New Protections for Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood on the Horizon
Mount Hood National Forest. Photo credit: Leah Berman. Molala, Kalapuya, Chinookan Clackamas, Shinookan Wascos, Northern Paiute, and Sahaptin land.
The author’s children at Multnomah Falls, which is receiving increased visitation in recent years.
Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge are famous for their world-class recreation opportunities, including whitewater paddling, kiteboarding, hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, camping, backcountry and cross-country skiing, and climbing all close to population centers in Portland and the Gorge. From the majesty of snow-capped Mt. Hood to the drama of some of the country’s tallest waterfalls to the spectacular vistas of the Columbia River from the Gorge, it is truly a special place.
Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) is taking action to protect this incredible landscape, and improve and enhance the outdoor recreation opportunities it provides. His recently-introduced bill, Mt. Hood and Columbia River Gorge Recreation Enhancement and Conservation Act, offers much-needed protections, enhancements, and updates for Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge. Our team worked closely with the office to shape the bill so that it will protect outdoor recreation, conserve valued lands and waters, and prioritize equitable access.
Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge are incredibly popular recreation destinations, and the area needs careful planning, protection, trail development, and management to ensure that recreation is enjoyable and sustainable. The bill will protect 350,000 acres of new National Recreation Area; nearly 8,000 acres of Wilderness; and 92 miles of Wild & Scenic Rivers. We are particularly excited about the following provisions:
Improving coordination to plan for sustainable recreation enhancement, access, and transportation. We can develop more sustainable trails where they are needed and connect trails to offer more contiguous hiking and mountain biking opportunities.
Authorize appropriations (funding from Congress) to help ensure land managers have the resources they need to manage sustainable recreation on the Mt. Hood Forest and in the Gorge.
Expanded protections around the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood: the bill would expand both National Recreation Area and Wilderness protections, increasing protections tenfold from the 2009 bill, with 350,000 acres of new National Recreation Area and nearly 8,000 acres of new Wilderness. These protections would limit development like logging, and used in combination, can ensure that activities like mountain biking and sustainable trail development, are maintained.
Supporting Tribal treaty rights. Treaty rights for the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation include rights—particularly around food gathering—that have been harmed by past actions on the Forest, including Wilderness designations. The bill will support Tribal co-management and the incorporation of traditional ecological knowledge in land management decisions through Indian Treaty Resources Emphasis Zones.
Wildfire planning. As the devastating fire in the Gorge in 2017 made all too apparent, this region is at high risk of wildfire. Protecting the area from wildfire is critical, and this bill offers a modern approach to mitigate fire risk through prescribed burns and other ecologically sound treatment practices.
Pacific Crest Trail protections: the bill will also protect and enhance the PCT experience by directing the Forest Service to make protective revisions to the Mt. Hood Forest Plan.
92 miles of new Wild & Scenic Rivers.
Improving transportation to the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood. With increased visitation, there is need for better public transportation opportunities and improving parking and winter recreation access in the area.
Outdoor recreation is a major part of the economy in Oregon, and access to Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge also makes the area a valued place to live, work, and play, adding value to industries across the region. Mt. Hood and the Gorge are also jewels of the Pacific Northwest, beloved by the millions who spend time outside, hiking, paddling, mountain biking, climbing, skiing, and camping every year. It is also notable that the area is home to two of Outdoor Alliance’s staff members, who have collectively spent thousands of hours on the water and on the trails in the area.
Lawmakers need support, especially from Oregon and Washington residents, to move ahead with this bill. We’ve made it easy to send a quick message to your members of Congress, asking them to protect the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood. Check out the maps and take action below:
Click to enlarge.
Click to enlarge.