A Living Legacy at Sweet Creek Forest
When Mat Purvis moved to Oregon in the early 1970s, he was excited to spend more outdoors. Growing up in urban Atlanta, Mat was accustomed to camping, hiking, and fishing but had always dreamed of owning a wilderness property. As a young physician with spare time, Mat leapt at an opportunity to pursue his dream when a colleague offered to sell him a tract of forest
on Sweet Creek.
Nurturing an Ecological Crossroad at the Willamette Confluence Preserve
After a decade of habitat restoration and successful reconnection of the river to its historic floodplain, The Nature Conservancy has completed the transfer of the Willamette Confluence Preserve, a 1,305-acre natural area, to a local conservation organization, McKenzie River Trust.
Conserving Cherished Places on Oregon’s Coast
Working in collaboration with our partners, McKenzie River Trust protected Cape Foulweather in August 2022 as an interim landowner. We’ll hold the property until it can be transferred to the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in the coming years.
Young Farmers Grow at the Berggren Watershed Conservation Area
Adam and Kelly of Willow & Oak Farm and Barn Swallow Blossoms are currently in their first growing season at McKenzie River Trust’s Berggren Watershed Conservation Area, a property protected by MRT in 2010. This partnership between McKenzie River Trust and local farmers represents a unique cross-over between conservation efforts and sustainable agriculture.
Giving it Back to the River
McKenzie River Resident, Della Cantrell, finds closure through land conservation in the wake of the Holiday Farm Fire.