connie.acker@gorgecommission.org

National Scenic Area "Vital Sign Indicators" Planner
 

 
The Columbia River Gorge Commission is a bi-state public agency located in White Salmon, Washington. We are seeking a highly organized, energetic, dynamic, and passionate National Scenic Area "Vital Sign Indicators" Planner for a unique opportunity.  This position will assist the Executive Director, Commissioners and staff of the Columbia River Gorge Commission and be responsible for coordination, long-term monitoring and evaluation of indicators to measure the effectiveness of land use and resource protection policies.  This position will assist the NSA counties with monitoring compliance of standards in the National Scenic Area to protect the scenic, natural, cultural and recreation resources and will work with all levels of government, business communities, landowners and diverse stakeholders in the process of evaluating how well the Commission is meeting its obligations under the National Scenic Area Act. For more information, visit: http://gorgevitalsigns.org/
 
The Columbia River Gorge is world renowned for its outstanding scenic beauty, natural resources and recreation.  The sea-level chasm that the Columbia River cut through the Cascade Mountains, and the dramatic diverse landscapes surrounding it, has created an internationally recognized treasured landscape.  In 2009, National Geographic Traveler ranked the Gorge sixth on its list of international sustainable destinations, based in part on how its unique management system has helped it address development pressures.
 
On November 17, 1986, Congress passed the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act that established the largest National Scenic Area (NSA) in the United States. The NSA is 85 miles long and encompasses over 292,500 acres in Oregon and Washington along the Columbia River with a mosaic of working landscapes, forests, towns, and protected areas.  Oregon and Washington established the bi-state Columbia River Gorge Commission in 1987 through an interstate compact to oversee the management of the NSA through land use planning, working in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, four Columbia River Treaty Tribes, and the many Gorge communities.
 
The Columbia River Gorge Commission's agency is located in White Salmon, Washington, with a seven-member team of planners and other experts.  The Commission develops and implements policies and programs that protect and enhance the scenic, natural, cultural and recreational resources of the NSA, while encouraging economic growth to occur within existing urban areas and allowing development outside urban areas consistent with resource protection.