Who We Are

The Network of Oregon Watershed Councils is a statewide non-profit organization that supports the work of Oregon’s community-based watershed councils. Located in the state capital of Salem in the northwest corner of the U.S.,  the Network serves some 90 councils across the state through training, conferences, and networking events, by providing a voice with agencies and funders, by tracking important issues, and by helping councils learn from each other to increase their efficiency and impact.

Strategic Plan

The Network Board  – with input from key partners – approved its strategic plan in 2018!

Mission

The Network supports the work of Oregon’s watershed councils to enhance watershed health and benefit their local communities.

Vision

We envision increasingly strong, resilient watershed councils throughout Oregon sustaining healthy land, water and economies. Oregon watershed councils are the pride of our local communities and a model for our country and the world. By focusing the Network’s resources, we help councils be more effective, in order to advance the organizations individually and to further watershed health collectively.

Purpose

The Network of Oregon Watershed Councils is dedicated to supporting the work of watershed councils throughout the state by focusing on:

• Building watershed council capacity through training, information sharing, funding, and internal communications
• Improving key relationships with watershed council partners
• Helping build the social capital, financial capital, human capital, and political capital of watershed councils in Oregon (capacity building)

The Oregon Conservation Partnership

The Network closely partners with three other statewide organizations also committed to voluntary non-regulatory conservation: the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts (OACD), the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts (COLT), and the Oregon Conservation Education and Assistance Network (OCEAN).  Through a grant from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, we share office space, staff, and many programs.  This collaboration brings efficiencies to our work, gives us a collective voice, and garners attention for our collective conservation efforts.  We each continue to operate as individual organizations with our own missions, goals, organizational cultures, and identities.