Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust

Based out of Hood River, Oregon, Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust works to preserve scenic Gorge landscapes, safeguard and steward sensitive lands, and provide public hiking trails.

Since the land trust was founded in 2005, we’ve permanently protected 43 properties totaling 1,775 acres in both Oregon and Washington. We’ve stewarded fragile Gorge lands through hundreds of work parties to remove invasive species and replant native vegetation. And we’ve helped bring together over 100 community partners to collectively promote sustainable Gorge recreation opportunities through our Gorge Towns to Trails initiative.

An Established Record of Conservation and Protection

Accredited by the Land Trust Alliance’s Land Trust Accreditation Commission for meeting the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence, Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust conserves lands across the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. We own and manage two public preserves, Lyle Cherry Orchard and Mosier Plateau, which have become beloved spots for locals and visitors alike. Friends also holds a number of private preserves to protect habitat for endangered or threatened species and to increase climate resilience by protecting forests, wetlands, and riparian areas.

Some properties are held in land trust ownership for decades, while others are short-term ownerships before transfer to public ownership to entities such as the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Oregon and Washington State Parks.

Stewardship and Education

Land acquisitions are not the sole focus of our land trust. We actively steward all of our properties, with particular emphasis on controlling non-native plants, planting natives, and maintaining trails. Many of our properties also serve as outdoor classrooms for our youth education programs, where students from local schools learn on site about Gorge wildlife, geology, botany, and water quality.

Land Trust History

Purchases by the Land Trust are rooted in the 1980s, when Friends’ founder Nancy Russell was working with others to gain federal protections for the lands of the Columbia Gorge. Nancy believed in land acquisition as the most effective tool for conserving Gorge vistas and habitats, and personally purchased 30 properties to protect them from subdivision development and other uses opposed to public enjoyment of the Gorge.

In 2004, Friends of the Columbia Gorge founder Nancy Russell was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. That same year, long-time member Norman Yeon left Friends an unrestricted bequest of $4.5 million. Nancy’s diagnosis and Norman’s generous gift led to the creation of the Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust in 2005. The trust, a 509(a)(3) support organization of the parent organization, is beholden to Friends of the Columbia Gorge but is a subsidiary of the parent organization. Nancy Russell was elected as the Land Trust’s first trustee and served until her death in 2008. In her will, she bequeathed over 600 acres of her land to Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust.

The acquisitions by Russell and the Land Trust have opened to the public thousands of acres of land that had previously been off-limits to visitors. These properties, in addition to their wildlife value, are vital in spreading the environmental and economic impacts of Gorge hiking beyond the waterfall corridor, and across the entire Gorge, from Washougal to Maryhill in Washington, and from Troutdale to Celilo in Oregon.

Partner Organizations

Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust is a member of the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts and the Washington Association of Land Trusts. We are also an accredited member of the Land Trust Alliance.