Nature and Human Health

Friends of Trees is working in partnership with the Tualatin River Watershed Council to help restore the Bonita natural area to a diverse and healthy riparian forest ecosystem. The site was recently cleared of a nearly impassable thicket of English hawthorn and Himalayan blackberry, and is on its way to being restored as a mixed hardwood riparian forest. This event will focus on hand pulling English ivy from the existing native trees onsite to protect them from being over taken by this shade-tolerant invasive plant. There will be a great sense of immediate gratification at the end of this event!

Please arrive around 8:45am to be registered and assigned to a crew. The planting will start promptly at 9:00am. We provide breakfast snacks and hot chocolate/coffee, as well as gloves, tools and guidance. Please come dressed for the weather and wearing sturdy, closed-toe shoes and get ready to have fun! 

Looking to volunteer as a group? RSVPs are kindly requested for groups of more than 5 people - click HERE to do so. RSVPs are not required for individuals or groups of 4 or fewer -- you may simply show up!

Please contact Jenny or Randi at (503) 595-0213 if you have any questions or need more information. We look forward to seeing you out there!

Friends of Trees is excited to continue our partnership this season with the City of Beaverton and Clean Water Services. This planting is part of the Tree For All campaign which has planted over three million native plants in the Tualatin River Watershed in the past decade! Clean Water Services, Friends of Trees, thousands of volunteers, other non-profits, city partners, and private landowners will be working together this season to continue the success of this program.

Please arrive around 8:45am to be registered and assigned to a crew. The planting will start promptly at 9:00am. We provide breakfast snacks and hot chocolate/coffee, as well as gloves, tools and guidance. Please come dressed for the weather and wearing sturdy, closed-toe shoes and get ready to have fun!

Looking to volunteer as a group? RSVPs are kindly requested for groups of more than 5 people - click HERE to do so. RSVPs are not required for individuals or groups of 4 or fewer -- you can simply show up!

Please contact Jenny or Randi at (503) 595-0213 if you have any questions or need more information. We look forward to seeing you out there!

If working with trees and connecting communities are two things that excite you, the Crew Leader volunteer role could be a great fit for you!

The Friends of Trees Neighborhood Trees Program is a program that plants 8'-12' tall street and yard trees in residential neighborhoods across Portland and Vancouver, WA. We pride ourselves on our amazing volunteers who plant these trees, the communities that come together for our Saturday planting events, and the care and investment each resident puts in to care for our city's urban canopy.

Crew Leaders are trained volunteers who are crucial to planting trees properly and leading groups of volunteers during the planting season. Friends of Trees is aiming to plant more than 3,000 street and yard trees in our award-winning Neighborhood Trees program.

The November 5th training is taking place in SE Portland. We have another Crew Leader training in Vancouver, WA on November 12th, if that works better for your schedule. Curriculum for each training is the same and once completed, you will be able to volunteer at Neighborhood Trees events throughout Portland, Vancouver, and Oregon City!

Training is FREE but registration is required. To join the Crew Leader team at Friends of Trees, learn more about the role and register.

Please contact Jenny or Randi at (503) 595-0213 if you need more information. We look forward to answering any questions you may have!

Restoration Bike Tour

Email courtney@jcwc.org to save your spot! Just 8 spots left!

Come be a part of the fun restoration bike tour in outer Southeast Portland with JCWC Executive Director, Daniel Newberry!

-Meet at the Foster Floodplain Natural Area Located on Foster Road between SE 104th and SE 111th avenues
-Saturday, Sept 17th, 9:30-11:30am

-Tour length: 2 hours.

-Bicycle route: 3 miles each way on the Springwater Trail in outer Southeast Portland. Stops to learn about local ecology at several past restoration sites on Johnson Creek and Powell Butte.

-(Optional after-bike fun) Join us for lunch at Cartlandia, we'll bike the 2 miles there and continue our discussion.
Hope to see you there!

Where:  Cathlapotle Plankhouse at the Carty Unit on the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

28908 NW Main Ave, Ridgefield, WA 98642

When:  September 11th, 2016

What:  Please join us for our final Second Sunday event of the season. We invite you to enjoy an exceptional presentation on contemporary curatorial practices regarding indigenous art, a naturalists lead ethnobotany hike, and family friendly activities. In addition to scheduled activities the Plankhouse will be open for visitors from 12:-4:00 pm for informal tours and Q&A for visitors to learn about local indigenous culture.

 1:00 pm:  The Power of Indigenizing Curatorial Practice with Dr. Deanna Dartt

Over the past five years, the Portland Art Museum has gained national attention for its efforts to bring Native American Art to the forefront of its exhibitions and programming, and for the way its Native American Art collection is curated.

In this intimate presentation Dr. Deana Dartt, outgoing curator of the Native American Collection for the PAM, will discuss her role in guiding this effort to ethically address the impact of native representation in the Museum and her vision for the future of the Museum's collection of indigenous art after she steps down in September.

Additionally, Dr. Dartt will also share her plans for the future as she prepares for her transition from curator to author; including finishing her book Negotiating the Master Narrative, to be published by the University of Nebraska Press. This examines how art, historical, and anthropological institutions are moving towards incorporating indigenous voices in their curation practices.

3:00 pm:  Guided Naturalist Hike
Join a Refuge Naturalist looking at the relationship that the Chinookan People of Cathlapotle had with their landscape. We will identify culturally significant plants, as well as explore how the environment influences culture and culture influences the environment. Participants meet in front of the Plankhouse and should be prepared for a 1 mile hike on moderately uneven terrain.

12:-4:00 pm:  Plankhouse Tours and Children's Activities
Ongoing guided Plankhouse tours are available or feel free to explore the House on your own. Activities exploring local culture and nature are designed give kids a hands-on connection to the Refuge.

Cost:  Refuge admission is $3 per vehicle. Save money, carpool with friends and family!

Contact:  Sarah Hill - Cathlapotle Plankhouse Coordinator - 360.887.4106 or sarah_hill@fws.gov.

Funding for this program has been generously provided by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to providing access to this event for all participants. Please direct all requests for sign language, interpreting services, closed captioning, or other accommodation needs to Sarah Hill at the contact information provided above.