Archives West Finding Aid

The Karl Onthank collection consists of files assembled by Karl Onthank during his years of active conservation work. It includes correspondence, organizational documents, reports, newsletters, projects, plans, and other material generated by and concerning conservation organizations in which Onthank was a member or for which he acted in an advisory capacity. Collection is organized into four series: the projects in which Onthank engaged directly, the major and minor associations and committees which drew upon Onthank's expertise, and the general correspondence files.

The Projects series includes papers relating to the proposed Beaver Marsh hydroelectric project, the Oregon Dunes National Seashore proposal, the Three Sisters Wilderness Area, and Waldo Lake.

The Major Associations and Committees series includes documents relating to the Columbia Basin Inter-Agency Committee, the Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs, the Izaak Walton League of America, the Lane County Parks and Recreation Commission, the Nature Conservancy, the Oregon County Parks Association, the Oregon State Water Resources Board, and the Sierra Club.

The Minor Associations and Committees series includes smaller collections of documents relating to over 200 other outdoor and wildlife associations.

The Correspondence series records in depth the plans, opinions, and projects in which Onthank participated, and the letters received reflect the thoughts of the writers or their associations. Incoming letters are arranged throughout the collection alphabetically by sender; outgoing letters are arranged chronologically. This arrangement provides a useful index to the various conservationists as well as a chronological record of the Onthank's work. The collection includes approximately 3,300 incoming and 3,700 outgoing letters.