In the early ’80s, when construction started on the
massive Glen Jackson bridge across the Columbia River, opening up
the Washington side of the river to Portland commuter sprawl, Nancy
Russell took action. She founded the 3,200-member Friends of the
Columbia Gorge, parlayed hard-won media backing for protection of
the Gorge into support from local senators, and even loaned out her
own money to buy crucial pieces of private property along the
river.
The bridge went up, but Russell’s efforts
paid off in another way: In 1986, the Columbia River Gorge was
declared a National Scenic Area, the nation’s first. That
legislation promotes economic development in 13 existing urban
areas in the Gorge while establishing a set of land-use regulations
intended to protect the natural and scenic resources in the rest of
the area.
Last fall, The Conservation Fund
recognized Russell’s hard work with the American Land Conservation
Award and $50,000 from the Catto Charitable Foundation.
Nonetheless, the fight to protect the river goes on, and Russell
notes that there’s “still constant pressure to weaken land-use
protection.”
To nominate a “citizen
conservationist” for the American Land Conservation Award, go to
www.conservationfund.org, or call
703/525-6300.
Contact Friends of the Columbia
Gorge at www.gorgefriends.org or 503/241-3762.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Columbia Champion.
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