View the Future April 2026 Newsletter

Gretchen Dubie
Apr 2
8 min read

Director's Message

"We preserve, protect, and enhance the natural environment through collaborative actions for scientific, educational, recreational, cultural, and economic goals that benefit the Yachats community and its future generations."

April always brings a quiet invitation to pause and reflect, and with it, Earth Day. First observed in 1970, Earth Day was born out of a growing awareness that our lands, waters, and wildlife needed stronger protection. It marked a turning point — when people across the country began to recognize that caring for the Earth is not someone else’s responsibility, but something we all share. More than fifty years later, that message feels just as urgent, and just as local.

Here on the Central Oregon Coast, Earth Day isn’t an abstract idea. It lives in the forested ridgelines we are working to protect, in the watersheds that sustain our communities, and in the quiet, enduring relationships between people and place. The landscapes we care for are not just scenic — they are living systems, shaped over generations and carrying forward into the future.

Recently, I finished reading The Grizzlies and Us by Lynn Seus, a powerful reflection on coexistence, conservation, and what it means to share landscapes with the natural world. One idea that stayed with me is this: conservation is not just about protecting land from something but protecting it for something — for the life it holds, for the stories it carries, and for the generations who will come after us.

Earth Day reminds us that lasting change often begins at the local level — with individuals, neighbors, families and communities choosing to care deeply about the places they call home. That sentiment feels especially true in our work. Preserving places like Yachats Ridge is not only about today’s view or today’s use — it is about ensuring that the integrity of these lands remains intact, so that future generations can experience the same sense of connection, belonging, and responsibility that we feel now. We recently met with Kevin and Irene Gallagher, as they were reflecting on the importance of preserving Yachats Ridge for their son’s future in this community.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/v2R4Gj06T04

Thank you, Kevin and Irene, for being part of that care. Let us all be sure that Sean gets to visit Yachats Ridge in 30 years with his children! With our community’s support, we can ensure that the lands and waters we cherish today will continue to thrive for generations to come.

In gratitude,

Gretchen

Conservation Corner

804 North Rehabilitation Project Update by Joanne Kittel

Have any of you visited the 804 N. Trail yet? Quite a difference! The rehabilitation of the 804 N. could not have been possible if not for the generosity of Drew Roslund and the Fireside $1 Opt-out Fund that is restricted to projects on the 804 N. and 804 S. These funds are under the umbrella of View the Future (VtF). In this case the funds spent are administered and coordinated by VtF and its 804 Committee. Members are Brian Fowler and Patrick Newell, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD), and Drew Roslund.

OPRD agreed to be the contractors spending their own valuable staff time and some of their designated trail funds. Archaeologist Stacey Scott, (OPRD) and Dr. Maury Morgenstein, (Geosciences Management International (GMI)) were supervisors. This project could have more than doubled in cost if it were not for OPRD contracting and the 13 additional volunteers. In addition to OPRD’s time, the already dedicated and very experienced Yachats City Trails volunteers and OPRD staff spent a total of 462 hours on the rehabilitation work! This involved meticulous onsite planning, writing reports, the use of operating machinery, hauling countless wheel barrels of stone/gravel, raking, digging etc. With consultation from the Midcoast Watersheds Council staff, Doug Sestrich, Wally Orchard, YIPS Leader and Joanne Kittel, they planted strawberry, kinnikinnic, and salal to stabilize one area.

Our heartfelt thanks to Trails Leaders Bob Langley, Wally Orchard and Kevin Erdahl, and Trails volunteers, Meg Simons, Ron Simons, Michael Hempen, John Pravel, Matthew DeVecchio, George Giroux, Andy Doremus, and Phillip Lumley; OPRD’s staff Doug Sestrich, Scott Puskar, Heather Townsend, Howard Crockett, Patrick Newell, Brian Fowler and Stacey Scott.

More work is scheduled in April to hopefully finish this important project.

Dollar Opt-out funds are also being pledged to the construction of the Estuary Boardwalk Project. The Committee is in discussion planning more projects.

Community enhancing projects can be realized with collaborative partnerships that focus on implementation.

1% for wildlife win: HB 4134 has passed both chambers and is at the Governor’s desk for signature.

This bill Increases the state lodging tax by 1.25% and creates a dedicated funding stream for wildlife and habitat conservation. It had broad bipartisan support across conservation, ranching, hunting, and business groups. This is expected to generate tens of millions of dollars annually for species and habitat protection.

This is being called a “landmark” conservation funding bill because Oregon has hundreds of species in decline and historically underfunded programs and this creates reliable, long-term funding instead of one-time grant funding. Even with this increase, Oregon would still have the 3rd lowest statewide tourism tax in the country.

Partners Protecting

The Hwy 101 Pollinator Project by Maxine Centala

You may occasionally see the bright orange vests of volunteers for the Hwy 101 Pollinator Project along the 25 miles in south Lincoln County. They plant native plants that especially support native pollinators in areas designated by ODOT every autumn, and in spring and summer care for the new plants by weeding and watering. The group also erected an interpretive sign about pollinators at their planting site in Seal Rock.

