The May 2009 report is now available:

Vital Signs Indicators Project – State of the Gorge 2009

A report on the conditions of scenic, natural, economic, cultural and recreation resources in the

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

View the press release!

View the schedule of report presentations in gorge communities near you!

View the memorandum provided at the presentations.

The Vital Signs Indicators Project has several goals: 

• Develop a set of high level measures to assess the conditions of gorge resources
• Inform future plan review sessions, and guide adaptive management
• Build new and strengthen existing relationships with our partner agencies and gorge communities
• Share information through community presentations and a dedicated website 

The Gorge Commission and USDA Forest Service Scenic Area Office staffs are working together as partners on this project.  In the spring of 2008, Commission and Forest Service staff worked with a Community Advisory Team and a Technical Advisory Team to develop a set of vital sign indicators: high level measures of Gorge health that are not only grounded in good science, but are important to community as well.

The Community and Technical Advisory Teams met regularly over a six month period to create the vital signs. Oregon State University’s Institute for Natural Resources observed the process as an independent third party to ensure neutrality and transparency.  Click here to view the Institute of Natural Resources' Final Report. The entire project is overseen by the Commission’s five member Assessment Committee.

Existing data was collected and analyzed by staff where possible, but in many cases, data was not available. New methodologies for future data development, collection and reporting are in progress. Please follow this link to the list of 51 indicators that were developed through the advisory team process.

Our next step is to share the information we’ve collected with our communities and partner agencies. We will be scheduling public presentations of the report in each of the gorge urban areas in the months of June and July.  Please visit the ‘meetings and notices’ page to view upcoming meeting schedules. A dedicated website is currently under construction to make all of the Vital Signs Indicators information available to everyone. As new information is collected, it will be posted as the most current available information.

Links to more information:

Community Advisory Team (CAT):

Community Advisory Team Roster

Community Advisory Team Charter

Community Advisory Team Summary Report (written by Chair Cheatham)

Technical Advisory Team (TAT):

Technical Advisory Team Roster

Technical Advisory Team Charter

Technical Advisory Team Summary Report (written by Chair Wolff)

If you would like to be listed as a potential technical or data resource for the Technical Advisory Team to contact, please contact Angie Kenney at (509) 493-3323 extension 232 or by clicking here to send her an email.

View Additional Timelines:

Project stages

Detailed advisory team timeline

Diagrams:

Master list of all 51 Vital Signs Indicators

Advisory team members

Project Goals and Objectives

Indicators Criteria

Meeting Notes:

Meeting notes will be posted as they become available. Please click on the meeting dates below to view meeting notes. Keep checking back for new notes!

Technical Advisory Team Meetings:

October 11, 2007; October 25, 2007; November 16, 2007; November 29, 2007; December 13, 2007; January 28, 2008; February 25, 2008; April 3, 2008

Technical Advisory Team Sub-Group Meetings:

Scenic: December 13, 2007; January 9, 2008; January 22, 2008

Natural: November 8, 2007; January 14, 2008; March 6, 2008

Economic: December 6, 2007; January 7, 2008; March 5, 2008

Cultural: December 11, 2007; January 8, 2008; January 22, 2008; February 12, 2008 ; March 19, 2008;

Recreation: November 21, 2007; January 11, 2008; January 22, 2008; February 12

Community Advisory Team Meetings:

December 6, 2007; January 7, 2008; January 28, 2008; February 25, 2008; March 21, 2008; April 3, 2008

Joint Advisory Team Meetings:

December 13, 2007; January 28, 2008; February 25, 2008; April 3, 2008 (an audio recording is available for this meeting upon request)

Indicators Related Assessment Committee Meetings:

July 27, 2007; August 10, 2007; September 6, 2007; October 8, 2007; November 8, 2007; December 10, 2007; February 5, 2008; March 19, 2008; April 25, 2008; August 5, 2008; October 29, 2008;

View our current list of upcoming meetings here.

Angie Kenney is the lead planner for the Indicators project. If you have any questions or would like additional information about the Vital Signs Indicators Project, please contact Angie by email or by calling her at (509) 493-3323 extension 232.