Nestled in the traditional territories of the Alseya, Siletz and other indigenous people, this beautiful and fertile watershed is threaded through by more than two miles of the Alsea River. For more than thirty years, owners Melissa and Mike Haglund have bought bordering parcels of land in this coastal Oregon region, favoring properties with outstanding natural values. The Alsea River Bend property is now a bulwark against creeping development, sitting between clusters of small residential parcels along the river, older forests on Siuslaw National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands, and large tracts of industrial timberland.  

We partnered with the Haglund family to establish a working forest conservation easement that will permanently conserve Alsea’s abundant forest, riparian (riverbank), and aquatic ecosystems. The easement supports forest management for timber, healthy ecosystems, and biodiversity. Joining conservation and commerce, Alsea River Bend will always be a working forest, supporting sustainable, small-scale agriculture as well as forest products processing. The property will be managed to restore an older forest with more complex stand structure, including large trees with important habitat value, and a lush native understory. The easement also provides protections for the abundant cold, clear water that supports both threatened salmon species and nearby towns.  

The Haglund family’s goal is to restore the coastal range forest diversity that was prevalent before conversion to Douglas fir plantations, while also enhancing connectivity with Critical Habitat for the threatened northern spotted owl on the adjacent older-growth forest on National Forest and BLM lands. For the Haglunds, who have spent the last several years lovingly stewarding this property, a partnership with Pacific Forest Trust represents a resounding commitment to Alsea River Bend’s future. By managing the property for its significant conservation values and as a model for family-owned working forests, they have created a legacy with lasting public benefits.