Bob Salinger, ‘the face of Portland conservation,’ dies suddenly at 57 – Oregon Public Broadcasting

Bob Salinger, a longtime environmental activist involved in numerous conservation efforts in Oregon, died Thursday night. He was 57 years old.

For decades, Salinger was the face of various preservation efforts in Portland and the rest of the state. He often appeared in the local news about these efforts, whether or not that was the case peregrine falcons on the Fremont Bridge or raises concerns about a new baseball stadium.

A graduate of Reed College, Salinger worked for three decades with the Bird Alliance of Oregon, formerly known as the Portland Audubon Society, most notably as its director of conservation. The Bird Alliance attributed the work to Salinger for “leading to many of the most exciting conservation victories” in the organization’s history.

This includes fighting to protect peregrine falcons that nest on the Fremont Bridge and other bridges in Portland. Today, the Fremont Bridge has one of the most productive peregrine falcon nests in Oregon.

Those who knew Salinger say his death leaves a gaping hole in the region’s conservation efforts, describing him as someone who rarely took a break from the various wildlife and natural lands projects he undertook. His tireless work ethic commanded the respect of both his allies and the people he challenged.

Mike Hawke, founder of the Urban Greenspaces Institute, worked alongside Salinger for decades and said he was dedicated to conservation like few others. While many focused on specific areas, Salinger did it all.

“As far as I’m concerned, no one living or past has had as much of an impact on conservation in the state of Oregon,” Houck said.

Karen Krauss of the Oregon Feral Cat Coalition said she first met Salinger 20 years ago when the two collaborated on Cats Safe At Home, which seeks to reduce the impact of stray cats on local wildlife .

She called Salinger “the face of conservation in Portland” and said there was no local environmental issue he wasn’t involved with.

“I think he enjoyed being the voice of the voiceless,” Kraus said. “He liked the puzzle. He liked the challenge and was inspired by the results that could come from it.

Salinger’s work took him through the Willamette Valley, down to the Klamath River and even to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Many of his efforts stem from his passion for wild birds, particularly the conservation of marbled mullets and the northern spotted owl, the latter of which is close to extinction.

Heading the Elliott State Research Forest, he worked closely with a state committee of people with diverse interests — logging, species protection, forest research — and drafted an agreement that over six years helped make Elliott Oregon’s first research forest. ensuring that it remains accessible to the public.

In recent months, he has served as executive director of Willamette Riverkeeper.

Riverkeepers honored Sallinger in a Facebook post Saturday: “While we grieve with Bob’s family, we also honor his tremendous contributions to the broader environmental community and will continue to carry his spirit in our work to protect, restore and preserve river habitat and water quality throughout the Willamette watershed.”

Salinger is survived by his wife and three children.

April Ehrlich contributed to the reporting of this article.