Our Mission is Rooted In Conservation
The Westwind Stewardship Group pledged to conserve the Westwind site in perpetuity.
Our Mission: The Westwind Stewardship Group inspires people to be stewards of the environment and their communities by conserving Westwind’s diverse ecosystems in perpetuity and fostering life-changing experiences for children, families, individuals, and groups.
Our ongoing efforts are guided by two important conservation overlays- The Cascade Head Scenic Research Act and our Conservation Easement with the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board.
Cascade Head Scenic Research Act
The 9,670-acre Cascade Head Scenic-Research Area (CHSRA) was established by President Ford on December 22, 1974, “to provide present and future generations with the use and enjoyment of certain ocean headlands, rivers, streams, estuaries, and forested areas, to ensure the protection and encourage the study of significant areas for research and scientific purposes, and to promote a more sensitive relationship between man and his adjacent environment."
All of the Westwind site is within the CHSRA, and our land management decisions are made in consultation with the US Forest Service via the Hebo Ranger District. Everything from the color of paint we use to how our facilities are visible from Highway 101 is considered under CHSRA.
OWEB Conservation Easement
The Westwind Stewardship Group has granted the people of Oregon, acting by and through its Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board a Conservation Easement for the Westwind site. The Easement ensures that the Conservation Values present at Westwind are protected and preserved.
The identified Conservation Values include:
- Healthy watershed function, including groundwater recharge and surface water storage;
- Sitka spruce forest (approximately 210 acres), Floodplain/outwash lowland riparian, linear, wetlands ( approximately 10 acres), Lowland riparian woodland and shrubland (approximately 119 acres)., Coastal sand dune and spit and the Salmon River Estuary.
- Native fish and wildlife and their habitat, including but not limited to: Chum Salmon, Coho Salmon, Winter Steelhead, Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, White-Footed Vole, Clouded Salamander, Red-Legged Frog, Southern Torrent Salamander, Western Snowy Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Savannah Sparrow, Oregon Silverspot Butterfly, Marine Mammals and rocky intertidal invertebrate assemblages.
- Surface and Groundwater Quality, including the Salmon River Estuary; and
- Sustainability Goals: Within the Active Human Use Zone, the facilities and activities will operate under the principles of sustainability.,
Read More About Westwind's Conservation Efforts
Iris Meadow and Fraser Farm Restoration
Westwind has begun an ambitious conservation effort to protect and restore its coastal prairie habitat. Coastal prairies are one of the rarest habitats in Oregon, with only 1% of historical prairies still intact. It serves as an important habitat for the endangered Oregon Silverspot Butterfly (OSB). Rare as they may be, a prime example is…