Protect the Row River Valley

Build the Dorena Main Fire and Emergency Services Station

The Row River Valley in rural Lane County, Oregon is one of the state’s hidden treasures.

Visitors come from across the region to bike and walk the Row River Trail, camp along Dorena Lake, hike to pristine waterfalls, and explore the gateway into the Umpqua National Forest. Families fish the river. Campgrounds fill each summer. Wildlife still moves freely across forested ridgelines and along creeks that feed one of Oregon’s purest watersheds.

But this beautiful valley has a serious vulnerability.

We are raising funds to complete preconstruction work for the Dorena Main Fire and Emergency Services Station, the central station that will protect:

• Local rural families who live miles from the nearest station

• The thousands of visitors who use the Row River Trail and nearby campgrounds

• The watershed that supplies Cottage Grove’s drinking water

• The wildlife sanctuary that includes bears, wolves, cougars, foxes, bobcats, beavers, elk, and countless bird species

For decades, much of this valley has managed to avoid a major fire. That pristine condition makes it an extraordinary refuge for wildlife and recreation. It also creates significant wildfire risk. Heavy fuels have built up over time, and access in and out of the valley is limited. When an emergency happens, response time matters.

In May 2024, the voters chose to tax themselves to form a volunteer fire district. In this low-income community, their united vote reflected commitment to safety and courage to take on this added responsibility. However, their taxes are only enough to fund the ongoing operation in this demanding high-use recreational gateway.

Construction funds for the main station has to come from more creative sources to satisfy engineering, architectural design, permitting, site review, and compliance work.

The total pre-construction need is $230,000. This is why we are asking for your help.

Our first milestone through GoFundMe is $40,000 to activate critical early work and unlock additional funding.

Your donation will not only serve the residents of this rural valley. It will protect trail users, forest visitors, the regional water supply, local campgrounds, and the fragile ecosystem that makes this valley so rare. It will strengthen emergency response for wildfire, medical calls, rescue operations, and disaster coordination in a corridor with limited services and no nearby human service infrastructure.

Every contribution helps move us closer to breaking ground.

If you have ever biked the Row River Trail, hiked to a waterfall, camped under these forests, or simply care about rural wildfire resilience in Oregon, this is your opportunity to protect a place that gives so much to so many.

Please donate, share, and stand with the Row River Valley.

Together, we can protect lives, water, wildlife, and a landscape worth preserving.