News

After a two-year hiatus, we were thrilled for the return of our Annual Celebration! Hosted at Rossi Farms in northeast Portland, our Annual Celebration was attended by nearly 150 friends of the Estuary Partnership. Together, we raised over $60,000 to continue our ambitious habitat restoration projects, fun and effective environmental education, and critical estuary monitoring programs! We

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership Steward of the Year award. Congratulations Rudy Salakory and Dave Pinkernell! The Steward of the Year award is an important part of the Estuary Partnership’s Annual Celebration given to those whose work has made an incredible contribution to the lower Columbia River community and ecosystem. Rudy Salakory Rudy is a

Before embarking on summer vacation, students from Spring Mountain, Oak Grove, Whitcomb and View Acres elementary schools completed a large restoration project at Meldrum Bar Park in Gladstone, Oregon. Over the course of eight days in May and June, 13 classrooms of fourth- and fifth-grade students worked in a quarter-area area to remove 100 cubic yards of blackberries and English ivy covering the

The U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis is charged with coordinating and advancing policies, strategies, and innovations to achieve substantial and permanent reductions in pollution and other activities that contribute to the climate crisis. On Wednesday, August 3 at 10 a.m., the committee convened in Astoria for a hearing titled “Building Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities

The final phase of the $32 million Steigerwald Reconnection Project begins on August 8, 2022, at Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge will close until September 30, 2022, to complete the trail system, install salmon monitoring equipment, finalize floodplain habitat improvements, and remove construction roads and the old parking lot. Visitor amenities, including interpretive

Can one species of beetle wipe out Oregon’s entire population of ash trees? Yes. Has that species of beetle been detected in Oregon? Yes. On June 30, 2022, the emerald ash borer, an exotic beetle that feeds on and kills ash trees, was discovered in Forest Grove, Oregon. When the news broke, scientists with the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership were devastated. A long email chain quickly formed

For the first time in 60 years, the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge floodplain was inundated by water from the Columbia River. From June 10-24th, the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam experienced a minor flood event. At times during this event, over 600 acres of the refuge was inundated by floodwaters, including small portions of the trail system and the Channel 3 bridge – though these

The Steigerwald Reconnection Project, a $32 million restoration project covering nearly 1000 acres of floodplain habitat at the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge, was the largest of its kind. Led by the Estuary Partnership, the enormous restoration project required the support of dozens of partners, funders, and other project advocates. To celebrate the project’s completion and the

The grand reopening ceremony of Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge was held on Saturday, May 7. We embraced the spring rains as we welcomed the community back to their Refuge. On behalf of all the project partners, we are thrilled to see the community back enjoying the Refuge. Thanks to all of our speakers and others who made the day special. Special gratitude to the drummers of the Cowlitz

Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge reopened to the public on May 1. After nearly two years of closure to construct the largest habitat restoration project ever along the lower Columbia River, the Estuary Partnership, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and all the other project partners are excited to welcome the community back to the Refuge. Public Reopening Ceremony A public reopening