Category Archives: St. Helens area

Are there turtles in your water?

Do you have a pond or slough on your property? Now that warmer days are upon us, you might see some turtles on the logs. Our project at Columbia County Reptiles and Amphibians is recording every lake and river that is home to turtles in Columbia County. If you have a pond, stream, or sloughContinue reading “Are there turtles in your water?”

The Elusive Columbia Torrent Salamander

The only salamander that shares Columbia County’s namesake, the Columbia Torrent salamander, had never been officially recorded in the county and that just didn’t seem right. These “Torrents” were one of the first salamanders I ever searched for as their habitat niche is in the spray zones of the waterfalls I love. Years ago theContinue reading “The Elusive Columbia Torrent Salamander”

What makes Liberty Hill special

NOTE – as of December 16, 2022, the gravel mining company has re-submitted its application to destroy Liberty Hill and its camas meadow for the purposes of basalt mining for crushed rock. The deadline for public comments on their proposal is January 15. Please see the link at the bottom of this post for informationContinue reading “What makes Liberty Hill special”

Fall walk at Nob Hill Nature Park

A couple weeks ago I took a stroll at the Nob Hill Nature Park. The trail was basically empty. It provided a quiet place of beauty in the middle of downtown St. Helens. Driving up to the Plymouth Street entrance, I noticed that the adjacent water treatment facility sported quite a few birds. At leastContinue reading “Fall walk at Nob Hill Nature Park”

Nostalgia at Dalton Lake

There isn’t a natural place with more childhood memories for me than the “bike trail” by Dalton Lake. It’s where my father and I used to go running twice a week when I was in elementary school, the spot we found my first rubber boa, the hill where my soccer team trained, the woods IContinue reading “Nostalgia at Dalton Lake”