In winter the volunteers also cut Scotch broom along the highway to help keep the highway free of herbicide application between the Lane County line and the Yaquina Bay Bridge. This section of Hwy 101 has been free of annual herbicide applications since 2007. This project of the local nonprofit Concerned Citizens for Clean Air welcomes volunteers. More details can be found at www.concernedcitizensforcleanair.org

Stop in here to learn the buzz about our beloved native pollinators: https://birdwatchinghq.com/bees-in-oregon/

Volunteer Spotlight:

Jo Crooks

Jo Crooks brings a lifetime of community service and dedication to non-profit volunteer service and View the Future is happy to be added to her list. Since moving to Yachats in 2002, when she took her first volunteer position for the “Lunch Bunch,” she has served on numerous local boards, including Friends of the Commons, Polly Plumb Productions, and YFAP, naming just a couple, while also remaining deeply connected to Minnesota, where she and her husband “Sonny” — a Dakota tribal elder and one of the original 13 members of the Mdewakanton Tribe — maintain a home.

A retired artist and businesswoman, Jo has long supported arts, culture, and community initiatives across both regions. Recently, Jo volunteers for View the Future as a dedicated volunteer driver for the Yachats Ridge Tours, helping others experience the landscapes she has come to deeply value.

“I believe in the mission,” Jo says when asked why she volunteers for VtF. What began as curiosity about the difference between a viewshed and a watershed became a lasting commitment after seeing the Ridge firsthand. She now understands the critical connection between the forested hillsides and the water systems below — and the importance of preserving these places not just for their beauty, but for their role in sustaining the community. She fondly states that Gerdemann Botanical Garden is one of those priority places she also values in the community.

Jo’s passion, perspective, and generosity of time continue to help others see why protecting places like the Ridge, and the Indigenous history here, matters for generations to come. Her bright disposition and equally colorful hair reflect her generosity in spirit and the vibrant energy she brings to everyone and everything she touches. Thank you, Jo!

Amanda

a poem by Michelle Andre

I have woven a tiny wreath from the grasses that grow by the sea

The shrine is there, below

The statue, her name is Amanda

Deep among the guardian trees

Draped in beads and charms and silken ribbons, crystals shimmer around her, a doll and an apple, tokens of sorrow, joy, apology and hope

Her story is written beside her

Driven from her ancient lands

An old woman blind and bloody

She was pushed along this trail I walk on now

Her story is written here to remind us to not forget

But history repeats itself

These white men still ride their proverbial horses,

Cruel fools, tyrants, bullies

We will bloody the ground before us and behind us, they say to me, this is how it has always been, we can’t forget the things we refuse to learn

Rage slinks around my waist and digs in

But then I touch the plaited strands in my pocket

I look up

Remember why I am here

And I turn to her, nestled in her kingdom

I feel her forgiveness fill the forest,

she says more in her tranquility than I can hear over the thrum of injustice in my belly

Her quiet is the message

And among the beetle step and wing flutter

The silent slugs and the crack of the woodpecker

Deep in the soaring cypress and surf sound

I brush gossamer from her face

And I lay my offering down at her feet

Cultural Presentations & Events

Tour of Yachats Ridge -April 11th 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM PDT

Learn more and sign up here: https://www.viewthefuture.org/event-details/tour-of-the-yachats-ridge-7.

This tour is free - donations are welcome!

Communications tower on top of Ridge

Earth Day Hike: April 22nd, 2026 @ 10:00 am

Participants will meet at 1010 Hwy 101, at the big white house with a red library box out front. We will Park and start the mile hike to the Grotto and will continue the 2-mile hike up to the Cape Perpetua Parking lot for those wishing to continue.

🥾 Breaking it down from the start:

~3 miles total one way

First ~1 mile = moderate (to the Amanda statue area)

Last ~2+ miles = steep, sustained climb

Devin Boss: What We Lost Along the Way

April 26th, 2:00 pm @ Yachats Commons

Join us in welcoming the return of award‑winning filmmaker Devin Boss as our upcoming featured speaker. Devin was featured at the Land and Sea Symposium this year featuring his short film, "What We Lost Along the Way," and left us wanting to hear more! Boss recently won a Best Shorts Award in the international Best Shorts Competition. Boss explores the often‑complicated relationship black people have with nature, asking the honest question, “Why do we assume this isn’t for us?” Don’t miss this chance to hear directly from a storyteller whose work is inspiring people to reconnect—with themselves, with each other, and with nature. -Suggested donation: $10.00

In Our Own Words: Honoring Whale A Centering Tribal Story

June 6th, @ 1pm Amanda Gathering Area

The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians invite the community to an afternoon of shared learning and conversation focused on the cultural, historical, and contemporary significance of the Tribe’s relationship with the ocean and honoring the whale.

This gathering will be led by the Tribe and supported by the voices of Lisa Norton, Todd Logan, Josh Rilatos, Zena Green, and Angela Sondenaa, whose participation reflects a collective commitment to cultural responsibility, lived experience, and respectful storytelling. Held in a natural outdoor setting, the event will center Tribal perspectives and values, offering space for listening, reflection, and dialogue. The afternoon is intended to be welcoming, meaningful, and grounded in cultural integrity, honoring the Tribe’s responsibility to share its story in its own way and on its own terms.

- Suggested donation: $10.00

Learn more here: https://www.viewthefuture.org/event-details/honoring-whale-a-centering-tribal-story

Our Children’s Trust: Co-Executive Director Matt Dos Santos August 16^th – Yachats Commons 2:00pm Suggested donation: $10.00

The world’s only non-profit public interest law firm dedicated exclusively to securing the legal rights of youth to a healthy atmosphere and safe climate, based on the best available science.

View the Future is honored to welcome Mat dos Santos from Our Children’s Trust https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/ to Yachats for a special presentation on the intersection of climate, law, and the future of our lands and waters. Save the date and stay tuned for more information!