paddling

Columbia Slough Regatta

Sunday, July 28, 2013 - 9:00am to 1:00pm
Columbia Slough Watershed Council
Address: 
1880 NE Elrod
Portland, OR 97211
United States
Park/Trail: 
Columbia Slough Trail
Categories: 
paddling

This annual celebration of the slough is the largest one-day paddle in Oregon. Canoe in search of eagles, otters, and turtles in the Lower Slough. Bring your own watercraft and life jacket. Enjoy hands-on activities and visit with local environmental and water-based organizations.

Contact Name: 
Outreach Director
Contact Phone: 
503-281-1132
Contact Email: 
info@columbiaslough.org
Contact Website: 
http://www.columbiaslough.org
Venue: 
Multnomah County Drainage District
Cost: 
Free

Moonlight Paddle

Friday, July 19, 2013 - 9:00pm to 11:00pm
Columbia Slough Watershed Council
Address: 
7074 NE 47th Ave
Portland, OR 97218
United States
Park/Trail: 
Whitaker Ponds Nature Park
Categories: 
paddling

Join the Council for a late-night paddle on the Slough! Under the cover of darkness, hunt for beavers, owls, and other nighttime creatures.  The full moon (and Council staff) will lead the way through the braided network of Slough channels.  Bring your own boat, or sign up to reserve one of our canoes or kayaks for your party. Suitable for adults and teens aged 14+ who want to paddle as a group; Suggested donation of $5.

Contact Name: 
Outreach Director
Contact Phone: 
503-281-1132
Contact Email: 
info@columbiaslough.org
Contact Website: 
http://www.columbiaslough.org
Venue: 
Whitaker Ponds
Cost: 
$5

Bring Your Own Boat Paddle

Friday, June 28, 2013 - 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Columbia Slough Watershed Council
Address: 
7040 NE 47th Ave
Portland, OR 97218
United States
Park/Trail: 
Whitaker Ponds Nature Park
Categories: 
paddling

Load up your canoe or kayak for a springtime paddle!  Paddler and naturalist Troy Clark will lead this group trip at Smith & Bybee Wetlands in search of bald eagles, otters, turtles, and osprey.  $5 suggested donation, suitable for adults and teens 12, pre-registration requested.

You must bring your own canoe or kayak and lifejacket to participate in this paddle trip. NO equipment is available to borrow from the Council.

Contact Name: 
Outreach Director
Contact Phone: 
503-281-1132
Contact Email: 
info@columbiaslough.org
Contact Website: 
http://www.columbiaslough.org
Venue: 
Whitaker Ponds
Cost: 
$5

Bring Your Own Boat Paddle

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Columbia Slough Watershed Council
Address: 
5300 N Marine Dr
Portland, OR 97203
United States
Park/Trail: 
Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area
Categories: 
paddling
seasonal natural interest
wildlife watching

Load up your canoe or kayak for a springtime paddle! Paddler and naturalist Troy Clark will lead this group trip at Smith & Bybee Wetlands in search of bald eagles, otters, turtles, and osprey. $5 suggested donation, suitable for adults and teens 12, pre-registration requested. You must bring your own canoe or kayak and lifejacket to participate in this paddle trip. NO equipment is available to borrow from the Council.

Contact Name: 
Penny Beckwith
Contact Phone: 
503 281 1132
Contact Email: 
penny.beckwith@columbiaslough.org
Contact Website: 
http://www.columbiaslough.org/calendar_detail.aspx
Cost: 
$5 Suggested Donation

Tualatin River Bird Festival

Saturday, May 18, 2013 - 5:00am to 6:30pm
Friends of the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge
Address: 
19255 SW Pacific Highway
Sherwood, OR 97140
United States
Categories: 
conservation education
family friendly
green living
paddling
trails and greenways
walking
wheelchair accessible
wildlife watching

Celebrate birds and wildlife during this family-friendly festival.


