Get in Touch with Brian
541-423-6187
Why the Rogue?
The only rivers that I've taken a job to study and restore are the Rogue and the Klamath. Southern Oregon was a great lure because of the fish (especially summer steelhead), wildlife, and wilderness areas. Proximity to national parks and deserts and the Pacific Ocean played a role, too.
Once I moved to Gold Hill, rolled up my sleeves, and set about to protect and restore the Rogue, I discovered that I worked alongside wonderfully creative, exceedingly dedicated, and wildly passionate professionals. In the end, it's the people I struggle and toil and celebrate with that are the reason I continue, 21 years later, to work on the Rogue.
Brian Barr
Executive Director
Brian Barr is from northern Illinois and firmly believes that Chicago is a good place to be from. He arrived in the Rogue Valley in 2001 after stops in Ohio, Virginia, Idaho, and Portland.
In 2020, Brian will have just barely worked over half of his life on the Rogue (he did work on Rogue River issues for seven years prior to moving here). He is most passionate about native fish conservation and has subjected people all over the United States, Mexico, and India to his enthusiasm on this topic. From his perspective, few things compare to watching native fish use pristine habitat (although native fish using restored habitat is pretty exciting, too).
He is very proud of his daughter (studying Transportation Design at Art Center in Pasadena), his wife (who recently started a consulting firm to site renewable energy and affordable housing developments), and the Great Greys (a competitive birding team in Jackson County, Oregon to which he sometimes contributes).