Help advocate for funding to support Oregon’s natural habitats, fish, and wildlife today!
At WaterWatch, our work is focused on protecting and restoring streamflows that make Oregon’s world-class rivers some of the most spectacular in the world.
Our state’s rivers and streams provide important habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife, including salmon and steelhead, along with beavers, bears, insects, birds, and much more. But with expected rollbacks to the federal Endangered Species Act and fish and wildlife pushed to the brink by habitat loss, over 300 at-risk Oregon species and their habitats are in critical need of preservation.
Oregonians count on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to conserve habitat and species, but the agency doesn’t have the resources it needs to fully implement needed fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation strategies. To fill this hole, a broad coalition of 60 organizations with is working to pass HB 4134 during the “short” Oregon legislative sesion getting underway Feb. 2nd.
HB 4134 is the newly-numbered 1.25% for Wildlife bill we’ve been talking with you about to secure dedicated funding to support fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation work. The bill would impose a modest 1.25% lodging tax on hotels, motels, and other short-term tourist rentals to help pay for a variety of wildlife and habitat conservation programs. Even with this modest increase, Oregon would still have one of the lowest lodging taxes in the country.
Take Action Today
You can help set the stage for a successful campaign to pass HB 4134 by contacting your state legislators and asking them to support 1.25% for Wildlife with HB 4134 during the 2026 session.
Look up the email of your state representative and state senator here and copy, paste, and share the letter below with them. Feel free to add why Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and habitats are important to you and your family:
Dear ____________ ,
As one of your constituents, I urge you to support HB 4134 during the upcoming session. You may recall an identical bill (HB 2977) was approved by the Oregon House of Representatives last session with bipartisan support to provide 1.25% funding for Oregon wildlife, but didn’t make it to the Senate floor because of a minority report.
The funding facilitated by HB 4134 would provide dedicated funding for fish and wildlife conservation throughout our state. Oregon is home to a wide array of fish and wildlife and habitats that support them, but these are under threat from habitat destruction, climate change, and other factors. Now more than ever, it’s important we safeguard our habitat and wildlife for future generations.
Please support HB 4134 this session!
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[ your name ]
Across Oregon, rivers and streams make life possible for hundreds of native fish and wildlife species. Help us advocate for the funding of conservation efforts needed to ensure the survival of Oregon’s fish and wildlife with your support for 1.25% for Wildlife and the passage of HB 4134 today.
Steelhead banner photo courtesy of Will Boucher, Cascades frog footer photo courtesy of Michael Brawner.