Early morning bird walks begin at 5:30 and continue to 7:00 a.m. Bird banding demonstrations will take place from 8 a.m. - noon. Morning canoe rides on the Tualatin River with Tualatin Riverkeepers. Other activities: pond study; build a bee board, bat or bird house; scavenger hunt; archery; fishing clinic (casting); migration putt-putt golf; gyotaku fish printing; live Portland Audubon bird show; wood carving demonstration; nature and plant walks; behind the scenes of refuge management talk and walk; twilight walk and talk begins at 4:00 pm.


Explore exhibits and activities of conservation partners promoting wildlife and conservation.


There will be free hands-on childrens' activities, stories, and a special chindren's nature walk featuring bugs and slugs from 1:00-2:30 p.m.


Preregistration required for Tualatin Riverkeepers canoe rides and the children's nature walk


Music and food. Free nearby off-site parking with frequent shuttle service.


Event details: www.tualatinriverbirdfestival.org.

Contact Name: 
Bonnie Anderson
Contact Phone: 
503-625-5944 x227
Contact Email: 
birdfest@friendsoftualatinrefuge.org
Contact Website: 
http://www.friendsoftualatinrefuge.org
Venue: 
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge
Venue Details: 
Follow signs on Pacific Highway (99W) for free near-by off-site parking and frequent shuttle service to the Refuge. All activities take place on the Refuge.
Cost: 
Free

Metro's Winter twigs of Graham Oaks Nature Park

Sunday, February 24, 2013 - 1:00pm to 3:30pm
Metro
Address: 
Southwest Wilsonville Road
adjacent to Inza R. Wood Middle School
Wilsonville, OR
United States
Park/Trail: 
Graham Oaks Nature Park
Categories: 
bicycling
celebration
conservation education
educational course
family friendly
gardening/farming
green living
habitat restoration
kids camp
lecture
native plants
open house
paddling
preregistration required
ramble
seasonal natural interest
stewardship
tour
trails and greenways
tree planting
volunteer
walking
wheelchair accessible
wildlife watching

1 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24


Have you ever wished you could tell one evergreen from another, or identify a tree in winter by its bark or buds? Can you read the history of a piece of land by looking at its forest? Join Metro naturalist Deb Scrivens for a walk in the woods to unravel these mysteries and more. The forest at this natural area is a living laboratory of Northwest trees. Suitable for ages 12 and older.


Registration and payment of $6 per adult or $11 per family required in advance. You can register and pay online for Metro activities. Go to www.oregonmetro.gov/calendar, find your event by searching or browsing, and follow the instructions. For questions, call 503-797-1650 option 2.

Contact Name: 
Metro Parks
Contact Phone: 
503-797-1650
Contact Email: 
parks@oregonmetro.gov
Contact Website: 
http://www.oregonmetro.gov
Venue: 
Graham Oaks Nature Park
Venue Details: 
Explore trails, restored oak woodlands, a conifer forest and rich wildlife at Metro's new Graham Oaks Nature Park in Wilsonville. Ride your bike on the Tonquin Trail, stroll through a conifer forest or spot birds from a wetland overlook at Metro's Graham Oaks Nature Park in Wilsonville.
 
 This 250-acre destination is a playground not just for people, but also for wildlife. With restored oak woodlands growing bigger every year, Graham Oaks provides important habitat for native birds and mammals. Bring your family, bring your camera, bring a picnic to the sustainable new picnic shelter. Bring your curiosity, and learn how voters helped renew this special landscape.
 
 Three miles of trails traverse Graham Oaks, allowing visitors to explore several habitats in a single park. Cyclists and joggers can take the paved Tonquin Trail, which eventually will connect Wilsonville, Tualatin and Sherwood. A spur trail leads to a wetland overlook, perfect for bird-watchers; Coyote Way meanders through young oak woodlands. For a bit of shade, follow the Legacy Creek Trail through a rich conifer forest where thousands of species thrive. Be sure to visit Graham Oaks’ five plazas – perfect spots to rest, reflect and learn about the park. Be on the lookout for native wildlife such as white-breasted nuthatch, Western bluebird, orange-crowned warbler and Western gray squirrels.
 
 A historical landscape
 Graham Oaks has a long and storied history, from the Kalapuyan tribes who gathered food here to the family that farmed the land – and the voters who helped purchase the site, restore its habitat and open it as a nature park. 
 
 Greening Graham Oaks
 Did you know Graham Oaks is one of the region’s greenest parks? At Graham Oaks, pervious pavement in the parking lot manages stormwater and removes pollutants. Solar panels on the restroom feed into the City of Wilsonville’s electric grid, and the beautiful stonework at the plazas and overlooks is Columbia River Gorge basalt stone. Find out about sustainable strategies used in the design, materials and construction. 
 
 A living laboratory
 Graham Oaks serves as an outdoor classroom for Inza Wood Middle School, Boones Ferry Primary School and CREST, the environmental education center operated by the West Linn-Wilsonville School District. Students study the rich wildlife, habitat and cultural history of Graham Oaks – an undertaking that helped create artwork and books showcased at the grand opening.
 
 Access
 Graham Oaks Nature Park is free and open from 6:30 a.m. to legal sunset. Many of the park features are wheelchair accessible, although some trails offer a higher level of challenge. There is limited parking at the park entrance. Parking is not allowed at any of the schools. There is a permanent bike parking structure at the entrance of the park, accommodating a total of six bikes. Bikes are permitted only on the Tonquin Trail.
 
 Typically, dogs are not allowed at Metro parks and natural areas in order to protect sensitive habitats, local wildlife and plants. Metro is making an exception by allowing dogs on the Tonquin Trail at Graham Oaks because it is a regional throughway. Dogs must be on-leash at all times, and are not allowed anywhere else in the park.
Cost: 
$6 per adult or $11 per family, required in advance

Metro's Winter birds at Smith and Bybee Wetlands

Saturday, February 16, 2013 - 10:00am to 12:30pm
Metro
Address: 
5300 N. Marine Drive
Portland, OR 97203
United States
Park/Trail: 
Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area
Categories: 
celebration
conservation education
educational course
family friendly
gardening/farming
green living
habitat restoration
kids camp
lecture
native plants
open house
paddling
preregistration required
ramble
seasonal natural interest
stewardship
tour
trails and greenways
tree planting
volunteer
walking
wheelchair accessible
wildlife watching

10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.


Saturdays, Feb. 16 and March 16


Winter is an active time at the wetlands with lots of water birds - ducks, geese, coots and grebes. Raptors such as red-tailed hawks and bald eagles are common; sightings of falcons and other hawks are possible. The wetlands' year-round residents as well as a few winter songbirds are easier to see because all the leaves are gone. Bring binoculars or borrow a pair on site; spotting scopes provided. Suitable for ages 9 and older. Meet Metro naturalist James Davis in the parking lot at 5300 N. Marine Drive. Registration and payment of $6 per adult or $11 per family required in advance. You can register and pay online for Metro activities. Go to www.oregonmetro.gov/calendar, find your event by searching or browsing, and follow the instructions. For questions, call 503-797-1650 option 2.

Contact Name: 
Metro Parks
Contact Phone: 
503-797-1650
Contact Email: 
parks@oregonmetro.gov
Contact Website: 
http://www.oregonmetro.gov
Venue: 
Smith and Bybee Wetlands
Venue Details: 
Home to beaver, river otter, black-tailed deer, osprey, bald eagles and Western painted turtles, this 2,000-acre natural area offers accessible wildlife watching, a canoe launch and more.
 
 At nearly 2,000 acres, Metro’s Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area is the largest protected wetlands within an American city. This beautiful natural area is one of the region’s best-kept secrets, hiding in a part of Portland surrounded by port terminals, warehouses and other commercial developments. Most visitors to the natural area are surprised to find beaver, river otter, black-tailed deer, osprey, bald eagles and Western painted turtles living only minutes from downtown Portland.
 
 Recent improvements at the wetlands include a new canoe launch area and improved access for paddlers as well as restrooms, interpretive displays, a covered shelter, parking for 40 cars, a bus drop-off and public art.
 
