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| Friends of Mount St. Helens | |
|---|---|
| Name | Friends of Mount St. Helens |
| Formation | 1980s |
| Type | Nonprofit conservation organization |
| Headquarters | Toutle, Washington |
| Region served | Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument |
Friends of Mount St. Helens is a nonprofit organization devoted to the conservation, restoration, and public interpretation of the landscape affected by the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens (1980 eruption), operating primarily within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Cowlitz County, Washington, and the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. The group partners with federal agencies such as the United States Forest Service, state entities including the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, and local bodies like the Cowlitz Indian Tribe to support scientific research, habitat restoration, and visitor services. It has been involved with volunteers, educators, and scientists affiliated with institutions such as the United States Geological Survey, University of Washington, and Oregon State University.
Founded in the wake of renewed interest in post-eruption recovery, the organization emerged during a period when entities like the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and advocacy groups including the Sierra Club were increasingly active in Pacific Northwest conservation. Early collaborations included scientists from the USGS Cascade Volcano Observatory, biologists from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and educators from the Pacific Lutheran University and Washington State University. The group's timeline intersects with major regional events such as the designation of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument by President Ronald Reagan and legislation debated in the United States Congress affecting land management in the Columbia River Gorge and Lewis County, Washington.
The mission emphasizes ecological restoration, visitor education, and scientific support, aligning with priorities of agencies like the National Science Foundation and research programs at the Smithsonian Institution. Core activities include coordinating volunteer workdays with partners such as the Appalachian Mountain Club model of stewardship, facilitating field research for teams from the University of Oregon and University of California, Berkeley, and assisting interpretive programming linked to the Johnston Ridge Observatory and the Mount St. Helens Visitor Centers. The organization often liaises with tribal governments like the Yakama Nation and conservation NGOs including The Nature Conservancy.
Conservation efforts have targeted reforestation, invasive species control, and salmonid habitat restoration in tributaries to the Toutle River and Columbia River. Projects have included planting native species promoted by ecologists from Oregon State University and monitoring by fisheries biologists affiliated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Pacific Fisheries Management Council. Restoration work has been coordinated alongside engineering initiatives from the United States Army Corps of Engineers addressing sediment in the Cowlitz River and infrastructure projects funded through federal programs administered by the Department of the Interior.
Education programs reach schools partnered with districts such as the Ridgefield School District and higher-education collaborations with the University of Portland and Reed College. Outreach includes field trips to sites associated with the 1980 eruption, lectures featuring volcanologists from the Cascade Volcano Observatory, citizen-science initiatives modeled after projects at the California Academy of Sciences and Seattle Aquarium, and travelling exhibits shared with institutions like the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The organization supports curricula that reference findings published by researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Governance is structured with a volunteer board of directors often composed of local leaders, scientists, and representatives from partners including the Cowlitz County Museum and Skamania County. Operational coordination involves staff liaisons who communicate with agency offices such as the USFS Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument staff, legal counsel familiar with National Environmental Policy Act processes, and grant managers experienced with awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Science Foundation.
Funding sources have included membership contributions, grants from foundations like the Packard Foundation and the Bullitt Foundation, and cooperative agreements with federal partners including the US Forest Service and the National Park Service. The organization has received philanthropic support from regional donors tied to corporations headquartered in Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon, and has collaborated on projects funded through state programs administered by the Washington State Legislature and private grants from entities such as the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
Over decades the organization’s efforts have been recognized by awards and acknowledgments from institutions including the United States Forest Service, the National Park Service, and regional conservation coalitions such as the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. Its impact is reflected in restored riparian corridors feeding the Columbia River Basin, increased public visitation to interpretive sites like the Johnston Ridge Observatory, and peer-reviewed research produced in partnership with the US Geological Survey and universities including University of Washington and Oregon State University. The organization maintains ongoing collaborations with tribal entities such as the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and regional nonprofits like The Nature Conservancy to sustain long-term stewardship.
Category:Environmental organizations based in the United States Category:Mount St. Helens