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  • What We Do
    • Protect & Conserve
      • Advocacy & Policy Campaigns
      • Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust
      • Our Preserves
      • Enforcing Protection Laws
      • Gorge Towns to Trails
      • Gorge Accessibility Project
    • Outdoor Engagement
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Derek Hoyte in the News

  • February 2007, Oregon Daily Journal of Commerce: On Oregon Coast, tiny Waldport may be about to double
  • February 2008, Eugene Register-Guard: Big Coast Project Dead in the Water
  • July 2009, The Seattle Times: Washougal landowner’s zip-line fight to go to trial
  • September 2009, KGW: Gorge zip line dispute ends with jail time for landowner
  • September 2010, The Columbian: Line controversy zips into Clark County
  • December 2010, The Oregonian: Feds sue Washougal-area man over Columbia Gorge zip lines
  • July 2016: Operating without a permit is way of life for Haiku zip-line business
  • November 2016, Maui News: Zipline continues operations despite lack of permit
  • January 2017, Maui News: Zipline company’s request for a new hearing denied
  • March 2018, Maui News: Haiku residents oppose proposed Jaws zip line | Owner still facing fines from current business
  • March 2022, Honolulu Civil Beat: ‘Every Scream Is Heard And Felt’: Neighbors Sue Haiku Zip Line Operator
  • March 2022, Hawaii News Now: Owner of Maui zipline company redesigns course amid multiple lawsuits over noise
  • August 2023, Camas-Washougal Post Record: Washougal property owner proposes adventure park
  • September 2023, Camas-Washougal Post Record: Washougal neighbors oppose adventure park
  • November 2023, Camas-Washougal Post Record: Skamania County enacts moratorium on recreational facilities developments
  • March 2024, Camas-Washougal Post Record: Worries about Skamania Co. ‘adventure park’ persist

Latest News

Keep updated on Friends' work, news stories, and the work happening in the Columbia Gorge.
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American bullfrog in pond weed. Photo by Peter Ziminski.

Invasive Predator: Inside the Race to Control the Deadliest Threat to Gorge Turtles

January 5, 2026
Friends of the Columbia Gorge is working with the U.S. Forest Service and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to control invasive bullfrogs across shared landscapes. Through coordinated, cross-boundary stewardship, partners have removed thousands of bullfrogs to protect the endangered Northwestern pond turtle.
Northwestern pond turtle basking on a log. Photo by Griffin Gillespie.

Native Prey: Inside a 30-Year Conservation Partnership to Save a Species

January 5, 2026
At Friends’ Turtle Haven and Alashík preserves, biologists and conservation partners are working behind the scenes to recover the endangered Northwestern pond turtle. From habitat restoration to bullfrog control and decades-long collaboration, this story traces how persistence, science, and partnership are helping a resilient species make a comeback in the Gorge.
Hikers on Dog Mountain
Hikers on Dog Mountain. Photo by Laura Kneedler.

Defending the Gorge in a Time of Unprecedented Threats

January 5, 2026
Protecting the Gorge means defending the laws, funding, and public lands that make climate resilience possible. This article outlines Friends’ recent advocacy victories—from restoring Gorge Commission funding to stopping a massive federal lands selloff and defending the Land and Water Conservation Fund—and explains why sustained policy engagement is essential for the Gorge’s future.

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