Audubon Society of Portland is devoted to the conservation of Oregon's last remaining wild places. Our first articles of incorporation written in the early 1900's reflect this sentiment, "to use any and all lawful means for the protection of the wild birds and animals for the State of Oregon and elsewhere." We have taken this task very seriously over the years.
Our work officially began with the passage of the Model Bird Law in 1903, which protected native birds from being shot and sold in the marketplace. Inspired by such a success, our volunteers worked on a plethora of conservation issues throughout Oregon in the early and mid-1900's. Among other things, in 1925 we sent letters to then-President Calvin Coolidge asking him to set aside Hart Mountain as an antelope refuge. Members also played a major part in the establishment of national wildlife refuges in Oregon, such as Finley and Bohlman who publicized Three Arch Rocks, Klamath and Malheur to the public and Theodore Roosevelt. Their work led to the establishment of these refuges and their protection, including paying for the wardens.
In the early 1960's Audubon Society of Portland led the way to the establishment of William L Finley, Baskett Slough and Ankeny National Wildlife Refuges in the Willamette Valley. In 1959 we also appeared at legislative hearings that allowed for the passage of the Model Hawk Law. In a nutshell, we have dedicated thousands of hours to Oregon's biodiversity - from the Northern Spotted Owl, to wild salmon - we are actively working toward conservation.
