Mt. Emily Recreation Area Coalition
View of Mt. Emily
Mt. Emily Photo by Ed Shaul, 2006
Coalition Goal: Acquire the proposed Mt Emily Recreation Area to ensure, for perpetuity, that it continues to be a producer of wildlife, watershed, timber and related natural resources, is a showcase of sustainable resource conservation practices, and provides diverse opportunities for public recreation.
Save Mt. Emily

Mt. Emily, with its distinctive profile, is the icon of the Grande Ronde Valley.  For generations the mountain's privately-held timberlands (to the left, above) have been made available to the public for hunting, berry-picking, hiking, trail-riding (horse, ATV and bicycle,) as well as simply basking in its scenic beauty.  Now, all across the Oregon and the Northwest, privately owned forest lands such as this are in transition, and Mt. Emily is no exception.  The Mt. Emily Recreation Area Coalition (MERA) is working to ensure that the forest on Mt. Emily is retained and that the public can continue to use it for recreation, as they have in the past.  We hope you join us as we work to protect this remarkable and irreplaceable area.

What's New

Fundrasing Progress.  As of March 11th, $4,250 has been collected towards our goal of $12,000 to pay for the required appraisal.  Local chapter of Wild Turkey Fed. has offered $5000 in matching funds, so we're almost there.

Two Public Hearings Set.  Union County officals will take public comment at two public hearings on MERA, on Tues. Apr. 15 at the La Grande Middle School and Tues. Apr 29th at the Imbler High School.  Both hearings start at 6:30 PM.

MERA on the Ballot.  Union County commisioners have placed an advisory vote on MERA aquisition on the May primary election ballot.

Questionnaire Results.  Final processing of Jan. 29th Public Meeting questionnaires show respondents supporting MERA acquisition by 10 to 1 ratio.  View the summary report.

Jan. 29th Public Meeting Details Find out what was presented at the public meeting on January 29th.  Thanks for turning in your questionnaire!  Your response will help determine the fate of the Mt. Emily Recreation Area.
What's this all about?Find out about the Forest Capital Partners owned lands on Mt. Emily and the plan to create a publicly managed recreation area.
What can I do?Want to help out?  Find what you can do to help promote the recreation area and make it a success.  Everybody has a talent, and your talent may be just what is needed to make this thing fly.
Take Action Now!A list of simple, specific, and important things you can do right now to help with this effort.
Maps and PhotosFind maps of the proposed recreation area here, and a gallery of photos showing it in all it's glory.  Do you have some pictures you've taken here?  Give us a copy to post.
Important DocumentsHere are the official documents produced by the coalition here, including the Feasibility Study, the Grant Proposal and links to relevant legislation.
Who is the coalition?The organizations and individuals that make up the Mt. Emily Recreation Area Coalition.