# Protect the Owyhee Canyonlands Oregon



## theBoatPeople (Jun 19, 2012)

Protect the Owyhee Canyonlands Oregon

At the heart of southeastern Oregon lies a wild, rugged landscape carved by the Owyhee River and lined with steep basalt walls. Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands embodies the iconic American West defined by wide open spaces, deep river canyons, and rolling sagebrush hills. It’s home to the nation’s largest herd of bighorn sheep, native trout, raptors and the imperiled Greater sage-grouse, and a treasure trove of human history and culture. 
But Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands encompass the largest unprotected wild area in the lower 48 states. Remoteness will no longer preserve the Owyhee: development pressure and impacts are coming. Damage from irresponsible ATV use is already here, and mining could be next. 
Please, take a moment today to act to protect these truly spectacular wildlands and rivers. Let Senators Wyden and Merkley know that you support safeguarding this magnificent landscape. Remember, your message is even more powerful if you personalize it. 
Thank you for your support. 

Oregon League of Conservation Voters
https://act.myngp.com/Forms/-3735453316415488000?midqs=-2390004027250180096
TBP Admin


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## m.r.h. (Mar 16, 2015)

Learn more about the Owyhee here
Owyhee Canyonlands


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

Thanks for posting guys. I learned about the campaign to protect the Owyhee Canyonlands through the Keen Live Monumental campaign. I assume you guys are pushing for Monument designation through the Antiquities Act? Hopefully you are part of the "Friends Grassroots Network" setup by Conservation Lands Foundation...

Feel free to let me know if there is anything specific Friends of Browns Canyon can do to assist.

Logan


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## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

As soon as it gets designated, prepare to have to apply for a lottery permit and pay a fee which will only partially cover the cost to implement the system to charge people to get a lottery permit


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## Duce (Sep 5, 2011)

"Remoteness will no longer preserve the Owyhee: development pressure and impacts are coming. Damage from irresponsible ATV use is already here, and mining could be next". 


A 2.5 million acre monument due to the above listed speculation and atv damage.... I looked at the other web page someone posted and it doesn't describe much if any issue either. There are laws in place to deal with those that cause resource damage. And remoteness is a reality out there. I doubt Oregonians in the region will support this...but then again it won't be up to them will it...


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

Duce said:


> I doubt Oregonians in the region will support this...but then again it won't be up to them will it...


It most certainly should be. Every Monument or National Park I have knowledge of in the last decade has had a majority of the voting public (those that are willing to engage public process and express their opinion on the matter at the proper time) in favor. Browns Canyon was consistently 75-85% in favor, and we have a lot of ranching influence here.... I'm not familiar with the communities around the proposed Owyhee Canyonlands National Monument, but I would hope that in order to achieve a permanent level of federal protection they have a comparable level of local approval.


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## Willie 1.5 (Jul 9, 2013)

Doesn't look like the locals want it. 

Malheur County Voters Voice A Resounding 'No' To Owyhee Monument . News | OPB


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## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

I am all for wilderness and protected areas. I am also all for managed multiple use. I think in this case a better multiple use strategy is in order for the Owyhee country, speaking from the perspective of boating and enjoying the Owyhee lands in other ways for many years.


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## OregonRafter (Jan 30, 2013)

Yep. Malheur Co residents had a non binding vote that was 9 to 1 against an Owyhee Canyonlands National Monument. But that was specifically for National Monument designation that wouldn't give much local input. I have a feeling NM status is a last resort if all parties can't come to some sort of compromise. I'm curious how much greater support from the locals they could get with a different protection instrument than a national monument designation. Only 30,000 people live in the entire county. 

The total proposed area is aggressive and different sections of inclusion are in flux as part of the negotiation game to get some sort of protection. 

The big downside I see with any sort of designation is it's an even shorter commute for a bunch more knuckleheads from Idaho and Nevada with AR-15s to come in from out of state to have another "camp out" to protest any government protection of public lands.


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