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December 2014 Newsletter
Dear Friends,
 The Fall Intertwine Alliance Summit,
held Nov. 14 at the Oregon Zoo, was inspirational, informative and a
great chance to connect with about 230 friends and colleagues
throughout our Alliance. "Play, Learn, Serve, Work: A Summit on Youth, Nature and Leadership" focused on youth voices, diversity and equitable access to nature. The youth presenters were amazing, opening our eyes to perspectives and experiences often underrepresented in our work and conversations. The Momentum Alliance's youth-led workshop (at right) was certainly one highlight of the day. We also had a great time celebrating this year's Force of Nature Awards. See below for a list of honored colleagues. Happy holidays, everyone! |
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Alliance Updates
We've moved! On Nov. 24, The Intertwine Alliance staff moved from our cozy, charming loft downtown at the Walker Macy building to a spacious fourth-floor perch in the David Evans and Associates building on the South Waterfront. Our new address is:Our regular phone number, 503-445-0991, was restored today. A huge thank you to partner Walker Macy for giving the Intertwine Alliance its first home and making us feel so welcome the past three years. An equally sincere thank you to partner David Evans and Associates for an incredible space, friendly faces and great support as we settle in. Sneak a peek. On that note, The Intertwine Alliance invites you to an Open House on Monday, Dec. 8, from 4 to 7 p.m. Come check out our new space and toast the holiday season with us. We'll serve wine, beer and snacks. The David Evans and Associates building is located one block from the streetcar's SW River Parkway and Moody stop on the NS line, or reachable with a .6-mile walk from the SW 5th & Mill stop on the MAX green line. There are two parking garages in the vicinity, as well as limited metered street parking. Click here for directions and detailed parking information. Park it here. A big welcome to newest Intertwine Alliance partner, Clark County Parks. In early 2014, the county expanded its parks program, with two new parks and a new online reservation system. Watch a short video about the expansion. So glad to have you aboard! Intertwine News  Our natural wonders.
The Intertwine celebrated a few of its shiniest stars at the Nov. 14
Fall Summit with this year's Force of Nature Awards ceremony.
Congratulations and sincere thanks to the following organizations and
individuals for your contributions to a robust regional
network of parks, trails and natural areas. For more information,
including project descriptions, bios and photos, click here.Outstanding Organization/Project Outstanding Young Professional
 Taste of victory. The Intertwine Alliance Plant Off!
was a resounding success, with two teams of youth leading tree-planting
parties on the east and west sides of town. Team Sugar Skulls rocked a
Day of the Dead theme at Dirksen Nature Park, while the Green Team
(at right) worked its magic at Blue Lake Park. Check out a video documenting the event, or flip through this Flickr gallery of photos. Receiving real-world job experience (and pay!), each of the youth leaders also walked away with a free pair of KEENs.Trees times two. More than 80 people gathered in Tualatin on Nov. 18 for the Urban Forestry Summit, an Intertwine Alliance event led by Tualatin Riverkeepers, the Oregon Department of Forestry and arborists Teragan and Associates. Brian Wegener of Tualatin Riverkeeper's writes about the event and his takeaways in last week's Outside Voice. Also, in case you missed it, 18-year-old Intertwine Alliance Office Assistant Dakota Gaines blogged last month about her experiences with the Audubon Society of Portland's TALON program and her personal transformation into a full-on nature-lovin' tree hugger. Health = nature = health. This summer, 30 health officials, academics and nature-focused nonprofits from around the country, including Oregon's Willamette Partnership, convened to discuss connections between health and nature. The meeting resulted in the Wingspread Declaration on Health and Nature, calling for concerted action from health, environmental, academic, governmental and corporate sectors to cooperatively reconnect people with nature. This project dovetails perfectly with The Intertwine Alliance's Health & Nature Initiative, including our two 2014 forums on this topic. We encourage all Intertwine partners and friends to sign the declaration here.  Honoring a Portland pioneer. Barbara
Walker, beloved advocate
for parks, trails and open spaces, passed away this October. A longtime
champion of Portland’s parks and natural areas, its trails and
40-Mile-Loop, and Marquam Nature Park, Barbara was a role model for many
throughout The Intertwine. Celebrate her life and victories
at a memorial service on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 3 p.m. at the Portland
Art Museum. You can also view a memorial website created by Barbara's
family.Hike onto the world stage. The 22nd International Trails Symposium will convene May 17-20, 2015, this time around right here in Portland. The event draws about 600 people from 10 or more countries. Organizers are inviting ideas for presentations on the theme "Solutions for Success." Due by January 9, proposals can be national or international in scope, ranging from a single poster to a 6-hour session. Click here for more information. Also, American Trails is offering 20 scholarships to young adults ages 19 to 25. The application deadline for the Hulet Hornbeck Emerging Leaders Scholarship Program is Dec. 19. The program includes mentorship and professional development activities, a field day highlighting issues and opportunities in the Portland area, and full access to Trails Symposium events and educational sessions. Get more information or download an application here.  Featured friends. A slew of Intertwine Alliance partners are included in this year's Give Guide, Willamette Week's
annual campaign highlighting 100+ Portland nonprofits
and
soliciting donations for them throughout the holiday season. Incentives
to participate include a Salt & Straw ice cream party and a case of spirits from Rogue Distillery. Consider supporting these coalition members today.Audubon Society of PortlandThis land is your land. The Department of State Lands is accepting nominations for State Land Board Awards through Feb. 20, 2015. Recognizing exemplary projects and organizations, awards are given in the categories: Wetland Project, Stream Project and Partnership Award. Previous winners have been located throughout Oregon, and have included wetland mitigation banks, dam removals, fish habitat improvement, and wetland restoration. The Partnership Award recognizes organizations that have partnered with the Department of State Lands to advance its work through volunteer efforts. Click here for more information and nomination forms.  Going wild in east county. The Backyard Habitat Certification Program,
a partnership of the Audubon Society of Portland and Columbia Land
Trust, has expanded to include the cities of Gresham and Fairview. Also serving Portland and Lake Oswego,
the program provides technical assistance and incentives (including 10 free native
plants) to residents wanting to improve wildlife habitat in their
yards, control invasive weeds and garden sustainably. It's offered to
private residences, as well as to schools, public institutions, and
businesses. Have something to shout throughout The Intertwine? Consider contributing to the Outside Voice blog. With a new post every other week, Outside Voice showcases the diverse stories, opinions and expertise of Intertwine partners and friends. Anything of relevance and interest to parks, trails and green space enthusiasts is good fodder. Email blog editor Tara Wilkinson -- tara@theintertwine.org -- for submission guidelines. Partner Happenings  Happy fish make happy valleys.
Join SOLVE, the
Clackamas River Basin Council, and Clackamas County Water Environment
Services for Discover Rock Creek, a work party and celebration
on December 6 from 9 a.m. to noon. The Rock
Creek Confluence natural area in Clackamas will be open to the public
for the first
time since habitat construction was recently completed. Learn about
salmon habitat, water quality sampling and urban wildlife, while
planting trees along the creek bank. Click here for more information or to register.Good reads. Friends of Baltimore Woods is holding its Annual Book Sale on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the atrium of Cathedral Park Place, 6635 N. Baltimore, Portland. Books are just $1 each. Proceeds go to restoration of Baltimore Woods, a new oak savanna natural area that will connect Cathedral Park with Pier Park in the St. Johns neighborhood.  Deck your halls.
Portland Parks & Recreation's Environmental Education division is
holding its 25th Annual Holiday Wreath Sale through December 15 at
multiple locations around the city. One-third of profits subsidize
PP&R’s nature classes, with the remainder sending children to a week
of Nature Day Camp on 95% scholarships. Click here for locations and more info.Need some fresh air? Join SW Urban Trails on Dec. 13 for a 6.5-mile walk starting at Wilson High School, continuing to new trails near Woods Park, and returning via Gabriel Park. Meet at 9 a.m.; bring snacks and water. Click here for more information. For more December events, see the Intertwine Alliance partner calendar. |
