A breathtaking beauty spot with acres of rugged cliffs and desert rivers, it is also known as ‘Oregon’s Grand Canyon’.
The state’s governor, Tina Kotek, is currently calling for the beautiful Owyhee Canyonlands to become the next natural wonder.
Kotek, 58, made a final plea to President Joe Biden to designate more than a million acres of land in eastern Oregon as a national monument under the Antiquities Act.
“The landscape of this area is a national treasure with stunning geological features and culturally significant sites that reflect the deep history and heritage of this part of Oregon,” she wrote in an Letter dated November 22.
‘The devastating consequences for the future of this iconic landscape are simply too great not to act now. Please proceed with a national monument designation.’
The Antiquities Act allows a president to designate a national monument if the area has cultural or historical significance.
Congress can also protect lands under the National Wilderness Preservation System and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
The 2.5 million-acre area has a deep history within the northern Paiute, Bannock and Shoshone tribes and draws dozens of tourists to Malheur County, according to researchers. The Oregonian.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has petitioned to make the beautiful Owyhee Canyonlands the next natural wonder
The governor, in his final weeks in office, made a final plea to President Joe Biden to designate more than a million acres of land in eastern Oregon as a national monument.
“The landscape of this area is a national treasure with stunning geological features and culturally significant sites that reflect the deep history and heritage of this part of Oregon,” the governor wrote in a Nov. 22 letter
The Owyhee Canyonlands are home to sage grouse, bighorn sheep, elk and deer.
Without federal protection, their habitats could be threatened by invasive grasses and junipers. Fish also risk poor conditions because the riverbank must be preserved, The Oregonian reported.
For years, Oregon politicians from both parties have tried to get the Owyhee Canyonlands federally protected, but both chambers of Congress have failed to vote on conservation measures.
U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have proposed protecting the area at least three times in the past five years.
According to his spokesman Hank Stern, Wyden is “still doing everything he can” to get the proposal passed.
The senators’ most recent proposal called for 30,000 acres in the canyonlands to be placed in a trust that would be overseen by the Burns Paiute Tribe.
“The legislative route has bipartisan momentum in the House of Representatives and the Senate. And a bill remains the best way to protect wilderness, give ranchers more grazing flexibility, and return ancestral lands to the Burns Paiute Tribe, rather than a monument that the new administration is likely to throw in at a moment’s notice. would like to undo time,” Stern told The Oregonian.
Their proposal has not yet received a vote from Congress, but could see movement within the next three or four weeks.
For years, several Oregon politicians from both parties have tried to get the Owyhee Canyonlands federally protected, but both houses of Congress have failed to vote on conservation measures.
The lands have a deep history within the Northern Paiute, Bannock and Shoshone tribes, and bring a lot of tourism to Malheur County
People have compared the Oregon Canyonlands to the Grand Canyon (photo)
“As the clock ticks toward 2024, all eyes are now on President Biden and Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley as Oregonians depend on them to take the decisive steps needed to restore the Owyhee Canyonlands before the end of the year to protect,” Ryan Houston , the executive director of the Oregon Natural Desert Association, told the outlet.
The area includes the Oregon Desert Trail with snow-capped mountain ranges, as well as lower elevation trails.
It also includes the Sagehen Hill Nature Trail with beautiful wildflowers.
Owyhee Canyonlands also has backcountry campsites and swimming spots for visitors to enjoy, as well as hot springs, according to the association.