changes from a high-gradient headwater stream to a slower meander— a zone that creates prime rearing habitat for westslope cutthroat trout and potential habitat for endangered bull trout. The property also supports moose, elk, mule deer and gray wolf. In summer 2025, WRC conveyed The Oxbows to the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, ensuring these riverlands remain wild and open to anyone exploring this rugged corner of Big Sky Country.

westernrivers.org

McDermitt Creek OREGON & NEVEDA

Big gains for Lahontan cutthroat trout in the Great Basin

n the remote high desert of southeast Oregon and northern Nevada, WRC permanently protected the 3,345-acre Disaster Peak Ranch and its critical stretch of McDermitt Creek. The stream’s headwaters still contain a viable population of Lahontan cutthroat trout that have remained genetically intact despite the threat of hybridization with non-native trout, which were artificially introduced into the system years ago. With 19 stream miles on the ranch itself and potential to reconnect a total of 55, there is no better opportunity to protect and restore a true stronghold for these federally threatened fish. We transferred the Nevada portion of the ranch to the state to be managed by the Nevada Department of Wildlife in 2024, and the Oregon portion to Oregon Desert Land Trust in 2026. Our state and federal agency partners can now begin the important work of removing non-native fish from McDermitt Creek and its tributaries to recover genetically pure Lahontan cutthroat to the entire system. By coming together around a shared goal, WRC, agencies and other NGOs are ensuring the McDermitt Creek population of Lahontan cutthroats survive for generations to come.

FAST FACTS ACRES

KEY FISH

3,345

Lahontan cutthroat trout

RIVER MILES

KEY WILDLIFE

7.5 mainstem 11.4 tributary

greater sage-grouse Columbia spotted frog pygmy rabbit

Oregon Desert Land Trust and Nevada Division of State Lands 16 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

California bighorn sheep greater sandhill crane SAGE BROWN

CONSERVATION STEWARDS

Hyland and April Wilkinson GJ Livestock

“ Our family has been ranching in the McDermitt Valley for over a century. Western Rivers Conservancy's willingness to allow continued grazing on Disaster Peak Ranch while it focuses on protecting the creek is great for our family and great for the community. There’s a history of grazing the ranch in a way that has kept McDermitt Creek in excellent shape, and we are happy to be working with WRC and Oregon Desert Land Trust to keep it that way.”

westernrivers.org

Little Deschutes River & Paulina Creek OREGON

Conserving a confluence for mule deer, elk and Oregon spotted frog ACRES: 674 • RIVER MILES: 1.97 mainstem, 2.3 tributary

18 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

TYLER ROEMER

n the shadow of snow-capped Mt. Bachelor and the Three Sisters, WRC purchased a 674-acre property called Paulina Meadows, which spans two miles of the Little Deschutes River and the lowest two miles of Paulina Creek at the rivers’ confluence. The property is a stronghold for the imperiled Oregon spotted frog. The stretch of the Little Deschutes running through the property contains the highest concentration of Oregon spotted frogs in the lower Little Deschutes. It is also home to a large elk herd and is a critical resting and grazing area for the Crescent Herd of mule deer, which migrates further than any other mule deer herd in the state. We are now working with the BLM and Deschutes Land Trust to ensure the property’s long-term protection and to guarantee Paulina Meadows will be public, so people can hike, fish, explore and enjoy this scenic stretch of the Little Deschutes.

TYLER ROEMER

Deschutes River

Wrights Creek & Rogue River

Connecting wildlife and people with the river in Bend’s backyard

Protecting biodiversity and Ashland's drinking water at Madrone Ridge

OREGON

he Wild and Scenic Deschutes River is one of the West’s best-known rivers, renowned for its fly fishing, whitewater and more. For the growing city of Bend, the Deschutes is also its beloved backyard stream. Near the heart of the city, WRC purchased the 47-acre Deschutes River Park, a scenic parcel of sage and juniper that was ripe for development when WRC stepped in to protect it. We are now working on a long-term stewardship strategy to conserve the property’s wildlife habitat and improve recreational access. Conserving the property may ultimately allow for connection to the 12-mile Deschutes River Trail. Expanding this riparian greenway will give the people of Bend more opportunities to interact with their cherished home river.

