About Us

The Mt. St. Helens Preservation Society is dedicated to preserving our natural resources and human heritage in and around the Mount St. Helens Volcano National Monument. After the May 18, 1980 eruption, the area around the mountain has been under tremendous change and controversy. This organization was formed in an attempt to maintain and preserve the area.     We are dedicated to the preservation of all WILDLIFE in and around the area by working with all agencies for controlled permit harvesting and game management for all people. We work to document the increase in poaching and malicious shooting, animal cruelty and wastage of game.     Our "ADOPT AN ACRE" program aims to involve individuals, businesses and corporations in a $100 contribution program to fund the reseeding of Toutle valley elk habitat. We have reseeded dozens of acres so far to provide winter forage for the herds. During the harsh winter of 1998 almost one-third of the resident herd died from starvation; we are working hard to prevent a repeat of this.     We work to control GARBAGE AND DUMPING by patrolling in and around the Mt. St. Helens area (including the Mt. St. Helens Tree Farm) for illegal dumpsites. We have participated in two major clean-up programs during the summer of 1999, but illegal dumping continues to be a major problem in the area.     We are working with state and federal agencies to aid the RESTORATION OF SALMON AND STEELHEAD to the rivers and tributaries of the North Fork of the Toutle River. Top: Heading out for a reseeding Work Party. Bottom: Club members at the March 2001 Loowit Valley Mud Flow Elk Count.                                     We are building a network of volunteers to record and report all vandalism to equipment, buildings and the forest in and around the Mt. St. Helens Area. This includes scheduling night patrols.     By working with private, country, state and federal agencies, we are involved in PLANNING FOR PUBLIC ACCESS AND RECREATIONAL USE for today and tomorrow. We are currently putting together a proposal for a new trail up the south side of the North Fork of the Toutle.     None of this gets done without the help or support of people like you.     If you are interested in any of the topics listed above and would like to be part of the solution, please attend one of our meetings (see the Calendar page.) You don't have to live in the local area to become a financial core member; just go to the "JOIN US" page and fill out the membership application. If you would just like to make a financial donation to further our efforts, we're happy to tell you it is tax-deductible!