About Eugene

Two Northern Spotted Owls

The Eugene District of the Bureau of Land Management extends from the Pacific Coast into the western slopes of the Cascade Range, encompassing 316,000 acres. The Eugene District manages several ecosystems ranging from coastal inlands to dense Douglas-fir, hemlock, and cedar forests. The wide variation in the lands managed by the District offers the perfect compromise between the urban parks in the cities and the high elevation recreation opportunities in the adjacent Willamette, Siuslaw, and Umpqua National Forests. More than 200,000 visitors a year come to the Eugene District to sightsee, hike, fish, swim, hunt, picnic, and pursue other recreational activities.

District Programs

West Eugene Wetlands

The West Eugene Wetlands Project is a cooperative venture managed by the BLM's Eugene District to protect and restore wetland ecosystems in the Southern Willamette Valley. This unique project involves federal, state, and local agencies and organizations in a partnership to manage lands and resources in an urban area for multiple public benefits.

The project, located on the west side of Eugene, encompasses portions of the Long Tom River drainage including the Amazon Creek, Coyote Creek, and Willow Creek basins. The BLM's West Eugene Wetlands Project Office is centrally located near the Amazon and Willow Creek confluence in West Eugene.

Environmental Education

The BLM works with schools to provide students an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the BLM, natural resources, and land management in conjunction with having the students create artwork which is displayed in the BLM office. BLM staff makes presentations to classrooms and/or provides field trips for the students.

Wildlife

Northern Spotted Owl

The Northern Spotted Owl was first listed on June 26, 1990. It is currently designated as Threatened in its entire range (CA, OR, WA, Canada B.C.). Currently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is developing a recovery plan for the northern spotted owl. A draft recovery plan is being prepared and will be released to the public for review. Also, the Fish and Wildlife Service is preparing to revise its 1992 critical habitat designation for this species. That proposed rule will be issued approximately 30 days after the draft recovery plan. The BLM's western Oregon plan revision team is working closely with these two efforts to fully consider these decisions in the planning process.