educational course

Portland Fruit Tree Project
Fall Tree Care: Pest & Disease ID and Assessment (hands-on workshop)

Sunday October 25th, 10am-1pm
SW Portland, Multnomah neighborhood
Click here to register now

In this hands-on workshop you will learn the basics of fall tree care and pest and disease management in order to increase the health and abundance of local fruit trees! This fun workshop will be an opportunity to gain a basic understanding of the different types of tree fruit pests and diseases in the Portland area and what you can do about them in the fall. Please bring samples of pests or diseased wood/fruit from your own trees for identification.

About the instructor: 
Heidi Noordijk studied horticulture at Michigan State University and Cornell University - specializing in pomology (tree fruits). Heidi has participated in research projects involving apple tree physiology, berry production, and tree fruit entomology. Heidi has also worked on various orchards and farms in the PNW and east coast. Heidi currently works for OSU's Small Farms program. 

Pre-registration and pre-payment is required.

This workshop has a standard workshop fee of $25. Sliding scale and work-trade scholarships are available.

This workshop will be hosted by one of our registered tree owners in SW Portland, in the Multnomah neighborhood. Exact location details will be provided after you sign up.

Click here to register now

Check out our upcoming events 

Here's your chance to learn how to make a difference in your community! Join SOLVE for a hands-on workshop where you'll learn how to envision and lead successful volunteer projects to improve the environment in your community. Participants will learn the basics of watershed restoration, planning stages, outreach techniques and will be exposed to all of the tools available for their projects through SOLVE. Specific topics include volunteer recruitment and management, project logistics and safety, preventing volunteer burnout, working with the media, and fundraising. Feel free to bring along project ideas and receive feedback to get you started that day. The training is free for anyone that leads a SOLVE project within one year of the training. Lunch is provided! Register online here: http://solveoregon.org/get-involved/events/volunteer-action-training

Day 1 (Saturday) begins with classroom discussion of general life history, anatomy, behavior, and the common species of the area, followed by field time on the grounds of Jackson Bottom observing adults, in-hand examination and looking for signs of recent emergence. Day 2 (Sunday) takes a more advanced approach to the subject of dragonflies and damselflies and is a separate registration process and fee.  Sunday begins with classroom time exploring the resources available for odonate identification and the critical examination of odonates from photos and specimens. Adult odonates will be emphasized, but the identification of nymphs/exuviae to the family level will also be discussed. Field time observing adult odonates on the grounds of Jackson Bottom with an emphasis on in-hand examination follows the classroom portion. Some time will be spent looking for nymphs. Use of binoculars, magnifying lens and cameras is encouraged.  Jim Johnson has studied the dragonflies and damselflies of the Pacific Northwest for 20 years and has taught numerous classes on the subject.  Class size limited to 20 participants each day.

Saturday Class course #:  47200     $15 / person
 

Celebrate Pollinator Week at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge!

For wheelchair access to this event, please contact Sarah prior to the event date.  

12pm - 4pm: Plankhouse Tours and Children's Activities

• Tour the Plankhouse on your own or guided by our experienced volunteers. 
• Children's cultural activities will be available, as will family activities. 
• Celebrate Pollinator Week by building a mason bee house & going on a pollinator scavenger hunt!  

1:00 pm & 2:00pm: Naturalist Led Hike 

• Explore the Oaks to Wetlands trail with a knowledgeable Refuge Naturalist

Cost:   Refuge admission is $3 per vehicle

Celebrate National Pollinator Week by visiting the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge June 14th for a day of connecting with wildlife and the cultural history of the Lower Columbia River. At 1:00pm join a Refuge Naturalist for a hike down the Oaks to Wetlands trail, and learn about the plants and animals that call the Refuge home. From 12-4, the Plankhouse will be open for visitors, and there will be activities for families to connect with the culture and wildlife at the Plankhouse. We will be building mason bee houses out of natural materials and going on a pollinator scavenger hunt.You can also check out the ample wildlife watching opportunities on the River 'S' Unit Auto Tour Driving Route. Check the Friends website ridgefieldfriends.org for maps of Refuge trails, or contact Plankhouse Director Sarah Hill at sarah_hill@fws.gov, or call (360) 887-4106.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Cathlapotle Plankhouse, and the house will now be open weekends from 12pm-4pm. Every second Sunday of the month the Plankhouse will host a special event with speakers, guided hikes, and children's activities. For more information on the upcoming events, visit www.ridgefieldfriends.org/plankhouse/programs .

The Cathlapotle Plankhouse is a modern Chinookan Plankhouse built to interpret the Chinookan village of Cathlapotle that once existed on what is today Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge property.  At the time Lewis and Clark visited Cathlapotle, it had 14 large plankhouses and a population of over 900 people.  The modern Cathlapotle Plankhouse is used to provide educational programs to youth and the general public through our Lifeways, Landscapes, and Wildlife Interpretive Program.  To learn more about the Plankhouse visitwww.ridgefieldfriends.org or contact Sarah Hill at Sarah_Hill@fws.gov or (360) 887-4106.

Funding for these programs has been generously provided by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, the Community Foundation for SW Washington, and Umpqua Bank.  

Art Show. Live Music. Beer and Wine. History and Authors. Student Art. Food and More. Free Admission and parking.