Stewardship at Turtle Haven. Photo by Cate Hotchkiss.
Guided outing at Lyle Cherry Orchard. Photo by Paloma Ayala.
Middle school students from Washougal, Washington, play during Explore the Gorge. Photo by Paloma Ayala.
Participants in our Land Steward program plant natives at Turtle Haven. Photo by Sarah Skelly.
Land Steward Program
Become a Friends Land Steward to “adopt” a preserve and help steward it over time. Email Friends’ Stewardship Volunteer Coordinator Sarah Skelly at sarah.skelly@gorgefriends.org.
Friends staff members at Summerfest 2024 at Cape Horn Preserve. Photo by Joe Wong.
Events
Interested in volunteering at Friends’ community events? Email us at friends@gorgefriends.org.
Office Work
Interested in volunteering at Friends’ office? Email us at friends@gorgefriends.org.
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 20, 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.