Size: 55 acres
Location: Clark County, WA
Acquired: 2018
Transferred: Donated to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2019
This lovely, hillside woodland provides 55 acres of oak habitat that many migratory birds need. The Oregon white oak has been in decline, and the State of Washington lists it as a priority habitat to be protected. More than 200 vertebrate and an abundance of invertebrate species live within these woodlands. The property was temporarily saved by a conservation buyer in 2013 who stopped a buyer who wanted to build a private airstrip and home on the land.
Upland Oaks is now part of Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
Latest News
Keep updated on Friends' work, news stories, and the work happening in the Columbia Gorge.
Photo Courtesy of Larry McCombs.
Appeals court ruling sets stage for protection of western gray squirrel in Washington state
February 19, 2026
A decision by the Washington State Court of Appeals on February 9, 2026, adds significant momentum to efforts to protect the state-endangered western gray squirrel in Washington, particularly in Klickitat County. The appeals court decision also highlights the ongoing failures of the Washington Department of Natural Resources to comply with the law and propose critical habitat for this imperiled species, as required by state law.
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.