Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Curt Melcher is retiring in April, creating an opening for a position that plays a major role in managing the state’s flora and fauna at a critical time.

Melcher, who has been director since 2014 and recently served as president of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, announced his retirement on Wednesday.

“It’s been an honor and privilege to serve as the director for the last nine years,” Melcher said in a statement. “I appreciate and respect the mission driven staff that serve the resource and our customers.

ODFW’s next director will be selected following a recruitment process expected to start in January, the agency said. The Fish and Wildlife Commission will make the appointment in partnership with Gov. Tina Kotek’s office and hopes to conclude the recruitment prior to April 1. 

Melcher guided the department through difficult issues such as budget shortfalls, the rise of wolves and the complex politics of Oregon’s salmon and steelhead runs. Melcher took over a department facing a $32 million budget shortfall and has faced continual decisions over what programs to keep, and which to cut.

“Under Melcher’s leadership, the agency’s finances have been stabilized while avoiding a fee increase for hunters and anglers for a decade,” the ODFW news release announcing his retirement said.

Melcher grew up in northwest Oregon and graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.S. degree in Biology. He has been with ODFW since 1985, starting his career doing fish surveys on the Columbia and Willamette rivers before rising to deputy director from 2007-2014. 

Melcher touted his record on conservation that included conserving new properties of 16,000 acres on the Minam River, 10,000 acres on the Lower Deschutes River and numerous properties in the Willamette Valley, the news release said. He also highlighted “development of historic cooperative agreements with six Tribes that enhance their sovereignty and give each Tribe a stronger voice in protecting fish, wildlife and their habitats—a mission both the Tribes and the agency share.”

“Director Melcher will leave a well-run agency,” said Mary Wahl, chair of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission. “The Commission has deep respect and appreciation for the highly competent and dedicated ODFW staff, and for Director Melcher’s leadership of the Agency.”

In seeking out a new director, Wahl said the commission would look for someone with a “strong record protecting and managing our fish, wildlife and habitat assets, and one who will be an exceptional leader creating a vision for ODFW’s work that meets the challenges Oregon faces from accelerating climate change and biodiversity loss impacts, and threats to our cold water sources.” 

Melcher highlighted the department’s employees.

“We have a dedicated and talented workforce and I leave the agency in good hands,” he said.  

Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 15 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. Urness is the author of “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.