Oregon's Ocean Alliance, founded this year to support ocean conservation priorities for Oregon's ocean, is launching key initiatives targeting climate resilience, habitat protection and coastal restoration. Surfrider Foundation is proud to be a founding member of the group, leading the new Alliance's first key legislative priority earlier this year to reinvest in Oregon's marine reserves and protected areas. The new coalition serves as an important backbone for ocean and coastal conservation advocacy at the state with an aim for bridging stronger regional and federal efforts to better fund critical ocean climate work in Oregon.
The Oregon Ocean Alliance Alliance consists of eight founding member organizations working together to advance shared priorities aimed to advance the protection of Oregon’s ocean and coastal ecosystems. The geographic scope of the alliance’s work includes both federal and state ocean waters, as well as coastal conservation that has the potential to impact Oregon’s ocean ecosystems, such as estuaries and beaches. Founding members include Audubon Society of Lincoln City, Bird Alliance of Oregon (formerly Portland Audubon), Coast Range Association, Environment Oregon, The Nature Conservancy (Oregon Chapter), Oceana, Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition, and Surfrider Foundation.
The two Initial priorities of the alliance are to promote stronger protections for ocean habitat, with a climate resilience lens, and to promote more robust funding for ocean conservation by both the federal government and the state of Oregon. Kelp and eelgrass protection as well as marine reserves and rocky habitats are key strategies of the alliance for ocean habitat priority. For the funding priority, strategies include tracking and engaging across natural resource agency budgets in Salem and also exploring federal and regional funding opportunities for ocean conservation efforts in Oregon. The alliance works through several committee to advance work plans across all of these priorities.
