Join us for these events!

Restoring our natural areas

SOLV-Intel Washington County Clean and Green

Saturday, October 21, 9am - 1pm

Friends of Beaverton Creek Site:

Beaverton Creek at Milikan Way

Volunteers will plant a variety of upland plants in an area previously inhabited by Himalayan blackberry. Register online at http://www.solv.org/programs/clean_and_green.asp or call (503) 844-9571 x330

We have ongoing work parties at these sites:

Cedar Mill Park in Cedar Mill

Join us and Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District to restore this local park. The park is located west of Cedar Mill Elementary School at NW Cornell and 103rd Ave. Please park in the lower lot of the school and meet at the picnic tables.

Noble Woods Park in Hillsboro

Assist the return of native plants in this beautiful park while enjoying getting to know others in the community and going on a nature walk during break. We will remove invasive English ivy to promote survival of native trees and other plants.

Meet in lot at 23480 W Baseline Road (just west of NW 231st). To register call Amanda at 503-629-6305 or awilson@rcwp.org.

Our stellar volunteer Daniel in front of tree covered with dying ivy

Cedar Mill Wetland in Cedar Mill

Enjoy your morning getting to know others in the community, seeing and hearing birds and wildlife, and restoring habitat that humans and wildlife depend on. The wetland is by Teufel Nursery in Cedar Mill on NW Barnes Rd between NW Cornell and Cedar Hills Blvd.

With Cedar Mill Creek Watershed Watch (CMCWW) and The Wetlands Conservancy. Contact call Amanda at 503-629-6305 or awilson@rcwp.org.

.

Enjoying Our Natural Areas

Summer Guided Watershed Tours

This summer we explored our subwatersheds and creeks. We learned about native and cultural history, natural history of the area, current restoration projects, problems facing our watershed, and native plants.

Friends of Beaverton Creek at Milikan Way, north of TV Hwy

(They planted the trees beyond the bridge 10 years ago!)

Some of the areas we visited were the Natural Area Preserve at PCC-Rock Creek, Washington County Historical Society, Cedar Mill Wetland, Clean Water Services Operation Facility that handles stormwater on site, and Friends of Beaverton Creek's restoration site they started 10 years ago!

Check back next spring to see scheduled tours for summer 2007.

Summer Guided Bug Walk - family friendly

On July 22 entomologist Matthew Shepherd led a gentle walk along Bethany Creek to discover the richness of insect life this suburban area supports. It was amazing seeing up close all the different flies and bees usually overlooked by the casual observer.

Sweat bees are among the bees best able to cope with degraded environments, because they can forage on a wide range of flowers. Sweat bees nest in the ground, each female digging out her own nest tunnel. They are active for a few weeks during the summer, and remain in the nest as a pupa throughout the winter.

Check back next spring to see scheduled tours for summer 2007.

Northwest Earth Institute Discussion Course

If you would like your group to participate in NWEI's Sense of Place discussion course, contact us. The purpose of this course is:

- To understand the meaning of a bioregional perspective, and what it would mean to develop one.
- To consider the benefits of consciously developing an intimate relationship with your place.
- To explore what it might mean to protect the place where you live.

The time commitment is 2 hours/week for 9 weeks. This includes 1 hour of reading and 1 hour of group discussion each week. We cover the cost of the class for up to 15 people.

Naturescaping for Clean Rivers

We currently don't have any scheduled for this year. To find out about workshops scheduled for your area, or to help organize one, call 503-797-1842 or email naturescaping@yahoo.com.

Naturescaping is landscaping with native plants using environmentally friendly gardening methods. Native plants are resistant to native pests and diseases and require less water and less, if any, chemical application. Using native groundcover suited to the climate, in combination with planting trees and shrubs, can reduce or eliminate weeding. Naturescaping can also address pollution problems by helping to control erosion, and reduce polluted runoff.

At the FREE four-hour Basic workshop, you’ll view before and after Naturescaping examples, learn about some useful native plants, get advice on landscape design and native gardening, receive a workbook and a free native plant, network with neighbors, and take a field trip to a nearby project.

For other events in the basin, see Tualatin River Watershed Council Calendar