Our Mission
Oregon Wildlife Foundation empowers the lasting conservation of fish and wildlife, and the enjoyment of Oregon’s natural resources
Our Vision
Our vision is an Oregon where citizens and visitors alike experience a remarkable diversity of fish and wildlife in healthy natural habitats.
Our Story
Governor Victor Atiyeh at the Deschutes River purchase celebration 1984
Oregon Wildlife Foundation (OWF) has been an important part of preserving the Oregon we all love since 1981. OWF was created by business leaders and members of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission to accept donations for and provide funding support to fish, wildlife, and public access projects throughout our great state.
In 1983, Governor Victor Atiyeh, asked our fledgling organization to lead the purchase of the lower 12 miles of the Deschutes River from the Eastern Oregon Land Company. He challenged the Foundation to find an ‘Oregon solution.’ We did just that; working with groups large and small to rally support and raise the funds needed to preserve, in perpetuity, the lower Deschutes River for the people of Oregon.
Through partnerships with other nonprofits, private industry, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), we've directed tens of millions of dollars to projects around our state aimed at conserving the fish, wildlife, and natural places that make Oregon so special.
March 4, 2022, representatives from Oregon Wildlife Foundation (OWF) and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) met up for a site visit at Seeley Creek, located near Alsea in Benton County, Oregon.
Since those early years, OWF has continued its conservation work by establishing dynamic funding programs to support the many ways and people interested in creating a sustainable future for all species.
We have broadened our programming, grown in size, and led large-scale initiatives that protect habitat, species, and people, too.
As a leader in wildlife conservation, OWF continues to grow our programming and funding opportunities with the needs of wildlife and our wild places in mind. As a passionate group of conservation-minded individuals, our staff, Board of Directors, project leaders, and community partners provide guidance and insight into the ways we expand, from fiscal sponsorship to our burgeoning land stewardship program, we continue to change with the natural world to ensure a healthy future for all.
