In 2004 the Willamette Resources and Educational Network (WREN) was funded by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to begin the preliminary work for creation of an ethnobotanical use area at the West Eugene Wetlands in Eugene, Oregon. Two overarching and related goals behind the ethnobotanical use area idea are:  1) Building greater support for the wetlands and the long-term protection of the area through connecting people to the area through tangible projects, and 2) Meeting a need of Native American Indians in the region to have a place to harvest and provide education about culturally important plants traditionally harvested in Willamette Valley wetlands.  WREN has contracted with IFCAE to develop a strategic plan and begin project implementation.