Protect Crater Lake
Logging companies want to clearcut thousands of acres of forest around Crater Lake — endangering Roosevelt elk, black bears, bald eagles, spotted owls and spawning salmon.
At risk: thousands of acres of pristine wilderness
Crater Lake is Oregon’s crown jewel — its deep blue waters and 2,000-foot rim walls attract half a million visitors each year. The surrounding mountains and forests are home to Roosevelt elk, black bears and bald eagles. The forests around Crater Lake also shelter the headwaters of the Rogue, Umpqua and Deschutes rivers, where Chinook and Coho salmon spawn.
Logging companies are pushing to clearcut old-growth forest right outside the boundaries Crater Lake National Park—and the destruction could start as soon as this summer. We're fighting to make sure the logging companies don't trample pristine wilderness and cause irreparable harm to Crater Lake's delicate ecosystem.
President Obama can stop this reckless proposal
Because timber sales like the Bybee Timber Sale involves national forest land, it must be approved by President Obama's National Forest Service. This means that the President can block this reckless proposal to clearcut the forest near Crater Lake, if we rally enough public support.
A long-term plan to protect Crater Lake
At the same time, we're working to win permanent protection for 500,000 acres of wilderness, creating a 75-mile wildlife corridor of forests, mountains and streams.
Fortunately, the laws to prevent a piece-by-piece clearcut of Crater Lake's ecosystem are already in place — we just need to make sure they’re applied to Crater Lake’s surrounding forests.
The federal Wilderness Act of 1964 protects the most critical habitats of America, like Crater Lake, from incursion by loggers, miners and developers.
As the authors of the Wilderness Act wrote back in 1964, these special places should be areas “where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”
So many of us have marveled at the beauty of Crater Lake. Now it’s up to us to defend the lake and the creatures who live nearby.
In addition to protecting bald eagles, elk, black bear and salmon, designating the land as new wilderness would allow the park’s existing visitor facilities, like the Rim Road, the Crater Lake Lodge, and the Pacific Crest Trail, to remain undisturbed, ensuring easy and sustainable public access.
Together, we can win
We must act now to keep our natural heritage from being bulldozed. That’s why we’re calling on President Obama to make sure the National Forest Service prevents Bybee's destructive logging proposals from moving forward—even as we continue to build support for permanent protections.
Right now, our citizen outreach staff is canvassing the state, educating Oregonians about the need to protect Crater Lake. Thousands of people like you have pitched in, calling or emailing your legislators, signing petitions, and spreading the word to friends and family.
We need everyone’s help to protect Crater Lake from logging, mining, and other destructive development. If you haven't already done so, please join our campaign by sending President Obama a message today. If you'd like to help us reach even more people and keep making the case for Crater Lake, click here to make a contribution today.
Urge President Obama to block forest clearcuts on the outskirts of Crater Lake.
- The proposed Bybee Timber sale threatens thousands of acres of wilderness on the outskirts of Crater Lake—and the destruction could start as soon as this summer.
- We have a plan to protect Crater Lake and its ecosystem permanently, by creating a 75-mile wildlife corridor with 500,000 acres of new wilderness.
- Crater Lake—named one of the 10 Most Beautiful Places in the world—is nearly 2,000 feet deep.
- More than 15,000 Oregonians have already joined the movement to Protect Crater Lake.
You can help by signing our petition and making a generous contribution today.