The Nature Conservancy - Williamson River Delta Project Receives State Land Board Award

Mark Stern, director of the Conservancy’s Klamath Basin Conservation Area, holds the State Land Board's 2007 Wetland Award with project director Matthew Barry, Governor Kulongoski and others.

Read the State Land Board's press release to learn more about why this pioneering wetland restoration project was honored.

See For Yourself

Watch video of how we're restoring wetlands with a big bang, and see a great slideshow of the Klamath Basin restoration work thus far.

Go Deeper

Find out about the science behind the Williamson River Delta Project restoration in this Q&A.

The State Land Board and Western Division of the American Fisheries Society recently recognized the Williamson River Delta Restoration Project in award ceremonies honoring exemplary wetland restoration work.

One of the most challenging and pioneering wetland restoration projects in the West, the innovative work involved removing levees to restore important Klamath Basin wetlands, advancing recovery of two endangered fish species, benefiting other wildlife and improving water quality in Upper Klamath Lake.

Collaborative Partnerships Aid Solutions

In presenting the 2007 Wetland Award, for a project that promotes responsible stewardship of Oregon’s natural resources, State Treasurer Randall Edwards, a member of the State Land Board, praised the project for being “a complex, multi-agency effort that’s resulting in direct benefits for endangered fish in the region.”

The Western Division of the American Fisheries Society recently awarded The Nature Conservancy the Excellence in Riparian Management Award for restoration work on the Tulana phase of the Williamson River Delta wetland project. This annual award, founded in 1988 and also called the Riparian Challenge Award, is given for outstanding riparian protection and restoration projects.

Project partners include The Nature Conservancy, Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, PacifiCorp, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Klamath Basin Working Group, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, The Klamath Tribes and other community groups.