Some 30 years later, the establishment of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area continues to resonate in several ways. This month marks the anniversary of the landmark legislation, which still generates debate about the use of scenic lands, the nature of politics, and the ethos of the Pacific Northwest along with the region’s commitment to conservation.
Overall, establishment of the scenic area has proved to be a valuable — although controversial — statement about the values of this region and the nation. By protecting 292,000 acres along both sides of the Columbia River from development, the act has ensured that a series of incomparable vistas will be available for future generations — a benefit that is difficult to place a cost upon.
And there have been costs. As residents of Skamania County to the east of Clark County can attest, federal protection of lands has hampered the economies of rural and forest counties along both sides of the river. When the legislation was signed into law by Ronald Reagan in 1986, the flag at the Skamania County office was flown at half-staff.
But the benefits were noted in 2011 during a ceremony marking the anniversary of the scenic area, as advocate Dan Huntington said, “Twenty-five years ago, this land was destined to become homes for rich people.” As veteran Oregon political observer Floyd McKay wrote this year for Crosscut.com: “Economic factors worked in favor of development. The boomers had discovered real estate. It was only a matter of time before as many houses as the water table could support would be built.”
We believe it is better for the public to have that land protected and preserved, with a pristine landscape still containing room for established communities to grow and thrive. We also believe the legislative power play that resulted in the establishment of the scenic area is instructive when contrasted with the politics of today. In 1984, the federal government had designated the Mono Basin in California as the nation’s first scenic area, and the Columbia River Gorge served as a much more ambitious endeavor driven by advocacy group Friends of the Columbia Gorge.
Sen. Mark Hatfield, R-Ore., led the charge in Congress and convinced Reagan to sign the law by stressing that some of the president’s favored legislation might have trouble getting through Congress if the scenic area was not approved. These days, it is difficult to imagine conservationist legislation being championed by a Republican senator and signed by a Republican president. But signed it was, entrenching a swath of land that has become a hallmark of the Pacific Northwest.
All of that, however, leads to questions about the future of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The bistate Gorge Commission oversees the area and is funded mostly through equal contributions from Washington and Oregon. That funding has been constrained in recent years as both states have dealt with other pressing obligations, and the duty of managing the Gorge and promoting an appropriate, sustainable economy must not be shirked by the legislatures.
In assessing the impact of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, let us consider the words written editorially by The Columbian five years ago: “Sometime in the future, be it 10 or 50 or 100 years from now, our descendants will travel east from Vancouver and take in the wondrous scenery of the Columbia River Gorge. And they will be thankful.” Those words ring true today.
