WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Gordon Smith on Thursday endorsed a Democratic plan to create federal wilderness protection for nearly 14,000 acres of national forest land along Oregon’s southern coast.

The Copper Salmon Wilderness proposed by Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Peter DeFazio would protect 13,700 acres of coastal forest and salmon streams at the headwaters of the Elk River near Port Orford.

The Democratic lawmakers said the bill would prevent logging, mining and road building in the designated area, but allow hunting and fishing to continue.

The proposed wilderness is part of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and is considered one of the best habitats on the West Coast for Chinook salmon, winter steelhead, coho salmon, cutthroat trout and rainbow trout.

“Wilderness is not a designation I take lightly, nor is it something that I categorically oppose,” Smith said at a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s subcommittee on forests and public lands. “The Copper Salmon proposal has a tremendous level of support from local elected officials, sportsmen and conservationists.”

Wyden’s chief of staff, Josh Kardon, welcomed Smith’s endorsement, which he called “critical” to the bill’s passage.

Wyden and Smith have proposed separate legislation designating an additional 125,000 acres around Mount Hood as wilderness. That bill is pending in the Senate.

Smith, in a statement, said he was optimistic that a number of questions about the Copper Salmon plan would be resolved, including boundaries of the proposed wilderness and access to the area by the Coquille Indian Tribe.

“I want to be sure that cultural gathering activities are not impeded by a wilderness designation,” Smith said, referring to the tribe.