Ron Wyden: “Oregon's coastal forests contain many hidden gems. Within the lush rainforests of the Siskiyou-Rogue River National…”

“Oregon's coastal forests contain many hidden gems. Within the lush rainforests of the Siskiyou-Rogue River National Forest, we find one of these gems--the headwaters of the North Fork of the Elk River, known as the Copper Salmon area. Today I introduce a bill to protect this natural treasure, which lies adjacent to the existing Grassy Knob Wilderness. During the last decade, a dedicated group of local conservationists has been working hard to protect Copper Salmon. It is one of the last intact watersheds on the southwest Oregon coast. Copper Salmon is renowned among fishermen. For anglers seeking to catch a trophy chinook salmon or winter steelhead for the barbeque or smoker in Oregon, this is the place. Few watersheds in Oregon can match the Elk River drainage. Even after torrential rainstorms, anglers are still able to fish the Elk. When 25 inches of rain fell over 18 straight days last December, the Elk was still fishable while the other rivers in southwest Oregon, Rogue, Umpqua, Coquille, were clouded with debris and mud. Copper Salmon also supports healthy populations of blacktail deer, elk, black bear and mountain lion. This beautiful gem on the southwestern Oregon coast provides great and challenging opportunities here to hunt in freedom and solitude. Mr. President, 80 percent of the watershed in this region is still intact. The Elk has healthy wild runs of winter steelhead and chinook.”