On Monday, President Obama signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 resulting in stronger protections to 200,000 acres of public land in Oregon and millions more throughout the nation. Oregon legislators, Senator Ron Wyden and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, have worked for years to see this bill become law and both were on hand for the signing ceremony.

Pres. Obama’s remarks were peppered with remembrances of the vision of former Pres. Teddy Roosevelt, creator of the U.S. National Park System. “It’s a vision that sees America’s great wilderness as a place where what was and what is and what will be — all are the same; a place where memories are lived and relived; a place where Americans both young and young at heart can freely experience the spirit of adventure that has always been at the heart of the rugged character of America.”

The bill includes 170 separate lands, parks and conservation bills and establishes three new national parks.

• 127,000 acres surrounding Mt. Hood now have permanent wilderness protection, the highest the government offers (this is the ECHO office’s backyard)
• The Owyhee Public Lands Management Act designates more than 500,000 acres of ID’s Owyhee-Bruneau Canyonlands as wilderness as well as 315 miles of National Wild and Scenic Rivers and streams in this scenic high desert along the Owyhee River in Oregon and Idaho
• 1,000 miles of rivers and streams have also gained Wild & Scenic protection including the North Fork of the Elk River in Oregon
• Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act to protect 30,000 acres of desert wilderness in Central Oregon
• Spring Basin Wilderness Act to protect 8,600 acres of scenic wilderness long the John Day River in Central Oregon
• Copper Salmon Wilderness Act of Oregon to protect 13,000 acres of old growth forest along the head of the Elk River; one of the most prolific salmon fisheries in the west
• Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Voluntary and Equitable Grazing Conflict Resolution Act of Oregon to protect 23,000 acres of pristine flowering meadows and old growth forests and insure voluntary relinquishment of grazing permits

Here at ECHO we were so inspired by this legislation that we felt like breaking into song:

Scientists find that immersion in nature restores mental acuity. Two experiments show that workers who take their breaks in a natural setting return to their jobs more rested, relaxed and mentally sharper than those who take their breaks in artificial, man-made environments. In one experiment, psychologists found that looking through a window at real natural settings was far superior to looking at nature images, even images shown on HD TV. In another study, they found that taking a walk on a nature trail was much more restorative than walking on a city street. Learn more about the studies at Newsweek.

If looking through a window or walking a trail restores one’s mind, imagine what a multi-day trip down a wild river can do for you.

Great news for those of you flying to Medford from Los Angeles, Las Vegas or Phoenix for your river trip on the Rogue River this summer. Allegiant Airlines has some of the lowest fares this year.

Allegiant now flies out of LAX on Monday & Friday into Medford (MFR), and if you purchase your tickets before March 11th the airfare is only $69 each way ($159.20 total roundtrip including taxes and fees). After the 11th, the airfare goes up to $89 each way – still a great deal, especially when you compare these prices with the other airlines servicing the Medford airport (often $350 to $400 round trip).

Allegiant also offers flights from Phoenix / Mesa for only $172.70 total round trip on Mondays and Fridays. There are flights out of Las Vegas to Medford on Mondays and Fridays for only $202.

After you get to the Medford airport there are several national car rentals available with prices running from about $205 per week. Another option is to take a taxi / shuttle to the Galice Lodge for about $80-$100 each way.

Hope this helps with your trip planning and we look forward to seeing you in Galice!

Dear ECHO Friends,

Since so many signs indicate that 2009 is likely to be a challenging financial year for us all, we invite you to join us for ECHOnomics 101.

What do all of us want and need especially during tough times? Good Product, Good Service, Good Price — that’s the essence of ECHOnomics 101, our way of running outdoor adventure trips for the past 37 years.

Through the Middle East oil embargo of the 1970s, the rampant inflation of the early 1980s, the dot.com bust of the 1990s and the post 9/11 trauma of this decade, folks have known that they can always count on ECHO for three key vacation ingredients: an excellent trip with outstanding service at a reasonable price.

The heart of the ECHO experience is bringing family and friends together for an outdoor adventure where parents and kids laugh, friends bond and all share the excitement and quiet magic of free-flowing water.

Time on a river is like no other.

On an ECHO trip, you drop into a simpler, more natural world, free of everyday concerns. Where else can you watch fish jump, river otter frolic, snowy egrets as still as statues and eagles swooping toward their prey? Where else can you stand in a diamond-droplet waterfall backlit by the sun? Where else can you hike up cool side streams, splash about in fern-circled natural pools, and (with practice) make rocks skip 8 to 10 times across the river? Where else can you run rapids in your solo inflatable kayak or, if you prefer, glide down river in a raft rowed by an expert guide? Where else can you dazzle your eyes with stunning swirls of night-sky stars? Only a river trip offers such a unique life experience.

Give us a call to arrange an outdoor adventure vacation that fits you, your family and friends. We can assure you a memorable experience with quality guides at a fair price.

See you on the river,

Joe Daly, Dick Linford and Zach Collier

With the Economic Stimulus Package getting all of the press today, we wanted to let you know that the U.S. House of Representatives is also scheduled to vote on legislation tomorrow concerning nature lovers everywhere.

The Omnibus Public Lands Act of 2009 (S. 22) is a package of bills that will extend federal Wild and Scenic River protections to 86 rivers, including 316 miles of rivers and streams in the Owyhee and Bruneau basins of Southwestern Idaho. It also includes the largest expansion of wilderness protection in 25 years setting aside more than 2 million acres in 9 states. Areas like Oregon’s Mt. Hood and Zion National Park in Utah are included in the bill, which boasts the government’s highest level of protection.

This legislation has already passed the U.S. Senate and only needs to clear this last remaining hurdle. This bill is an excellent example of use and preservation as the bill includes grazing rights for farmers and recreational access for private and commercial boaters, while maintaining protections such as preventing the development of oil and gas.