Land Conservation & Stewardship

One of the Foundation’s most noteworthy conservation projects was the acquisition of private land along the lower Deschutes River. Beginning in 1983, at the request of Governor Victor Atiyeh and in partnership with the State of Oregon, the Foundation acquired a total of 17 miles of privately held river frontage along the lower river, protecting its ecological value and preserving public access to it in perpetuity.

For various reasons, this extraordinary land acquisition project was the first and last that we led. In the interim a bevy of land conservation organizations were established. See the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts for a current list of organizations conserving and stewarding land in Oregon.

Even with the addition of land trusts across Oregon, service gaps still exist. With that understanding, the Foundation is evaluating, on a case-by-case basis, how and under what conditions we can help protect and steward land in Oregon.

The Foundation prioritizes conservation easements and fee-title ownership of land that preserves or protects a wildlife migration corridor or habitat of ecological importance.

Given the long-term costs associated with monitoring and defending easements and the stewardship of wildlife habitat, our evaluation includes determining whether a property can generate positive cash flow without compromising its ecological value.

Absent that capacity, we ask that the landowner make a tax-deductible donation to our endowment fund. The size of that contribution will vary based on the anticipated annual costs for stewardship of the property or, in the case of an easement, legal defense against violations of its terms.

In general, a stewardship donation to our endowment fund will range from $35,000 to $45,000. Estimates of annual travel expenses, staff time, communication, and legal expenses are used to determine the funding for stewardship activities into the foreseeable future.

A tax-deductible donation of between $60,000 and $70,000 may be needed to adequately defend the terms of the easement we hold on your property. A final estimate is pending a cost calculation based on the property's location relative to our corporate office, the risks associated with permissible activities under the easement terms, and the likelihood of future legal challenges.

If you are interested in the Foundation holding a conservation easement for your property, bequests, or in gifting real estate to our organization, please contact Tim Greseth, Executive Director, tim@myowf.org or 503-255-6059.