Coastal & Natural Areas

Oregon is known worldwide for its spectacular coastline, public beaches, and diverse and abundant natural resources.

Some of the primary threats to these natural and coastal areas today include:

  • Increasing population and development growth in coastal towns and along Highway 101; pollution and degradation of Oregon’s scenic rivers, estuaries and shoreline;
  • The conversion of forest and farmland for development;
  • Short-sighted land use planning in the face of coastal hazards, erosion, and rising sea waters due to climate change.

Oregon’s Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) has adopted 19 statewide planning goals to guide land use planning in Oregon.

Goals 5 and 6 govern our natural areas:

  •  Goal 5 - designed to conserve open spaces, as well as protect scenic and historic areas and natural resources.
  •  Goal 6 - protects the environmental quality of Oregon’s air, water, and land.

Goals 16 – 19 govern Oregon’s coast and ocean waters:

  • Goal 16 - identifies and protects environmental, economic and social values of estuaries and associated wetlands.
  • Goal 17 - designed to conserve, protect and, when appropriate, develop or restore resources and benefits of coastal shorelands. Coastal shorelands are lands immediately adjacent to the ocean, estuaries and associated wetlands, and coastal lakes.
  • Goal 18 - designed to conserve, protect and, where appropriate, develop or restore resources and benefits of Oregon’s beaches and dunes.
  • Goal 19 - conserves the values, benefits and natural resources of the nearshore ocean and continental shelf.

1000 Friends of Oregon works with state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and concerned citizens to protect our coastal and natural areas from poor land use planning and inappropriate development.

From 2003-2006, 1000 Friends was part of the Oregon Coastal Futures Project, which brought together diverse stakeholders to promote vibrant, livable communities, productive rural landscapes, improved transportation choices, the protection of scenic areas, and sustainable economic development along the Oregon coast. 1000 Friends worked with the government and citizens of the city of Garibaldi to develop a strategy to address economic and community development, strengthen ties between community assets, and encourage investment in new employment and recreational opportunities. The result was the 2006 Garibaldi Connections Project. 

More recently, 1000 Friends joined Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition in petitioning the LCDC to implement an additional guideline, Goal 20, relating to our coastal waters and shorefront. The objectives of Goal 20 would be to minimize the adverse effects that rising sea levels will likely have on human life and property, water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat as well as protecting and restoring Oregon’s beaches, dunes, estuaries, shorelands and coast. In July 2009, LCDC decided that rather than adopt a  new goal, it would  incorporate the objective of reducing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change  through existing goals. For more information, see Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition and the related LCDC staff report.

1000 Friends has and will continue to work with Oregonians across the state to protect our natural resources and coastal spaces from poor land use planning and inappropriate and harmful development.

Further information, resources, and news regarding Oregon’s coastal and natural areas:

Coastal Links:

Natural Resources Links:

In the news: