Intertwine February 2013 Newsletter
Dear Friends,

Groundhog Day, eh? We judged winter's end by the sun on our new sign at Fanno Creek. And guess what, Intertwiners? Looks like today is a great [world environment] day for adventure [cards] with [our 77 best] friends!

February call-out - The Intertwine Alliance is ramping up communications, and it's not just our exciting work with Frank Creative. Look soon for a new blog showcasing voices from across The Intertwine and beyond. Who do you know that could use a soapbox? Email your ideas to Ramona.
 
Alliance Updates

77 spectacular partners. We're thrilled to welcome our newest Intertwine Alliance partners: Friends of the Columbia Gorge, Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge and the Portland Children's Museum. 

Now, let's make it excellent 88. The Alliance Development Committee wants your ideas for cultivating new partnerships, retention, equity and enhancing benefits. Contact Irene to pitch in, or read more here.

Get creative with us. Join Alliance partners in our next meeting with Frank Creative on March 6th to review options for our marketing campaign, launching this spring. This is an important opportunity to shape The Alliance's communications strategy. Contact Mike to attend.

Jobs, green jobs, and more jobs. The Alliance is exploring a study to examine the connection between business recruitment/retention and our region's network of parks, trails and natural areas. Contact Mike for more information.

Summit ho! If you didn't spy our April 26th Spring Summit Save-the-Date email, contact Irene - you don't want to miss the boat on registration starting mid-March. On deck: making the case for urban forestry, celebrating our greenspaces movement's 25th anniversary, and unveiling our new multimedia campaign and first State of The Intertwine report. 

Ready for adventure? Also debuting at our Spring Summit: our first set of Intertwine Adventure Cards, developed with the Forest Park Conservancy, ENRG Kayaking, Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District, and the Clackamas County Tourism Office. These little gems will be distributed by travel bureaus, featured at local businesses and other outlets from April through September 2013.

Up on the scene. Between newsletters and summits, feed your need for Intertwine info via our new Alliance Blog and Partner Updates list service.
And hot off the press. Attention, Alliance partners: a free copy of the Regional Conservation Strategy now awaits you at select locations! Copies are also available for purchase. Read more here.

Intertwine News

Petals mark the spot. The first Intertwine "Branding" Sign is in place at the Fanno Creek Trail Head on SW Denny Road. Know of a good home for an Intertwine sign? Contact Mike.

Intertwine partners, meet the World! As City Council announced in Feb 13, in the weeks leading up to June 5, Portland will host World Environment Day for North America, thanks to the United Nations Environment Program. We're thrilled to be right in the middle of the festivity planning, along with our partner, the Bureau of Environmental Services. We look forward to showing off your accomplishments to the world! 

On the Ballot. In May, voters will weigh in on Measure 26-152, a Metro levy that, if approved, would protect water quality, remove invasive weeds, replace aging facilities, and expand opportunities to use Metro parks and natural areas. Learn from Restore Our Natural Areas.


Partner Updates
 
 Columbia Slough Videos!Tree whisperers, SuperNatural Man, hot cocoa deicing at the airport... Columbia Slough Watershed Council's 2012 award winners were feted with funny videos during February's 14th Annual Slough Celebration. Watch the videos
Scenic bikeway number 10? At a Feb 5 workshop, Alliance partners Oregon Recreation & Park Association-ORPA, Travel Oregon, and Visit Washington County helped polish plans for the Tualatin Valley Scenic Bikeway. If approved in May, the proposed 50-mile ride - from Banks-Vernonia through Forest Grove and Hillsboro - would be Oregon's tenth such scenic bikeway. Continue reading
Canemah Bluff Three minutes on Monday.  From our partner Metro, on Jan. 30: "In less than three minutes on a rainy Monday in front of the Clackamas County Courthouse, Metro claimed the missing link in a stretch of bluffs it owns along the Willamette River." Continue reading

Problems SOLVEd! Our partner SOLVE recapped an impressive 2012 in numbers: through 846 projects (and 33,000+ volunteers), SOLVE: removed 386,271 pounds of trash; recycled 16,210 pounds of metal, plastic, and paper; planted 27,904 native trees and shrubs; and cleared 52 acres of non-native invasive plants.
Explore The Intertwine Events Calendar for lots more fun things to do outdoors!