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Lighthawk Flies Us Again to Aid Coastal Conservation
Lighthawk once again took our intrepid photographer, Rena Olson, on a flight along Oregon’s coast, as we continue to document the state of the shoreline from the air.
Lighthawk is a non-profit that organizes pilots willing to volunteer their time and their planes to assist conservationists. They support such activities as transporting wildlife, mapping, showing decision-makers trouble spots to clarify situations, or, as in our case, making possible aerial photography that assists with conservation causes.
The purpose of the expedition, as with two previous flights that Lighthawk has provided for us this year, was to document the extent of shoreline armoring fronting the Oregon shore, and conversely to reveal stretches without riprap or seawalls, where we can prioritize protection. The images, and what they reveal, will help to support the Oregon Beaches Forever campaign, in which Oregon Shores and Surfrider are working together to address the long-term future of Oregon’s beaches and shorelands.
Rick Utermoehlen was the volunteer pilot. “He really is outstanding,” says Rena, who in addition to being a regular volunteer photographer for Oregon Shores is our former communications coordinator. “He took a deep interest in our mission, making every effort to place us in a position to obtain our photographic targets.” She also gives “a big shout out” to Lance Vanderbeck, Airport Director at the Newport airport, from which the flight originated. He provided discount fuel for this non-profit cause.
As Rena describes the flight: “As we flew, we encountered a mix of clear skies and heavy cloud cover, which is typical of the Oregon coast. I pointed out shoreline armoring and homes perched precariously on unstable bluffs, and it was gratifying to have the pilot immediately grasp the need for stricter land use standards. Witnessing the potential devastation of Bayshore, the development on the Alsea Spit north of Waldport, due to sand erosion and sea level rise, was troubling. As someone who lives on the Oregon coast, observing landslide areas and sections of Highway 101 being undercut by erosion was deeply concerning to me.”
Oregon Shores, with our partners in Surfrider, is working to build support for improved shoreline management and long-term solutions. We will soon put our “Oregon Beaches Forever” campaign into action, to start a statewide conversation about the future of our beaches. The hundreds of photos obtained during the flight will help us sound the alarm and identify priorities for protection.
Photos:
Featured: Highway 101 threatened by landslide south of Port Orford,
by Rena Olson, with support from Lighthawk.
Left: The Bayshore development on the tip of the Alsea Spit, by
Rena Olson, with support from Lighthawk.
Right: Lighthawk volunteer pilot Rick Utermoelen with photographer Rena
Olson.