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Congressional lawmakers voted Tuesday to protect one of the last and largest old-growth forests in Oregon’s coastal mountains as well as hundreds of miles of rivers throughout the state. The U.S. House approved a scaled-down version of the Oregon Wildlands Act as part of the largest federal conservation bill to win authorization in more than a decade. Passed with bipartisan Senate support earlier this month, the sweeping public lands package now heads to the White House for President Donald Trump to sign. “At my town halls, and in line at the grocery store, I hear from Oregonian after Oregonian who want our state’s special places protected,” said Sen. Ron Wyden. “Now, even more of Oregon’s natural treasures will be preserved for future generations to enjoy.” The push to expand protected areas in Oregon has been years in the making by Wyden, a Democrat and senior member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. His efforts received strong support by fellow Oregon lawmakers Sen. Jeff Merkley and Rep. Peter DeFazio, both Democrats, as well as environmental groups, outdoor retailers and even more than 50 craft breweries across the state. Tuesday's public lands package protects millions of acres of land and hundreds of miles of river around the United States. In Oregon, the bill creates the 30,000-acre Devil’s Staircase Wilderness, a remote and scenic wonder hidden in the heart of the Southern Oregon Coast Range. Nestled between the Smith and Umpqua rivers, the area is home to bears, otters and spotted owls. Colossal Douglas fir and hemlock trees flourish in the unruly, almost impenetrable landscape. Conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts have long urged the state’s congressional delegation to permanently protect this wildland area, which is named after a terraced waterfall along a section of Wassen Creek. “Decades of work have gone into protecting the Devil’s Staircase area,” said Chandra LeGue, a field coordinator for the advocacy group Oregon Wild. “The towering ancient forests of this Coast Range wilderness, and the unique rock formations and beautiful waterfalls along Wassen Creek are one step closer to being protected as a legacy for future generations.” The legislation also adds 256 miles of Oregon waterways teeming with steelhead and salmon to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, including segments of the Molalla, Elk and Chetco rivers. The Chetco River, which runs through the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, as well as 40 miles of Rogue River tributaries, will receive new protections from mining and future dam installations under the bill. The public lands package also includes legislation that creates a designated steelhead habitat along the North Umpqua River and addresses wildfire protection issues near the Crooked River Ranch, a community in Central Oregon. Earlier versions of Wyden’s Oregon Wildlands Act had included the creation of recreation areas along the Rogue and Molalla rivers as well as a 60,000-acre expansion of the Wild Rogue Wilderness Area. All three were cut from the final bipartisan bill.