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October 2023 Brewsletter: Teaming up with NASA to highlight threats to water (and beer) quality
TAKE ACTION FOR THE WILD ROGUE!
55 years ago, we took the first steps to protect the Rogue River as one of the nation's first Wild & Scenic Rivers. After decades of advocacy, there is still unfinished business. The Oregon Recreation Enhancement (ORE) Act, most recently reintroduced by Senator Ron Wyden last year, would expand the existing Wild Rogue Wilderness Area by approximately 60,000 acres. It would also establish a 98,000-acre recreation area on the banks of the Rogue River adjacent to the existing Wild Rogue Wilderness Area.
Take action today to support expanded protections for the Rogue River, its tributaries, and the surrounding landscape!
NASA REPORT HIGHLIGHTS THE THREATS TO OREGON WATERSHEDS
Over the summer, Oregon Wild co-developed a project with NASA to map the extent of logging across watersheds in Oregon’s Coast Range and beyond. The analysis, released by the NASA DEVELOP team last month, revealed that the forested areas many communities rely on for safe and clean drinking water have been over 50% clearcut over the last 20 years.
Studies have demonstrated that clearcut logging and the practices accompanying it like road building and aerial pesticide spraying, increase sediment and other pollutants flowing into streams and drinking water sources. Clearcut logging has also been shown to decrease the quantity of water available for decades after the logging occurs. When a forest is cut, the roots of the trees begin to break down and the soil no longer stores moisture over time, so water drains out of the clearcut more rapidly, creating high-intensity pulses.
The young, growing forests that are planted in the wake of a clearcut take up vast amounts of water, which can leave downstream communities in drought, such as what happened to Yachats in 2015.
BREWSHED® PARTNERS OF THE MONTH!
Breakside Brewery has been an exemplary Brewshed partner since 2017. From hosting a great event with Oregon Brewery Running Series this summer, to donating beer to Oregon Wild’s Call of the Wild fundraiser, we couldn’t be happier to have the support of a brewery with such commitment to protecting the environment, wildlife, and water.
Read more about Breakside's commitment to supporting the Oregon Brewshed Alliance here.
BREWSHED® BREWS IN THE WILD!
Oregon Brewshed® Alliance partner Ruse Brewing in Portland makes some of the best dang IPAs around.
And their Wolves in the Rain West Coast IPA fit in perfectly into a hike in some old-growth cedars.
As one of the great partners who helped make our Call of the Wild event a huge success, we're truly thankful to Ruse for their continued support as we work to protect watersheds, forests, and, yes, wolves!
CALLING ALL FLY-FISHING ENTHUSIASTS!
Steve Such, owner of Falling Sky Brewing in Eugene, is spearheading a collaboration between Oregon Brewshed® Alliance partners to highlight and advocate for Oregon’s finest trout fisheries.
This collaboration will work closely with Oregon Wild on education, advocacy, and promotional materials in order to spread the word (which will involve lots of time spent drinking beer and casting lines on the rivers we are working to protect!).
Interested breweries can reach out to Steve at Falling Sky or Sami at Oregon Wild.