OREGON

n southern Oregon, WRC is working to conserve the 1,974-acre Madrone Ridge property, including a mile of Wrights Creek, which is a tributary to Bear Creek and the Rogue River. Visible from downtown Ashland, the Madrone Ridge property lies within and adjacent to the Ashland Creek watershed, the source of the city’s drinking water. Repurposing Madrone Ridge’s water rights to enhance habitat on the property would have downstream benefits for salmon, steelhead and lamprey in Bear Creek. The property—which lies within the highly biodiverse KlamathSiskiyou ecoregion—also supports imperiled species like American marten, fisher, ringtail and northern spotted owl. Conservation of Madrone Ridge will expand hiking and biking opportunities in an area that Ashland Parks & Recreation has identified as a priority for improving public access. WRC’s efforts will keep this special property, its open space and the water passing through it intact and permanently protected.

westernrivers.org

Birch Creek & Umatilla River OREGON

A new future for salmon and steelhead in the Umatilla River basin ACRES: 1,043 • RIVER MILES: 1.35 mainstem, 2.69 tributary

20 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

TYLER ROEMER

n FY 2025, WRC took two major steps in our effort to breathe new life into the Umatilla River, once one of the Mid-Columbia Basin’s major producers of salmon and steelhead. First, WRC secured transfer of a conservation easement on the 943-acre UmaBirch Floodplain property to the Blue Mountain Land Trust. The property lies at the confluence of the Umatilla River and its most important steelhead tributary, Birch Creek. With the easement in place, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR)— which has led the charge to restore these runs throughout the Umatilla basin—is now undertaking the basin’s largest floodplain restoration effort. Upstream on Birch Creek, we also conveyed Birch Creek Ranch to the CTUIR so it can undertake more floodplain restoration and dedicate the ranch’s senior water rights in-stream. Together, the projects are a one-two punch for habitat, water, salmon, steelhead and wildlife.

Sixes Creek & Sandy River OREGON

Conserving habitat and access in the heart of the Sandy River system ACRES: 283 • RIVER MILES: 0.9 mainstem

orn of ice-cold snowmelt and runoff from glaciers on Mount Hood, Oregon’s Salmon River is one of the most important producers of salmon and steelhead in the Sandy River system. Near the Salmon-Sandy confluence, WRC has set out to conserve a 283-acre property on a small tributary called Sixes Creek. Where it meets the Salmon, Sixes Creek opens into a wetland complex that is critical for spawning and rearing coho, Chinook and steelhead.

DANIEL CRONIN

The property lies adjacent to the popular Wildwood Recreation Site, which we will enhance by conveying the parcel to the BLM. Conserving this property will keep maturing forests standing, a tremendous benefit to the creek and the newly restored wetlands at the creek’s mouth. The project builds on decades of WRC investment in the Sandy River basin, delivering lasting benefits to one of the Pacific Northwest’s most ecologically significant river systems.

westernrivers.org

Lizzy Raffin

Vice President, Ishiyama Foundation

“ Walking through the grassland meadows of Badger Creek Canyon Ranch provided me the opportunity to tangibly experience a successful outcome of Western Rivers Conservancy's critical mission. Seeing firsthand how protecting the ranch supports vital migratory corridors, clean and cold water for a healthy trout fishery, and landscape connectivity for the broader Teton basin energized me to strengthen and deepen my support for WRC.”

22 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

Badger Creek IDAHO

A haven for trout and big game on the flanks of the Tetons In Idaho’s Teton River basin, mule deer, elk, moose and other wildlife still follow age-old migrations between their high-country grounds in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, and their winter range down in the canyon. A key tributary to the Teton River is Badger Creek, whose upper reaches are a stronghold for imperiled Yellowstone cutthroat trout. In 2024, WRC purchased the 613-acre Badger Creek Canyon Ranch to protect 2.5 miles of the creek, as well as prime winter range for deer, elk and moose. Throughout last year, WRC continued working to conserve the property while preparing it for conveyance to the BLM. Recent efforts across the ranch point to what that future will hold. WRC removed antiquated fencing that impeded wildlife movement, and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game has eliminated non-native rainbow trout from lower Badger Creek, a critical first step toward reestablishing native cutthroat productivity in its lower reaches. Together, these actions are improving habitat in one of the Teton basin’s most important stream corridors, while securing public access to a prime stretch of the creek.

