Covering millions of acres of sagebrush, river canyons, and geologic wonders, the Owyhee Canyonlands is the largest conservation opportunity in the American West. The vast, intact ecosystem is home to hundreds of bird species, mule deer, pronghorn, lizards and reptiles, and myriad plants and insects. Due to its remoteness, it boasts some of the darkest night skies in the lower 48. The region is the ancestral homeland of the Northern Paiute, Bannock, and Shoshone peoples.
Watch the short 5-minute film to hear from people who know this region intimately and want to see it protected, including Wilson Wewa, a Northern Paiute elder and traditional knowledge keeper, Julie Weikel, a retired large animal veterinarian and longtime Owyhee advocate, Karly Foster, Owyhee Campaign Manager with the Oregon Natural Desert Association, and Tim Davis, the founder and executive director of the Friends of the Owyhee. Each speaker shares their connection to this landscape, in addition to details about the Owyhee and what makes it the greatest conservation opportunity in the country.
Efforts to permanently protect the Owyhee Canyonlands from the threats of industrial development and climate change have been underway for decades. The Protect the Owyhee Canyonlands campaign is calling on President Joe Biden to work with Oregon’s U.S. senators to use his authority under the Antiquities Act to designate a national monument if Congress once again fails to enact their legislation. To learn more about the people behind the effort to protect the area and to get involved, please visit www.protecttheowyhee.org.
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