We've had a busy fall improving land in the Columbia Gorge. Over the course of five work parties at four of our land trust properties in non-fire-affected areas, Friends' stewardship volunteers gave back to this beautiful place and got a lot done in the process.

Projects included:

• Pulling out and removing hundreds of feet of fence at Lyle Cherry Orchard to ensure free passage of wildlife. We’ve been chipping away at this project for years and are finally done removing the old deer fence that surrounded the old cherry orchard at the terminus of the trail.
• Tackling a mountain of garbage with a 20-person work party at the new Turtle Haven Preserve the Wonder property, filling a large dumpster to the top! We also removed an equal amount of metal to be recycled.
• Coordinating with Trailkeepers of Oregon (TKO) on several work parties to maintain the Mosier Plateau trail. TKO’s trail-maintenance teachings give Friends' volunteers an opportunity to learn new skills. So far we’ve restored a quarter-mile of trail, as well as reseeding disturbed areas and where invasive plant species were pulled.

Now, on to 2018! The schedule is still being finalized and more events are likely to be added, but here's a look at some of the Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust properties at which we'll be a variety of stewardship projects this year.

Interested in taking part in a Gorge land stewardship work party? Contact Sara Woods at sara@gorgefriends.org or 971-634-2038.

View Friends Stewardship Events

(Map by Andrew Oldham)