GHCC's Public Land Protections program is critical in defending intact natural systems, large and old trees, roadless areas, and watershed health across this spectacular region. Our work primarily focuses on the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, and the Wallowa-Whitman, Umatilla, and Malheur National Forests, where we work to ensure timber sales and other management actions comply with federal laws including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Endangered

While watchdogging logging projects is not the only work we do, it’s an important piece of our mission, and we anticipate it being as busy as ever this year.

In December 2023, the Forest Service announced its plans to begin the process of amending all Forest Plans across the country with language that protects old growth trees. This is the first time the agency has made significant commitments towards permanently banning commercial logging in old-growth forests.

On December 14th four Columbia Basin Tribes, a coalition of conservation and angling groups, and Oregon and Washington’s state governments reached an important agreement with the Biden administration on salmon recovery.