Southwest Neighborhoods, Inc.
2009 Gabriel Earth Day

SW Watershed Riffles

In This Issue
Volunteer Opportunities
BES Open House 2/23
Rainwater Harvesting 3/5
Marquam Hike 3/13
Ecoroof Portland 3/18
Natural Gardening
Watershed Events
Watershed Links




Connect with other
Southwest Watershed Stewards!

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Watershed

Volunteer Opportunities

 

 

 2009 Gabriel Earth Day

 Work parties:

See Calendar below
for natural areas &
Friends groups
work party info! 
Events are happening nearly every weekend in natural areas around SW Portland.
  
  
  
Outreach events:
Help staff a watershed booth at Trillium Festival, the Farmers Market, or a summer concert!  Meet folks in the community and share information about things to do at home for watershed health!  
  
  
  
WRC education program
      
Youth programs:
Did you know that the Watershed Center offers education programs for a variety of ages?  Learn how to spark interest & curiosity for watersheds and natural history in exchange for volunteering your time!
  
  
  
  
   

 For more information about volunteer opportunities, 
contact Jen at  503-823-2862.

  
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love your watershed!

 

 

February 2011

 

 

TCWC fern
  
Ahh, winter.  It may seem rather dreary outside at times, but make no mistake.  Now is the perfect time to take a look at your yard in a different light (a slightly greyer light, perhaps), make plans, put new plants in the ground, build those root systems, start new growth below the surface that won't fully unfold above ground for several months.  It's one of the best ways you can show your love for the wildlife, soil and overall health of the watershed!
  
If you live on a steep slope on the west side of the Willamette, choosing native plants with deeper root systems can help hold the soil in place and prevent erosion.  Trees can also help store and infiltrate rainfall during our winter storms;
a mature native conifer can store up to 30% of the surge and release it slowly over time.  If you plant a tree this season (no later than April 30, but the sooner, the better), check out the BES Treebate program to get a utility bill credit.
  

Learn more about how to work with the ecosystem in your backyard at a Landscaping for Conservation workshop.  Take advantage of upcoming native plant sales to start putting those visions into action. 

Finally, remember that we're in this for the long haul.  Putting native plants in the ground means committing to care for them with summer watering, and continuing to monitor and remove invasive plants that compete for sun and nutrients. For inspiration, read this history of volunteer stewardship at 670-acre Tryon Creek State Natural Area!

 

 

 

Texas Green StreetBureau of Environmental Services

Southwest Watersheds Open House
Wednesday, February 23rd, 5:30-7:30 pm

Multnomah Arts Center
Senior Center Capitol Room
7688 SW Capitol Hwy

 

Help improve the future of your watershed -- stop by on your way home for refreshments and door prizes!  Learn about projects under consideration and in further stages of design for the Fanno, Tryon, and Willamette watersheds in SW Portland, and give your input. 

 

For information online, visit www.portlandonline.com/bes/watersheds.

 

 

Introduction to Rainwater Harvesting  

March 5, 2011 

9:00 am - 1:00 pm

FREE
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge 

19255 SW Pacific Hwy, Sherwood, OR 97140

 

Join Tualatin Soil & Water Conservation District and Maria Cahill of Green Girl Land Development Solutions for a FREE 4-hour introduction to rainwater harvesting.

 

Please register by Friday, February 25 to 503-648-3174 x102 or [email protected]

 

 

Friends of Marquam Spring Hike
Sunday, March 13
9:30-noon
  
Join the Friends of Marquam Nature Park for a guided hike as we look for signs of spring in the park. Meet at the Marquam Shelter on SW Marquam St just off of Sam Jackson Park Rd. See www.fmnp.org for details. Questions? Call Robin Jensen at 503-799-8435.

 

 

Ecoroof Portland 2011  

Friday, March 18
Oregon Convention Center Hall B
10am - 6pm
  
Learn more about how ecoroofs work, meet trade specialists, and get information about incentives at this event.  More details at Ecoroof Portland 2011
  
  
Friends of April Hill Park Work Party
Saturday, March 19
  
Join Friends of April Hill Park for a morning work party to remove invasive plants and protect the rare wetland habitat in this neighborhood park!  Wear sturdy boots.  Gloves, tools, and refreshments provided.  Contact [email protected] for more information.
  
  
Free Natural Gardening Programs!

 

Metro and OSU Extension Master Gardener Program are collaborating once again to provide free natural gardening programs this spring and summer.  Any group of 20 or more people can request a program.
  
Additional low-cost programs on specific gardening topics are offered in collaboration with the City of Portland Urban Growth Bounty Program and on the Metro calendar.
  

 


 


Upcoming Watershed Events


Feb 12: Dickinson Park Stewards work party
Feb 12: Friends of April Hill Park work party
Feb 12: Friends of Terwilliger work party
Feb 12: Tryon Creek State Park work party
Feb 14: Tryon Creek Watershed Council meeting
Feb 15: West Multnomah FISH grant deadline
Feb 19: Landscaping for Conservation, Friends of Tryon Creek
Feb 19: PP&R work party, Gabriel Park
Feb 19: South Portland Riverbank work party
Feb 20: Shomrei Teva at Neveh Shalom work party
Feb 23: 4-County CWMA Pull Together, Metro (register by Feb 18)
Feb 23: BES SW Portland Open House, Multnomah Arts Center
Feb 26: Friends of Marquam Nature Park work party
Feb 26: Friends of Vermont Creek work party, Gabriel Park
Feb 26: Friends of Woods Park work party
Feb 26: Tryon Creek State Park work party
Feb 28: Friends of Vermont Creek meeting, Multnomah Lucky Lab
Mar 5: Rainwater Harvesting Workshop, Tualatin River NWR
Mar 8: Bridlemile Creek Stewards meeting, WRC
Mar 8: South Portland Riverbank Partners meeting, DEQ
Mar 12: Dickinson Park Stewards work party
Mar 12: Friends of Terwilliger work party
Mar 12: Tryon Creek State Park work party
Mar 13: Friends of Marquam Nature Park Spring Hike
Mar 14: Tryon Creek Watershed Council meeting
Mar 18: Ecoroof Portland, Convention Center
Mar 19: Friends of April Hill work party
Mar 19: South Portland Riverbank work party
Mar 20: Shomrei Teva at Neveh Shalom work party
Mar 26: Friends of Marquam Nature Park work party
Mar 26: Friends of Vermont Creek work party, Gabriel Park
Mar 26: Friends of Woods Park work party
Mar 26: Tryon Creek State Park work party
Mar 28: Friends of Vermont Creek meeting, Multnomah Lucky Lab
Apr 7: West Willamette Restoration Partnership meeting
Apr 12: Bridlemile Creek Stewards meeting, WRC
Apr 12: South Portland Riverbank Partners, DEQ


  

Watershed Links
Bureau of Environmental Services watershed planning & projects
Metro natural gardening presentations
Portland Parks & Recreation natural areas work parties
Watershed Resource Center Watershed Stewards group links, WRC hours
  

 

For healthy SW watersheds!
-Jen
SWNI logoJen Seamans
Watershed Resource Center Coordinator
Southwest Neighborhoods, Inc.
503-823-2862
[email protected]
http://wrc.swni.org
Comments
Have an idea for a future Riffles newsletter, a SWNI news article, or the WRC website?   Does your group have questions that other SW groups would benefit from hearing?  Suggestions are encouraged - just call or email!