ILLUSTRATING ECOSYSTEMS: Native Turtles and Plants of the Gorge

Columbia Gorge Museum is proud to announce the opening of a new exhibition, ILLUSTRATING ECOSYSTEMS: Native Turtles and Plants of the Gorge.

 

This new exhibition highlights the often overlooked but vital roles that small species play in our delicate ecosystems, through the stories of the endangered northwestern pond turtle and the native plant life of the Columbia River Gorge. 

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In the late 1980s, surveys found that less than 150 turtles in two wild populations remained in Washington State, both located in Klickitat and Skamania counties.

 

In response, a coalition of individuals, wildlife agencies, and zoological and conservation organizations—including Frank and Kate Slavens, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Woodland Park Zoo came together in the early 1990s to rescue this tiny but important native species. In 2025, the pond turtles are up to about 800 in number occurring at 6 sites in Washington. 

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ILLUSTRATING ECOSYSTEMS weaves together the tools of scientific documentation from past and present to inform and direct our future.

 

Visitors will see antique railroad survey books, botanical photographs from the Emory and Ruth Strong Collection, preserved plant specimens, as well as images and video from wildlife conservation efforts.

 

These materials span centuries, but all share a common purpose: to observe, understand, and preserve the world around us. 

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CGM’s Mezzanine level is dedicated to natural history. ILLUSTRATING ECOSYSTEMS reflects the Museum’s commitment to telling the interconnected story of natural life, art, community, and place.