Lands and Wildlife

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NEDC’s Lands and Wildlife group focuses on protecting the wildlands and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest. The Lands and Wildlife group focuses on areas of concern, educates students so they are effective natural resource advocates, and combines NEDC’s legal tools with grassroots knowledge. Group members have participated in an exceptionally wide variety of projects over the years. Recent projects have included commenting on numerous timber sales and their associated administrative appeals, mining projects, grazing permits, proposed ski area expansions, and a multi-state off-road vehicle trail.


Designated Areas of Concern

(1) Federal Forest & Range Watch

This area of concern focuses on federal laws that apply to public lands including NFMA, FLPMA, NEPA, ESA, CWA, WSRA, and others. Among our goals are: no old-growth logging, no logging in roadless areas, protecting aquatic and riparian areas from grazing, logging, and ORVs. Specific projects include: commenting on timber sales and grazing plans, working on forest reform, and encouraging restoration projects.

(2) “The Forgotten Lands”

This area of concern focuses on using federal and state laws to influence land management practices on non-federal lands. Among our goals are: improving HCPs, working towards sustainable timber harvest and grazing on private lands, monitoring tribal lands, bringing SEPA to Oregon. Specific projects include: commenting on HCPs, getting involved in tribal forestry and grazing projects.

(3) Biodiversity Conservation

This area of concern focuses on closing the gaps of protection from the above two categories. The focus here is more species-specific and includes ESA work as well as watch-dogging state and federal actors and their “wildlife management” projects. Among our goals are: working on listing petitions, critical habitat designations, and recovery of species under the ESA; determining when NEDC believes reintroduction efforts are or may be necessary; watch-dogging predator control and other wildlife management projects.