In June 2018, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission made a decision that was inexplicable even by the low standards this agency has too often set for protecting Oregon’s wildlife. In a 4-2 vote, it reversed, without even the semblance of a coherent explanation, a decision it had made just four months earlier to move the Marbled Murrelet from threatened to endangered status under the State Endangered Species Act.

his fall saw the release of two major reports describing the perilous state of North American birds. Together, they serve as a wake-up call for anyone concerned about not only birds, but the health of our planet. 

The state of Oregon is currently updating its Rocky Habitat Management Plan, providing an opportunity to expand and bolster protections of these vulnerable habitats.