FAST FACTS ACRES

KEY FISH

613

Yellowstone cutthroat trout

RIVER MILES

KEY WILDLIFE

2.5 mainstem

Rocky Mountain elk mule deer moose

CONSERVATION STEWARD

STEVE DONDERO

Bureau of Land Management

westernrivers.org

Selway River IDAHO

Filling a critical gap in protection on the lower Selway ACRES: 152 • RIVER MILES: 1.0 mainstem, 0.5 tributary

ew rivers in the Lower 48 remain as wild and pristine as the Selway, and WRC is working to keep it that way. The river is a haven for fish and wildlife—including Chinook, steelhead, Canada lynx and grizzly bear—and offers one of the most legendary, remote and scenic multi-day floats in the country. In 2025, WRC conserved the 152-acre Selway River Ranch, including a mile of the Wild and Scenic Selway River and half a mile of Elk City Creek, by conveying the property to the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. In its lower reaches, most of the Selway is protected within the national forest, but a few critical inholdings remain unprotected. Selway River Ranch was one of the most significant of these, home to one of the finest pristine meadows on the lower river. By conserving the ranch, WRC helped preserve the wild character of the lower Selway for good.

24 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

ELLEN BERNSTEIN

St. Joe River IDAHO

Protecting a superb stretch of a great Idaho trout stream ACRES: 585 • RIVER MILES: 1.0 mainstem, 0.6 tributary

DANIEL CRONIN

ast year, WRC signed an agreement to purchase 585 acres of forest and riverfront on Idaho's storied St. Joe River near the confluence of Fishhook Creek, just downstream of the old railroad settlement of Avery. The property lies within some of the best remaining cold-water habitat in the basin— a stronghold for the last self-sustaining bull trout population in the greater Lake Coeur d'Alene watershed and a refuge for westslope cutthroat trout, Rocky Mountain elk, Canada lynx, and even the occasional grizzly bear. The St. Joe is revered for its wild character and world-class fly fishing. Its watershed is the ancestral homeland of the Schitsu'umsh (Coeur d'Alene) Tribe, and the river helped shape early Forest Service conservation practices in the aftermath of the devastating 1910 “Big Burn.” WRC acquired the property to convey it to the Forest Service. We accomplished this in early 2026, filling a key gap in the Idaho Panhandle National Forests and opening the door to habitat restoration and new public river access for generations to come.

westernrivers.org

Brock Hoenes North Central Regional Director, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife “ Partnerships like this are instrumental in supporting the Department’s mission to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife, and ecosystems. By bringing Big Bend Ranch into public ownership, we’re not only protecting critical habitat, but also opening the area for a variety of recreational opportunities for the public to experience in this unique landscape.”

26 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

Columbia River WASHINGTON

Gains for grouse on the Upper Columbia River In 2025, Western Rivers Conservancy continued its work to conserve the 2,135-acre Big Bend Ranch along the Upper Columbia River in Washington, advancing our efforts to expand the Big Bend Wildlife Area and protect a prime expanse of sagebrush-steppe habitat. Located 14 miles northwest of Grand Coulee, the ranch spans 1.5 miles of Columbia River shoreline along Rufus Woods Lake. Despite the dams that bookend this reach, the river here maintains a moving current and supports kokanee salmon and rainbow trout. Across the river, the Colville Tribes are leading efforts to restore anadromous fish above Chief Joseph Dam, underscoring the importance of protecting intact riverlands. Set amid the basalt cliffs and grassland benches of Alameda Flats, the property supports a wide array of wildlife, including one of Washington’s most imperiled birds: the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse. The ranch’s sagebrush-steppe, seasonal wetlands and wildflower meadows provide critical breeding and brood-rearing habitat for grouse. WRC conveyed the property to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in fall 2025, permanently protecting the land and expanding public access.

FAST FACTS ACRES

KEY FISH

2,135

kokanee salmon rainbow trout

RIVER MILES

1.5 mainstem 1.6 tributary CONSERVATION STEWARD

TYLER ROEMER

Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife

KEY WILDLIFE

Columbian sharp-tailed grouse black bear mountain lion golden eagle mule deer

westernrivers.org

Willapa River WASHINGTON

Conserving wetlands where the river meets the tides ACRES: 393 • RIVER MILES: 2.2 mainstem, 4.5 tributary

