Population growth and sprawl in Oregon
NumbersUSA has just released a new report, Population Growth and Sprawl in Oregon, which details the expansion of population and how it has affected the environment here.
Top conclusions:
What we found was that between 1982 and 2015, Oregon lost 419,000 acres (656 square miles) of open space as the state’s population grew by 1.3 million. …
Oregon has also been one of the leaders in anti-sprawl efforts, limiting the amount of sprawl per person. However, population growth has caused sprawl to continue as Oregon officials have failed to accommodate its growth population within exiting urbanized area. On average, 0.311 acre of land was developed to accommodate each new resident during the 33-year period covered in the study. …
The majority of Oregon’s recent population growth has come through migration from other U.S. states and international migration (immigration) from abroad. From 2000 to 2015 just 38% of Oregon’s population growth was due to natural increase. The rest (62%) came from in-migration from other states (32%) and immigration (30%). …
Losing open space isn’t the same as filling up empty space. What Oregon is losing to urban sprawl are croplands, forestlands, wetlands, and wildlife habitats, all vital to a healthy ecosystem. There are also physiological and psychological benefits of open space.
Being able to enjoy natural areas is important to 85% of Oregonians polled as part of the sprawl study. Oregon’s natural beauty and opportunity for outdoor recreation is what draws so many people to the state, and it is Oregon’s growing population which threatens these landscapes.
Oregon residents express a clear preference for slower growth, and a plurality are open to cuts in immigration, while very few favor increases. There is a lot that Oregonians can do to stop sprawl in their state, but as long as the U.S. population continues to grow at its current rate, millions more will likely move to the state. Oregon’s government has projected that the state’s population will reach 5.6 million by 2050, almost 1.5 million more than its current population. …
While immigration is not responsible for most population growth in Oregon, it is a significant contributor, and it likely factors into the decision of many who move to Oregon from out-of-state. Consider that California is by far the more recent state of residence for those who move to Oregon, followed by Washington, Illinois, New York, and Texas. These are all states that have seen significant increases in their population, driven in large-part by immigration. Of those who moved to Oregon as an adult from another state, 44% said they did so “seeking a better quality of life.” …
Oregonians strongly prefer to preserve open spaces in their state, yet the policies put in place to do so have proven ineffective. Like most Americans, residents of Oregon must make a choice:
Take adequate steps to prevent urban sprawl, which must include slowing population growth, or accept the continuing disappearance of the state's habitat and farmland and unspoiled natural areas.
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See the announcement here. See the complete 160-page report at: https://www.numbersusa.org/sites/default/files/public/assets/resources/files/Oregon_Sprawl.pdf
This report is a clear warning that applies to all states: Oregon and the entire U.S. must immediately stop illegal immigration and greatly reduce the excessive levels of legal immigration. Population numbers in the U.S. and worldwide must be in balance with basic environmental resources. Otherwise, we are rushing into environmental and social disaster.
OFIR has worked since its founding in 2000 to educate Oregon citizens and voters regarding the need to reduce immigration levels. From our statement of goals: “For the first 200 years of our nation we averaged about 236,000 immigrants per year, and we grew into the most successful nation in history. Current immigration levels of over 1.5 million a year are unsustainable for us environmentally, socially, fiscally and politically. Immigration at that level dissuades assimilation of new immigrants into becoming Americans. …”
