PARTNER WITH US
We are not just building a fire station.
We are transforming a community.
The Row River Valley is a rural Oregon community connected by a single access road, surrounded by forests, rivers, and wildfire risk. For generations, neighbors here learned to rely on one another. Today, that spirit is evolving into something larger: a long-term commitment to resilience, preparedness, environmental stewardship, and community care.
In 2024, residents came together to form the Row River Rural Fire Protection District, creating local emergency response for the first time in our valley’s history. Since then, volunteers, local organizations, public agencies, and private supporters have worked side by side to strengthen the future of this community.
Our work extends beyond emergency response.
Together, we are helping build a safer, healthier, and more connected valley through wildfire preparedness, watershed protection, environmental restoration, public safety infrastructure, and neighbor-led community resilience.
Protecting the Places That Sustain Our Community
Partnership in the Row River Valley also means protecting the natural environment that sustains both residents and downstream communities.
The Row River watershed provides drinking water to thousands of residents in Cottage Grove and supports important riparian, forest, and recreation corridors throughout the region. As wildfire risk, erosion, illegal dumping, and unmanaged access continue increasing across rural Oregon, stewardship of these landscapes has become an important community priority.
One of the clearest examples of this work is the Disston Pathway Project.
The Disston Pathway is a historic four-mile former mill and logging corridor located along the Row River and its tributaries near the gateway to the Umpqua National Forest. The project focuses on restoring safe non-motorized access while protecting sensitive environmental areas from ongoing damage caused by unauthorized vehicle use, dumping, erosion, and neglect.
Current and planned efforts include:
- Watershed and riparian corridor protection
- Illegal dumping and abandoned vehicle removal
- Access control measures to reduce environmental damage
- Corridor cleanup and hazard reduction
- Surface stabilization and drainage improvements
- Long-term stewardship and maintenance
- Future trail connectivity and recreation access
- Emergency access support during wildfire and disaster events
This work represents a broader commitment to balancing public access, environmental stewardship, wildfire resilience, and long-term community sustainability.
Building Long-Term Community Resilience
The Dorena Main Fire Station and Disston Auxiliary Substation remain central parts of this vision. These facilities will support volunteer firefighters, emergency coordination, disaster response, and wildfire preparedness in one of Oregon’s highest wildfire risk corridors.
At the same time, community-led programs continue expanding support for vulnerable residents, neighborhood preparedness, defensible space efforts, communication systems, and local resilience initiatives.
Working alongside agencies such as the Oregon State Fire Marshal and Oregon Department of Emergency Management, we are helping deliver wildfire mitigation support to residents at no charge through volunteer-driven efforts and partnerships with local small businesses. These efforts help reduce hazardous fuels, support older adults, veterans, disabled residents, fixed-income households, and other vulnerable neighbors, strengthen neighborhood preparedness, and expand local capacity for long-term resilience.
This transformation is being driven by neighbors, volunteers, public agencies, nonprofits, funders, and businesses who believe rural communities matter.
Why Partnership Matters
Your partnership helps:
- Strengthen wildfire preparedness and emergency response
- Protect watershed and riparian corridors
- Restore and steward public lands and access corridors
- Support volunteer firefighters and emergency infrastructure
- Reduce environmental hazards and illegal dumping
- Improve evacuation readiness and disaster coordination
- Support vulnerable and isolated residents
- Expand long-term resilience across rural Oregon communities
Ways to Partner
We welcome collaboration with:
- Foundations and philanthropic organizations
- Corporate and business sponsors
- Environmental and watershed organizations
- Public agencies and community organizations
- Outdoor recreation and conservation partners
- Service groups and civic organizations
- Local businesses and contractors
- Volunteers and individual supporters
Partnership opportunities may include financial support, sponsorships, technical expertise, equipment assistance, volunteer engagement, restoration collaboration, and long-term project development.
You are Invited
This work began with neighbors gathering around kitchen tables asking how to protect their community from wildfire and disaster. Today, that effort has grown into a broader movement focused on resilience, stewardship, environmental care, and community connection across the Row River Valley.
We invite you to become part of that story.
We would welcome the opportunity to show you around the Row River Valley, get to know you, and introduce you to the work our community is building together.
Please contact Kathleen Istudor, Executive Director, at info@rowrivervalley.org