28 REPORT FROM THE FIELD

TYLER ROEMER

n the southern Washington coast, Western Rivers Conservancy committed to purchase 393 acres of pristine wetlands along 2.2 miles of the Willapa River, just upstream of Willapa Bay. Our goal is to convey the property to the Chinook Indian Nation, permanently protecting a stretch of the Willapa that NOAA Fisheries has designated Essential Fish Habitat for fall Chinook and coho. The property lies near the town of Raymond, where the river pulses with the changing tides. Freshwater, estuarine and riverine wetlands overlap here, creating vital transitional habitat for salmon, steelhead and coastal cutthroat trout. The property’s fluctuating salinity levels help these fish regulate their transition between freshwater and saltwater, dramatically improving survival rates. Unlike many wetlands around the bay, these remain fully accessible to fish. Willapa Wetlands also supports migratory birds traveling along the Pacific Flyway. Conveying the property to the Chinook Indian Nation will keep these wetlands intact and protected for the fish and wildlife that depend on them.

FY 2025 REVENUE TOTAL REVENUE $11,312,681

Investments (9%) Foundations (8%) Government & corporate (4%)

Carbon credits (24%)

Land transactions (6%) Capital contributions for land purchases (5%) Other (3%) Cost reimbursements (6%) Individuals (35%)

FY 2025 EXPENSES TOTAL EXPENSES $30,997,834

Program delivery (17%) Fundraising (3%) Management & general (3%)

Program - land & stewardship funds transferred to conservation partners (77%)

$30M

EXPENSES FY 2022-2025

$25M

FY 2025 Financials WRC delivers tangible, lasting conservation results by buying land along rivers and transferring it to long-term stewards. The time it takes to conserve a property, from purchase to conveyance, often takes several years. As a result, contributions that fund the acquisition of a property, and the expense associated with the property’s transfer to a conservation steward, often occur in different fiscal years. This can result in significant swings in revenues and expenses from one year to another. A case in point: in FY 2025, WRC donated a property valued at $19.8 million to the Yurok Tribe in California, the capital funding for which was received in prior years. All told, in FY 2025 WRC donated conservation lands, and funding for the stewardship of those lands, totaling $23.8 million in capital expenses. In contrast, we received capital contributions totaling $525,000. The prior year, however, was a different story; in FY 2024, we donated properties valued at a combined $7.7 million, and we received capital funding to acquire properties totaling $12.2 million. While capital contributions fund the purchase of land, every year we raise our operating budget through support from individuals, foundations and other revenue sources. These annual contributions fund the work done by 23 staff members around the West, as well as the direct costs associated with pursuing new river conservation properties; stewarding properties we hold; and coordinating with our long-term conservation partners to guarantee lasting protection.

$20M

Program Management Fundraising

$15M

$10M

$5M

2022

2023

2024

2025

Western Rivers Conservancy’s financial statements can be found on our website at westernrivers.org/about/financials.

“We have spent much of our time in the outdoors of the Pacific Northwest. Hiking, mountain biking and fly fishing have taken us to so many beautiful locations, which has only heightened our appreciation and desire to protect these treasured places. For many years now, Western Rivers Conservancy has been instrumental and aligned with our goal to try and play a small part in protecting the precious places we love. What WRC does with those donations is impactful!” Paul Grycko and Michelle Klukosky

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Carter MacNichol, CHAIR

Nan McKay

PORTLAND, OR

SEATTLE, WA

Eric Adema, VICE CHAIR

Jim Smith

LARKSPUR, CA

DENVER, CO

Bill Brown

Liam Thornton

SEATTLE, WA

PARK CITY, UT

Allen Damon

Bruce Williams

NASHVILLE, TN

PARADISE VALLEY, AZ

Ken Grossman

Tim Wood

CHICO, CA

LAKE OSWEGO, OR

Rich Hasslacher

Denise Wulfekuhle

MILL VALLEY, CA

SEATTLE, WA

Lynn Loacker PORTLAND, OR

directors emeriti

Robert Anderson Sue Doroff Betsy Jewett Henry Little Peter Moyle Cleve Pinnix Jon Roush Darcy Saiget Phillip Wallin Norbert Wellman Jack Williams

bay area advisory committee

Eric Adema Chris Brand Tom Counts Kyle Dowman Sam Evers Rich Hasslacher Kenneth Morando Zach Patton Elizabeth Setsuko Raffin George Revel Jonathan Symonds Lisa Yao

