The Nature Conservancy in Oregon

05/28/2026

Controlled burning and cultural fire restore dry forest ecosystems—bringing them back into balance so forests have greater resilience against wildfire, drought and other threats.

To return beneficial fire to the West, TNC experts like Kai Sauerbrey are collaborating with Tribes, federal and state agencies, landowners and other partners to put low- and medium-intensity fire back on the ground.

Check out our latest story to go inside the science, planning and expertise behind beneficial fire in dry forests: https://nature.ly/41z7OxX

05/26/2026

🌲 Seeking Volunteer Naturalists🌲

Are you looking to expand your leadership, public speaking and naturalist skills while helping protect some of Oregon’s most remarkable places? The Nature Conservancy’s Oregon program is recruiting volunteer naturalists to serve at Cascade Head Preserve on the coast!

Naturalists greet and share their knowledge with visitors and encourage compliance with preserve guidelines.

To learn more and apply, contact [email protected] by June 19th.

📷: Molly Dougherty/TNC

05/22/2026

For more than 15 years, volunteers from Armanino LLP have participated in an annual “Great Give” day of service to give back to nonprofits in communities where they work.

In Oregon, we are grateful that local Armanino employees have selected The Nature Conservancy for their volunteer service. This year, the Armanino volunteer team improved the trail at Camassia Natural Area in West Linn. THANK YOU, Armanino! We look forward to working with you again in 2027!

📷 : Molly Dougherty/TNC

05/21/2026

"As Oregon works towards building an affordable, reliable, and modern grid that works for Oregonians, it’s essential to upgrade and build transmission in already-disturbed areas—like highway corridors—to minimize impacts on people and nature." —Lauren Link, Climate Program Director for The Nature Conservancy in Oregon.

To learn more about NextGen Highways and how you can join the coalition, visit:

NextGen Highways is proactively planning to use highways, railways, and other existing rights-of-way as infrastructure corridors where electric and communications infrastructure are strategically and safely co-located in the right-of-way.

05/20/2026

Today is World Bee Day! Today we're celebrating bees and pollinators that are vital to the survival of our ecosystems.

You can take action and support bee populations by planting your own pollinator-friendly garden!

📷 : Julie Balaam/TNC Photo Contest 2021

05/19/2026

The Greater Portland–Vancouver Metro area made a remarkable contribution to this year’s City Nature Challenge!
A total of 865 participants helped document 1,107 species through 7,570 observations using the iNaturalist app.

A special thank‑you goes out to the 25 Conservancy supporters—including botany and science students from Portland Community College—who joined our bioblitz events at Camassia Natural Area. Your curiosity and dedication helped power this global community‑science effort.

Want to dig deeper into the numbers? Explore species counts, city‑by‑city breakdowns, and global totals on the City Nature Challenge Current Results page: 👉 https://citynaturechallenge.org/current-results/

05/15/2026

In the West, various government agencies, non-profits like The Nature Conservancy, and nature enthusiasts are working together to rescue plants and animals from the brink of extinction. On this Endangered Species Day, here are a few species that are gradually making a comeback.

05/14/2026

Our Cascade Head naturalists are trained and ready to greet you! Last weekend, we welcomed our 2026 volunteer naturalists to the team and they look forward to sharing their knowledge with visitors at Cascade Head. Stop by the preserve on weekend days now through September to say hello and thank you sometime soon. It’s not too late to join the team!

Contact [email protected] by June 19 to learn how to apply to become a 2026 Cascade Head Preserve naturalist.

05/13/2026

“Oregon and Washington communities increasingly see the direct impacts of extreme wildfire on people and the forests that support them, and these datasets reveal which communities experience the greatest wildfire risk and are under-resourced for fire preparedness and recovery,” said Kerry Metlen, TNC Oregon Senior Forest Scientist and co-author of the research.

“Using these data will facilitate more effective local partnerships to restore resilient landscapes, help communities adapt, and develop smoke management plans that will allow forests and people of the Pacific Northwest to thrive.”

Recent coverage in https://nature.ly/4tkEzuk and KOIN explores how this research can support more durable, equitable wildfire resilience across the region.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Wildfire risk is typically associated with an excess of dry vegetation and limited rainfall, but new research shows that many communities in the Pacific Northwest have a hig…

05/11/2026

Oregon’s electrical grid is at a crossroads. Demand is rising fast, clean energy goals are approaching, and our transmission system is already stretched thin. The decisions we make now will determine whether Oregon can deliver reliable, affordable, clean power for everyone.

OCGC is bringing environmental justice, labor, conservation, and clean‑energy advocates together to make sure we get this transition right. Be part of the movement shaping Oregon’s energy future.

Register today: https://nature.ly/4w9DYy3

📷: Scott Carpenter/TNC Photo Contest 2021

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day!

📷 : Taylor Albright/TNC Photo Contest 2019