The Willamette Partnership has its origins in a 1996 task force appointed by Governor John Kitzhaber. Since then, the Partnership has brought together diverse stakeholders, helped them develop a common vision for ecological health and economic vitality in the Willamette Basin, and taken significant steps toward establishing a one-of-kind, integrated ecosystem marketplace. This innovative tool promises to deliver broad conservation benefits in the Willamette Basin at lower costs and with less conflict than traditional approaches to conservation do.

Key Dates

Appointed by Governor Kitzhaber, this 22-member group met to develop mechanisms for the coordinated and effective protection and restoration of the Willamette River Basin in its entirety.

The Willamette River Basin Task Force recommended, and Governor Kitzhaber convened, this ongoing, basinwide organization. Its task was to create a restoration and conservation strategy for the Willamette. The Initiative sought to develop an integrated, coordinated strategy that that would address water quality, flooding, fish, and wildlife habitat issues and the overall watershed health of the Willamette Basin.

Produced by the Willamette Restoration Initiative, this document represents the comprehensive and integrated plan envisioned by the original Willamette Basin Task Force. Among other things, the strategy advanced water quality improvement efforts, sped the protection and restoration of riparian areas, identified key locations and preliminary goals for protection and restoration, and created new communication networks to integrate and coordinate environmental regulation at the state and federal levels.

Building on the work of the Willamette Restoration Initiative, this coalition of conservation, city, business, farm, and scientific leaders was founded to develop innovative, market-based tools that can combine with regulatory controls to deliver broad conservation benefits, at lower costs and with reduced conflict, in the Willamette River Basin.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency selected the Willamette Partnership to receive funding through its Targeted Watershed Grant program (one of 12 projects nationwide). The funding supported the Partnership’s innovative water quality trading program, which was designed to reduce stream temperatures and support salmon recovery.

2007 — Conservation Innovation Grant.
Allocated through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, this grant will allow the Willamette Partnership to build the tools that land managers and regulators need to evaluate and participate in emerging markets for water quality improvements, wetland restoration, habitat conservation, and carbon sequestration. More specifically, the grant will provide additional capacity to link multiple ecosystem-service markets together into an integrated market for the entire Willamette Basin.