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Land Acknowledgement 

The land that we now call home, Lake Oswego, Oregon, is the ancestral home and land of the Tualatin (Atfalati) band of the Kalapuyan Tribe, Clackamas bands of the Upper Chinook, and other native groups. Their tribal members today are represented by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and other indigenous groups. Indigenous peoples successfully lived on and cared for this land for millennia prior to European colonization, and continue to do so today.  We acknowledge and mourn the loss of life and a way of living in harmony with all of creation.  We seek to respectfully listen, learn and apply indigenous knowledge to the healing of the land and all beings who interact with the Oswego Lake Watershed.  We commit to building relationships and advancing environmental justice.

Who we are

The Oswego Lake Watershed Council (OLWC) is a locally organized, non-profit, non-regulatory watershed stewardship organization established to improve the condition and health of the Oswego Lake watershed and its stream network. CLICK HERE to open a copy of our Fact Sheet.

The OLWC formed in 2010, and the Council meets regularly to work together on projects that support watershed health. The OLWC Board has adopted a strategic plan which outline objectives, strategies, time frames and evaluation measures as they relate to OLWC goals for organizational sustainability, ecological integrity of the watershed, and outreach and education.

Our Mission

The mission of the Oswego Lake Watershed Council is to foster stewardship, education, participation and financial support for the purpose of the conservation, restoration, enhancement and maintenance of watershed functions that achieve and sustain a healthy watershed.

Our Vision Statement

The vision of the Oswego Lake Watershed Council is a healthy, properly functioning watershed. This vision is of streams, wetlands, riparian forests, upland forests/trees, Oswego Lake, and other natural resources working together as a sustainable ecological system that supports good water quality, productive habitat for native plant and animal communities, and enhanced quality of life.

 

What We Do

  • Projects. The council fosters the planning, development, funding, and implementation of projects to enhance, restore, and maintain physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the Oswego Lake watershed.
  • Action Plan. The council develops a dynamic strategic watershed action plan to foster the conservation and restoration of watershed and stream functions in a holistic way from ridge top to ridge top and from headwaters to and including Oswego Lake.
  • Monitor Progress. The council monitors watershed health parameters and progress toward achieving the watershed vision.
  • Monitor Projects. The council monitors project effectiveness.
  • Watershed Information. The council researches and organizes data that provides awareness and knowledge of watershed health.
  • Condition Assessments. The council performs condition assessment projects that enhance awareness and understanding of the watershed and facilitate adaptive management of the dynamic strategic watershed action plan.
  • Facilitation. Through this watershed partnership, council members collaborate to identify issues, promote cooperative solutions, focus resources, agree on goals for watershed conservation, enhance natural watershed functions, and foster communication among all watershed interest.
  • Landowner Assistance. The council identifies landowner participants for important projects, develops priorities for local projects, and establishes goals and standards for future conditions in the watershed.
  • Outreach and Education. The council promotes continuing education and outreach to inform people about watershed processes and functions.
  • Planning. The council provides coordinated, broad-based review of land management plans to local, state, and federal decision-makers.
  • Funding. The council helps bring state, federal and private funding to our local community for ecosystem restoration, monitoring and education.

Benefits of the Watershed Council

  • The council is a forum to work across jurisdictional boundaries and across agency mandates to look at the watershed more holistically.
  • The council is a forum to bring local, state, and federal agencies and plans together with local property owners and private land managers.
  • The council is a forum that provides local people with a voice in watershed, wetland, and stream management that can positively influence watershed management decisions.
  • The council, together with its partners, makes a significant positive impact on the local environment, economy, and community.

Meetings

Anyone can get involved with the Council by attending monthly Council meetings, working on Council sub-committees, or helping with projects. Council meetings are held the second Friday of the month from 8am to 9:30am. Contact jack@oswegowatershed.org for the link to join our virtual meeting!