Our mission is to protect the world’s salmon strongholds—wild rivers where salmon still thrive.
Defending the Smith and Illinois Rivers
Location: Smith River, California
Photo Credit: Ken Morrish
Action Needed
Stop mining in the Lower 48's last, best strongholds
Some call it the Wild Rivers Coast: a string of exceptional salmon strongholds from Southern Oregon to Northern California. We must act before these rivers are lost to industrial-scale nickel mining.
Location: Smith River
Photo Credit: MPEG
Plunge into the Smith River
Location: Smith River, Oregon
Photo Credit: Ken Morrish
Our Goal
Keep strongholds safe from mining
Threats to Wild Rivers
Industrial nickel mining creates serious impacts for salmon watersheds, communities, and economies built on outdoor recreation.
What We’re Doing Daily
To make the greatest impact in the wild, we focus our work on three key areas.
Advancing state protections
The state of Oregon must designate threatened rivers as Outstanding Resource Waters, including Rough and Ready Creek and the Wild and Scenic Illinois River.
Securing federal protections
We're defending mining restrictions that already exist in this region, while promoting federal legislation that would permanently protect these rivers.
Supporting local communities
We work closely with local partners and community members to stop efforts by nickel mining companies to develop historic mining claims.
The Impact at Home
World-class salmon runs
If we're successful, salmon and steelhead runs will return for generations to rivers across Southern Oregon and Northern California.
Crystal clear wild rivers
We aim to advance new state and federal protections to keep salmon strongholds like the Smith and the Illinois safe from mining forever.
Thriving outdoor economies
The region's Wild and Scenic rivers can center an enduring outdoor recreation economy for our children and grandchildren.
Defend Wild Salmon Rivers
Help us protect strongholds for all who rely on them by making a gift today.
Project Timeline
Explore the biggest wins and key moments since our work began.
What’s Next
Stop industrial-scale nickel mines
You can help protect the Wild Rivers Coast. Seize opportunities to comment on or testify against mining plans and exploratory drilling. Get in the loop.
2026
Wild Salmon Center joins the campaign
We’re joining our partners in this fight.
2024
Priorities: Rough and Ready Creek, Wild and Scenic Illinois River
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality identifies Rough and Ready Creek and the Wild and Scenic Illinois River as priorities for near-term work planning. This focus will hopefully lead to increased protections for the extraordinary water quality and ecological values.
2024
Mining company expands footprint
A Canadian nickel mining company substantially expands the footprint of its mining claims, acquiring more than 17,000 acres of mining claims across the Illinois, Rogue, North Fork Smith, and Elk Rivers, as well as Hunter Creek and the Pistol River. The moves threaten to remake this region of renowned rivers into a massive mining district.
2017
North Fork Smith River designated Outstanding Resource Waters
The Oregon Water Resources Department votes unanimously to designate the Oregon section of the North Fork Smith River as Outstanding Resource Waters, protecting it from future degradation. The designation recognizes high-quality waters that constitute an outstanding state resource due to extraordinary water quality, ecological values, or where special protection is needed to maintain critical habitat areas.
2017
Winning a 20-year mineral withdrawal ban
100,000+ federal acres in Southwest Oregon’s Josephine and Curry Counties are placed under a 20-year mining moratorium, explicitly to protect the region’s wild fish. Local advocates and conservationists were key to obtaining these protections.
2013
Red Flat Nickel Corp. proposes test drilling at Cleopatra and Red Flat
Red Flat Nickel Corporation proposes test drilling at its Red Flat mining claim—located on the Southern Oregon coast not far from Gold Beach, Oregon—to explore economic viability. Shortly after, the company proposes test drilling at its Cleopatra claim at the headwaters of the North Fork Smith River. Local citizens raise concerns about the region becoming a mining district.
2007
Expanding interest in Southern Oregon
Red Flat Nickel Corporation discovers mining claims on Eight Dollar Mountain and Rough and Ready Creek, as the company looks to expand from its existing claims at Red Flat and Cleopatra.
1990
Mining proposal in Rough and Ready Creek watershed
A massive mine and smelter is proposed in the Rough and Ready Creek watershed, known as the Nicore Project, gains traction and developer interest. Although a plan of operation was submitted to the United States Forest Service in December 1992—with revisions and adjustments throughout the 1990s—no large nickel mine development occurred.
1980
Smith and Illinois Rivers designated Wild and Scenic
Congress approves Wild and Scenic designation for both rivers, citing outstanding fisheries, water quality, scenery, recreation, and botanical values. The Illinois and Smith Rivers are among the West’s best whitewater rivers, and key refuges for salmon and steelhead.
1968
Rogue River designated Wild and Scenic
Oregon’s Rogue River is one of eight original rivers protected under the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, which launched a national system to preserve free-flowing rivers. The designation protects water quality, fish habitat, and scenic values, while supporting salmon and steelhead fisheries and recreation.
1860
Claims staked in Southern Oregon, Northern California
Nickel mining claims are staked throughout Northern California and Southern Oregon. Despite that, no major mines were developed in the region—with one exception. The Hanna Mine was built near Riddle, Oregon, during the 1950s, after the establishment of a wartime smelter subsidized by the U.S. government. Both mine and smelter closed in 1990s. No other locations in the region have since been developed.
Local organizations with us in the fight
Our partner coalition stands together to protect the region from this impending threat.
Kalmiopsis Audubon
Kalmiopsis Audubon helped to champion a 20-year mineral withdrawal for the region in 2017, and has worked for wilderness designations surrounding the Elk River as well as Wild and Scenic river protections for multiple Southern Oregon watersheds.
Smith River Alliance
SRA is an advocate for watershed-level Wild and Scenic designation in the Smith River of California. It supported the Smith River National Recreation Act, pushed the Smith River National Recreational Area Expansion Act. It supports expansive protections for California’s Smith River Basin.
Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands
For decades, Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands—a strong group of local advocates for the entire ecosystem—has worked to protect the Kalmiopsis Wild Rivers Coast through policy, education, and protection campaigns.
Get In Touch
Oregon's Wild Rivers Coast News
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