The Wild
Preserving the Wild
From the dry pine forests of Central Oregon to the coastal temperate rainforests of the Tongass in Southeast Alaska, we work with a diverse coalition of conservation clients in Oregon, Washington and Alaska to advocate for sound forest management, sustainable outdoor recreation, and restoration of native fish and wildlife populations. Crag’s first case was to work with local community and conservation groups to protect the north side of Mt. Hood. Since then, we have expanded our efforts to protect public lands, wildlife, and native fish across the Pacific Northwest.
Public Lands
We, the public, own much of the land in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Government agencies manage these lands for a variety of uses, and if properly cared for, these lands can continue to provide clean air and water, healthy habitat for native fish and wildlife, and abundant recreational opportunities. To protect these wild lands for current and future generations, Crag launched the Public Lands Program in 2001.
Wildlife
Native Fish
The Pacific Northwest is renowned for its native fish populations. Although our rivers and streams once teamed with millions of trout and salmon, today, populations are only fractions of what they once were. It has been a decades-long struggle to protect native fish, which still face threats of extinction from rising water temperatures, pollution, dams, and drought. In support of efforts to revive native fish populations, Crag works with our clients to maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems across our region.
What We’re Working On
Holding the Line for Oregon’s Public Forests
Crag files new case challenging unlawful logging in SW Oregon forests.
Fighting for transparency on NW Forest Plan
We filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit on behalf of Oregon Wild to get the U.S. Forest Service to share important public records about the NW Forest Plan.
Victory! Fish protections restored!
Crag wins legal challenge over rule change that weakened fish passage.
Defending Forest Park
New case filed! Crag is helping three environmental groups defend Forest Park from PGE’s Harborton Reliability Project.
Victory! Judge strikes down old growth logging plan
Victory! With our partners, Crag successfully challenged an unlawful, old-growth logging plan in coast range forests near Yoncalla, Oregon.
Celebrating free flowing rivers
Victory! Crag client WaterWatch achieves removal of Williams-Whalen dam from the Rogue River, opening 37 miles of upstream habitat for salmon.
Holding Winchester Dam owners accountable
New case filed! Crag filed a motion for our clients to intervene in the ODFW’s enforcement case against the Winchester Dam owners for killing over 500,000 juvenile lamprey in 2023.
Victory! Another old-growth logging project stopped in Southern Oregon
Victory! A federal judge just ruled against the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) plans to log old-growth forests in Southern Oregon, which would have had devastating impacts on wildlife and increased risk to nearby communities.
Protecting the few remaining owls
On behalf of three environmental and forest defense organizations, Crag filed a new lawsuit challenging a Northern California logging project that will harm one of the few successful breeding pairs of the northern spotted owl left in the Shasta Trinity National Forest.
Restoring salmon protections
On behalf of seven fish advocacy groups, Crag filed a new lawsuit challenging a December 2022 decision by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission that weakened state-wide protections for migratory fish like salmon, steelhead, and lamprey.