STAFF Nelson Mathews, PRESIDENT Zach Spector, VICE PRESIDENT Alex Barton, PROJECT MANAGER Dechen Bartso, PARALEGAL Ellen Bernstein, OPERATIONS MANAGER Jake Campbell, DONOR RELATIONS OFFICER Peter Colby, CALIFORNIA PROGRAM DIRECTOR Jim Cox, DIRECTOR OF DONOR RELATIONS Susanna Danner, CALIFORNIA PROJECT MANAGER Elijah Dwoskin, ASSOCIATE PROJECT MANAGER Megan Forell, BOOKKEEPER Juliette Harding, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

Elise Herron, DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Jessica Inwood, WASHINGTON STATE PROJECT MANAGER Josh Kling, CONSERVATION DIRECTOR Allen Law, INTERIOR WEST PROJECT MANAGER Mik McKee, STEWARDSHIP DIRECTOR Natalie Mottley, SENIOR DONOR RELATIONS OFFICER Danny Palmerlee, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Brian Smith, COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Anne Tattam, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF FOUNDATION RELATIONS Julie Turrini, CORPORATE COUNSEL Heidi Wilcox, DIRECTOR OF FOUNDATION & CORPORATE RELATIONS

PROGRAM PARTNERS 3Degrees Great Outdoors Colorado Admiral Malting Great Western Malting Company Alpine County, CA Hollis Foundation Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Hood River Valley Residents Committee Bend Park and Recreation District Hood River Watershed Group Blue Mountain Land Trust Idaho Coalition of Land Trusts Bonneville Power Administration Idaho Department of Fish and Game Bureau of Land Management Idaho Department of Water Resources CAL FIRE Idaho Rivers United CalWild Idaho Water Resource Board California Coastal Conservancy Kashia Band of Pomo Indians California Council of Land Trusts Keep it Colorado California Department of Fish and Wildlife Kern River Valley Heritage Foundation California Natural Resources Agency Klamath Bird Observatory California Trout Kittitas County, WA California Wildlife Conservation Board Land Trust Alliance Chinook Indian Nation Law of the Rockies City of Ashland Lomakatsi Restoration Project The Climate Trust Manulife Investment Management Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Colorado Open Lands Natural Resources Conservation Service Colorado Parks and Wildlife National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Colorado State Land Board National Wildlife Refuge Association The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Natural Resource Results Reservation Nevada Department of Wildlife The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Nevada Division of Environmental Protection The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Nevada Division of State Lands Reservation Nevada State Parks The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Native Fish Society The Conservation Alliance Nez Perce Tribe The David and Lucile Packard Foundation NOAA Fisheries Deschutes Land Trust Okanogan Conservation District Deschutes River Conservancy Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Esselen Tribe of Monterey County Oregon Department of Forestry Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria Oregon Desert Land Trust Friends of Willapa National Wildlife Refuge Oregon Hunters Association Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Forest Investment Associates Oregon State University Gilliam County Soil & Water Conservation Dist. Oregon State Weed Board Gilliam County Weedmaster Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board GJ Livestock Oregon Department of State Lands Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Oregon Youth Conservation Corps Green Diamond Resource Company

Pacific Conservation District PacifiCorp Pacific Northwest Trail Association Pacific County Visitors Bureau pFriem Family Brewers Pit River Tribe Richard King Mellon Foundation Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust River Partners Rogue River Watershed Council Salmon-Safe Sherman County Soil and Water Conservation District Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Sierra Nevada Conservancy Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District Southern Oregon Land Conservancy Southern Oregon Wildlife Crossing Coalition Stratum Group Inc. Tide SW Foundation Trinity River Restoration Program Trout Unlimited Tübatulabals of Kern Valley Upper Deschutes Watershed Council U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service U.S. Forest Service Washington Association of Land Trusts Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Washington Department of Ecology Washington State Parks Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board Weyerhaeuser Wyss Foundation Yurok Tribe

“We’ve supported Western Rivers Conservancy for 10 years. From the Minam River in Eastern Oregon to the Klamath and Eel Rivers on the California Coast, we’ve seen firsthand the impact of their imaginative approach. If you believe in active, hands-on river conservation, you can’t do any better than supporting Western Rivers Conservancy.” Rob and Julie Peterson

Give to Rivers Donate to Western Rivers Conservancy to ensure the West’s great rivers remain permanently protected, healthy for fish and wildlife and open to all.

Make Wild Rivers Your Legacy Including WRC in your will, trust, retirement plan or life insurance policy is a powerful way to protect the great rivers of the West for generations to come. To learn more about making a legacy gift to WRC, or to inform us that you have included WRC in your estate plans, please give us a call at 503-241-0151 or visit us online.