The rugged country and streams in the Owyhee River watershed in eastern Oregon represent one of the best remaining opportunities for landscape-scale conservation in the West
Conserving Oregon’s ‘vast and wild’ Owyhee River
The home float
As the old Toyota truck bounced over the river rocks and headed toward the water I couldn’t help smiling to myself. My brother and I sat together in the cab, our dad behind the wheel. He was dropping us at the river for a day fishing, like so many times before. “You guys be careful,” … Read more
Broad coalition urges Northwest governors to action on salmon, steelhead
Editor’s note: The following was delivered today to Govs. Kate Brown (Ore.), Steve Bullock (Mont.), Jay Inslee (Wash.) and Brad Little (Idaho) from a coalition power companies, conservation groups, the transportation sector and community utility coops. Feb. 24, 2020 Dear Governors Brown, Bullock, Inslee and Little: The debate over the management and impacts of the … Read more
The quest for Mr. Big
Mr. Big Lived in a deep, cool pool in a tiny, unnamed tributary to the South Umpqua River in Douglas County, Ore. I spotted him for the first time on a chillly early summer morning in the late 1970s, when I was probably 12 or 13. Mr. Big became my obsession. I’ve been thinking about … Read more
The Whitewater
It’s that time of year again… the annual Fly Fishing Film Tour is likely coming to a theater near you, and the films’ trailers are out and about for general consumption. Here’s one, as an angler and a conservationist, that ought to capture your attention. From Off the Grid Studios, “The Whitewater” captures the passion … Read more
TU’s top videos of 2019
We produced or help fund a number of films and video in 2019. Here are our favorites:
Protecting Oregon sporting paradise from strip mining
Southwest Oregon is a place defined by steep country and untamed rivers where we can go to find solitude, dramatic landscapes, and some of the best habitat for big game and wild anadromous fish in the lower 48 states. Rivers like the Smith, Illinois, and Chetco are legendary amongst sportsmen and women for their strong runs of steelhead, sea-run … Read more
The dead Grande Ronde
Editor’s note: The TU Costa 5 Rivers Program sent a handful of college students to the Columbia River basin to study the challenges facing the drainage’s fisheries. At 4:30 a.m. we stumbled from our tents and into brisk chilly air. We zipped up our jackets, sipped hot coffee and ate warm oatmeal. After packing camp, … Read more