Oak Observations April 2025

Large oak tree at the edge of a field with dramatic branching
image by Lynn Weissenfels

It goes without saying that we are experiencing unprecedented changes in the federal landscape this year. With so many things happening so quickly, it can be challenging to stay apprised of the most recent updates. In this month’s Enews, we’d like to share a few resources that can help partners keep track.

The Land Trust Alliance is a helpful resource center for land trusts across the nation including ECOP administrative sponsor Columbia Land Trust and partners like Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust. The Alliance has put together a webpage called the “New Federal Landscape”, which outlines “updates and resources to help your land trust navigate changes and adapt to new future processes”. It is a useful tool to help keep track of relevant executive orders and actions that impact land managers and agencies generally.

Another resource that may be helpful has been put together by the National Council of Nonprofits. Their new webpage “Impacts of the recent executive orders affecting nonprofits” includes resources like a webinar on executive actions, a list of executive actions that impact nonprofits updated regularly, and a checklist around what to do if your federal funding is paused or cancelled.

A western meadowlark sitting on a boulder in a meadow full of yellow flowers.
image by Brian Chambers

In uncertain times, there is one thing in which we remain confident: collaboration. Only by working together will we achieve meaningful landscape scale change. By supporting one another, thinking creatively, filling in the gaps we can and asking our friends for help with the ones we cannot, we’ll adapt and fulfill our collective mission to protect and restore the oak habitats we all love.