Beset by federal uncertainties, state legislators mostly punted on conservation—with a few silver linings.
How did forests, fish, and freshwater fare in Oregon’s recently wrapped 2025 legislative session? According to Wild Salmon Center Oregon Policy Director Stacey Detwiler, this one was a slog right up to June 27, as legislators ground through a record number of bills in the shadow of unprecedented federal funding uncertainties.
“This session was about as challenging as any I’ve ever experienced,” Detwiler says. “In the end, no major conservation legislation made it over the finish line this year, despite our best efforts.”
Major legislation disappointments aside, this session did offer smaller wins. With our partners, we pushed hard to secure funding for key research and grant programs, advance dialogue on stream flow protections, and stop bills that undermined state forest and wild fish protections. Read on for where we saw progress this session.
“This session was about as challenging as any I’ve ever experienced.”
Wild Salmon Center Oregon Policy Director Stacey Detwiler
Funds for core Private Forest Accord programs
A priority for Detwiler this session was to ensure the survival of grant and research programs core to the Private Forest Accord. This includes two grant programs that have been driving meaningful investments into Oregon habitat restoration, at a time when federal funding for this work is increasingly uncertain. PFA’s grant and research programs are also critical to formalizing a federally-approved Habitat Conservation Plan by a 2027 deadline.
Wild Salmon Center worked with both conservation and timber industry partners to secure basic funding for these programs—albeit just $24.2 million of the $36 million needed.
“Working together, we secured a partial win in a tough budget climate,” Detwiler says. “This funding isn’t enough to deliver on the full promise of the Private Forest Accord, but it does keep some of its most popular programs alive for now.”
“Working together, we secured a partial win in a tough budget climate. This funding isn’t enough, but it does keep popular programs alive for now.”
Wild Salmon Center Oregon Policy Director Stacey Detwiler
Momentum for Oregon stream flow protections
Across the state, water shortages and low river flows are straining Oregon’s outdated and overallocated water rights system. This session, Wild Salmon Center and Oregon Water Partnership aimed to close a loophole that allows Oregon to approve applications to change existing water rights without considering environmental harm.
After months of intense dialogue, legislators ultimately punted on both our bill (SB 427) and the Governor’s related bill (SB 1153). But Detwiler notes that the bills received robust debate and 700+ letters of public support—elevating the issue and building momentum for future sessions.
Oregon state forest protections still on track
This session, Wild Salmon Center joined many Oregon conservation groups to actively oppose HB 3103, a bill that would have significantly undermined the state forest Habitat Conservation Plan that Wild Salmon Center and our partners have championed for years.
We worked directly with bill sponsors Representatives Mark Owens (R) and Ken Helm (D) and negotiators with the timber industry, counties, and the Oregon Department of Forestry to advocate for substantial amendments to HB 3103.
Ultimately—and thankfully—this problematic bill died in the Ways and Means Committee.
New fish monitoring funds—and hatchery expansions deterred
Last fall, Wild Salmon Center participated in the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s hatchery resilience process, with results presented to state legislators in April. This work was key to important conversations this session around wild fish legislation.
One example is HB 2345. This bill—one of 2025’s few bills to survive and pass—shifts $1.1 million from Oregon’s Hatchery Research Center to salmon and steelhead monitoring as well as projects to begin chipping away at the $220 million in deferred maintenance needs at state hatchery facilities.
“In a session filled with tough decisions,” Detwiler says, “we were happy that legislators agreed to redirect these funds to where they’re most needed.”
“In a session filled with tough decisions, we were happy that legislators agreed to redirect funds to where they’re most needed.”
Wild Salmon Center Oregon Policy Director Stacey Detwiler
