Copper Salmon Wilderness

Copper Salmon Wilderness
A canyon with a river and trees in the Copper Salmon Wilderness
A canyon in the wilderness area
Map showing the location of Copper Salmon Wilderness
Map showing the location of Copper Salmon Wilderness
LocationCurry / Coos counties, Oregon, USA
Nearest cityPort Orford, Oregon
Coordinates42°43.5′N 124°10.5′W / 42.7250°N 124.1750°W / 42.7250; -124.1750
Area13,700 acres (5,544 ha)
Established2009
Governing bodyU.S. Forest Service

The Copper Salmon Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in the Southern Oregon Coast Range and is part of the Rogue River–Siskiyou National Forest.[1] The wilderness area was created by the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 30, 2009.[2]

The Copper Salmon Wilderness is located along the North and South Forks of Elk River and the upper Middle Fork of Sixes River.

The area contains one of the nation's largest remaining stands of low-elevation old-growth forest and one of the healthiest salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout runs in the continental United States along the north Fork of the Elk River, as well as stands of vulnerable Port Orford cedar and endangered marbled murrelets and northern spotted owls.[3]

  1. ^ Preusch, Matthew (March 25, 2009). "Wilderness bill expands protections for Oregon, other states". The Oregonian. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2011-06-09. Retrieved March 25, 2009.
  2. ^ "Obama signs sweeping public land reform legislation". CNN. March 30, 2009. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2009.
  3. ^ Oregon Wild. "Copper Salmon Wilderness Campaign". Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2009.