Intertwine January 2013 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Glorious and crisp, January sun has replaced December's dark drizzle. The Intertwine sparkles with frost. Overhead, a wintering raptor soars; underground, a crocus makes ready. Meanwhile, the humans are as busy as ever -- walking, jogging, biking, and working to make The Intertwine better for all.

January call-out - We highlighted over 20 Alliance partners (and over a  dozen friends) through our social media media channels this month. So tell us: what can we do for you in February? Email Ramona.

 
Alliance Updates

74 and counting - say hello to our newest partners! - We are pleased to welcome two new Full Partners - Columbia Sportswear, who joined the Alliance at the end of December, and Willamette Riverkeeper just last week. The Intertwine's newest partners keep us stylishly dry while we paddle by.

Save the date: Spring Summit 2013 - April 26th, World Forestry Center - What more auspicious day for the next Summit than Arbor Day, the 25th Anniversary of the Green Spaces movement, and Frederick Law Olmsted's 190th birthday? And thanks to The World Forestry Center for a generous venue subsidy.

Speaking of great ideas - In early January, communications agency Frank Creative (of Friends of Trees fame) updated the Alliance board on our brand-new cause marketing campaign -- launching this spring! We can't wait to share these exciting opportunities with you at the Summit.

Benefiting all
- The Development Committee, which meets each month for 90 minutes, wants your ideas for cultivating new partnerships, retention, equity and enhancing benefits. Contact Irene if you'd like to pitch in, or read more on the Alliance Blog.

Print run! - By mid-February we should have on hand an additional 300 copies of our Regional Conservation Strategy, as well as 2,000 Executive Summaries and 300 Biodiversity Guides. Need a copy? Contact Irene. And hats off to Dan Roix and Laurie Causgrove (Columbia Land Trust) and Kevin Hogan and Veniese Pearia (ODS) for the support.

Cover URL - The Intertwine is the cover story in the winter edition of Metroscape, a quarterly from Portland State University's Institute of Metropolitan Studies. Check out "Exploring the Intertwine," written by our new Writer/Editor Ramona DeNies.

Our Urban Forestry Strategy Team: shading streets and taking names - Check out this crew, hard at work with a Feb. 11 poster/lunch session at the Urban Ecology and Conservation Symposium, and then heading a multi-stakeholder panel at our Spring Summit. Team leaders Metro, the Oregon Dept. of Forestry, Washington Dept. of Natural Resources--with support from many others--have also secured  Sacramento urban forestry expert Ray Trethewa for the Summit workshop
"Marketing and Communicating the Benefits of Trees".


Be seein' you in Print -
Starting this summer, The Intertwine Alliance will produce a printed quarterly publication. We're excited to create the guide to outdoor life in the Portland/Vancouver region -- with a special focus on our partners, your activities, and your successes.
 


Intertwine News
Restore Our Natural Areas
Acquire, Improve, Restore - On December 18, Metro's Council voted unanimously to send a parks and natural areas maintenance levy to the voters during the May election. More on the levy here.

More Bond News - Meanwhile, Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation District released its third annual Parks Bond Citizen Oversight Committee's Report. Says the headline: "It's been a very good year for Bond Measure progress."


Partner Updates 

Scouter MountainScouter Mountain Trail Open House - Find out about the proposed 17-mile route and share ideas for connecting this up-and-coming pedestrian and biking trail to your community. Thursday, Jan 31.

City Green Blog
- 
Check out the video from l
ast summer's restoration project with Alliance partners Friends of Baltimore Woods, Depave, Solve, The City of Portland, Portland Parks & Recreation, Rewild Portland, and NPgreenway. Next up: join SOLVE for planting days on February 16th and 23rd.
 
Slough Glamorous
- The Columbia Slough Watershed Council's 14th Annual Slough Celebration is Feb 8 -- bow tie optional, bird call required.
 
Explore The Intertwine Events Calendar for lots more fun things to do outdoors.