The Oregon Climate Action Commission and four state agencies told the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire on Jan. 23, 2025, that the Natural and Working Lands Fund created by House Bill 3409 (2023) has supported early, voluntary conservation and restoration projects and leveraged additional federal and private funds.

Michael Dembrow, former state senator and member of the Oregon Climate Action Commission, told the committee the 2023 omnibus measure incorporated natural climate solutions and established a $10 million appropriation for initial investments. "The notion of natural climate solutions ... is to make sure that we're keeping working lands working and invigorating our rural economies while encouraging and incorporating practices that do a better job of improving soil health and sequestering carbon," he said.

The nut graf: agencies reported that the $10 million state allocation has been distributed among eligible programs — including roughly $3 million to the Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), $2 million to the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB), several million to the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and nearly $1 million to the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) — and that initial investments have already leveraged multiple millions in federal grants and matches.

Agency and partner highlights presented to the committee:

- ODFW (Sarah Reiff, interim deputy director, Habitat Division) said ODFW received a little over $3,000,000 to fund coastal estuary reconnections, floodplain reforestation with the Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde, Wasco County grassland restorations, and two limited-duration natural working‑lands biologist positions to support project delivery and federal grant pursuits. She said estuary projects have helped leverage about $3.7 million in federal funds alongside state dollars.

- OWEB (Alexa Schmidt, water and climate coordinator) described a two-phase public engagement process that informed project priorities. OWEB expanded eligible practices to include cover cropping, rotational grazing and cultural burns, and reduced match requirements for open solicitations from 25% to 5% to lower barriers for underrepresented applicants. OWEB expects to grant its full $2,000,000 allocation this biennium.

- ODF (Danny Norlander, forest climate analyst) described three investments: $1.5 million for climate-smart forestry delivered via Soil and Water Conservation Districts and watershed councils, incentives directed to tribes and underserved landowners, and $750,000 to the JE Schroeder seed orchard to increase availability of climate-ready seedlings. The seed-orchard work is long-term and intended to ensure future seed supplies.

- ODA (Troy Abercrombie, native plant conservation and noxious weed programs) reported "just under $1,000,000" across two projects: implementation of the Oregon native seed strategy and rangeland resilience work aimed at invasive annual grasses; the department said those funds leveraged a roughly $1.7 million federal NRCS agreement and supported hiring of a rangeland specialist.

Partners and implementers — including the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts (Andrea Kreiner), Soil and Water Conservation Districts, watershed councils, tribes, and NRCS — described a high demand for technical assistance and urged continuity of funding so districts can build capacity to manage long-term projects. Andrea Kreiner noted that SWCDs are "the state's boots on the ground" for voluntary conservation and urged steady funding to retain landowner confidence.

Committee members asked about project selection and public engagement. ODFW and OWEB described data-driven prioritization that emphasized shovel‑ready projects, existing conservation priorities and partnerships; OWEB recounted surveys and listening sessions that informed eligible practices and changes to match requirements.

Agencies reported leveraging at least $9–12 million in additional funding so far and expect further federal funding to expand project scope. The committee received the agencies' biennial report and allocations; no formal committee action was taken during the informational hearing.

Ending: Commission and agency staff told senators they will continue to refine program delivery, report progress and work with the committee on any statutory or funding changes needed to scale the program.