 Wind your way through the wetlands on the Interlakes Trail, a paved, accessible trail that includes two wildlife viewing platforms. Another great way to explore the natural area is by boat.
 
 Another interesting feature of the natural area is the now-closed St. Johns Landfill, a former wetland that was filled and served as the region’s primary garbage disposal site from 1940 to 1991. Since then, Metro has been implementing environmental protection measures to safely reintegrate the 238-acre landfill site into its natural environs.
Cost: 
$6 per adult or $11 per family, required in advance

Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Thursday, December 6, 2012 - 7:00pm
Willamette Riverkeeper
Address: 
Portland, OR
United States
Categories: 
bicycling
celebration
conservation education
educational course
family friendly
gardening/farming
green living
native plants
paddling
stewardship
trails and greenways

Join Willamette Riverkeeper, Patagonia, and REI for the 2012 Wild & Scenic Film Festival!

Don't miss this outstanding evening of INSPIRATION and ENTERTAINMENT, all while supporting a worthy cause- a clean and healthy Willamette River!

Considered one of the nation's premiere environmental and adventure film festivals, the Wild & Scenic Film Fest is a call to action. Enjoy award-winning films that illustrate the Earth's beauty, the challenges we face, and the work communities are doing to protect the environment.

Featuring 11 invigorating films including the exclusive premier of Wild & Scenic's People's Choice Award Winner: "Rock the Boat" a story about Los Angeles and the little river that could, with cops in helicopters, civilians in kayaks, and fish stranded on concrete.

When: Thursday, December 6th

Where: Bagdad Theater, SE Hawthorne & 37th, PDX

Time: doors @ 5:30pm, films begin @ 7pm

Who: all ages

Tickets: advanced tickets sales available at the Portland REI: $8 for students/youth, $10 for adults ($12 for adults at the door)

And there is more...

LIVE music beginning at 6:15pm from Flat Rock String Band

FREE entry into the RAFFLE drawing with your festival ticket! Everyone will have a chance to win prizes from Patagonia, REI, Keen, Osprey and more!

Wear or buy a Willamette Riverkeeper t-shirt and receive an additional raffle ticket!

Contact Name: 
Kate Ross
Contact Phone: 
503-223-6418
Contact Email: 
info@willametteriverkeeper.org
Contact Website: 
http://www.willamette-riverkeeper.org/WRK/index.html
Venue: 
Bagdad Theater
Venue Details: 
SE 37th & Hawthorne

BirdFest at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Saturday, October 13, 2012 - 10:00am to Sunday, October 14, 2012 - 4:00pm
Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Address: 
3416 NE 239th Street
Ridgefied, WA 98642
United States
Park/Trail: 
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Categories: 
celebration
educational course
family friendly
habitat restoration
lecture
native plants
paddling
seasonal natural interest
stewardship
tour
trails and greenways
walking
wheelchair accessible
wildlife watching

The Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge would like to invite you to these years BirdFest celebration. Birdfest is an annual celebration of birds, nature, and Native American culture. This free event offers your friends and family to explore a gem of a wildlife refuge, learn about Chinookan culture, and attend talks, presentations, interpretive hikes, a salmon bake, and more all just 20 minutes north of Portland off of I-5. You can check out the schedule of events here: http://ridgefieldfriends.org/birdfest/schedule-of-events/. We hope to see you out and about during this wonder-filled weekend!

Contact Name: 
Sarah Hill
Contact Phone: 
3608874106
Contact Email: 
sarah_hill@fws.gov
Contact Website: 
http://ridgefieldfriends.org/birdfest/schedule-of-events/
Venue: 
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Cost: 
Most events are Free!

Salmon homecoming at Metro's Oxbow Regional Park

Saturday, October 13, 2012 - 11:00am to Sunday, October 14, 2012 - 3:30pm
Metro
Address: 
3010 SE Oxbow Parkway
gresham, OR 97080
United States
Park/Trail: 
Oxbow Regional Park
Categories: 
bicycling
camping
celebration
conservation education
educational course
family friendly
green living
habitat restoration
native plants
paddling
seasonal natural interest
tour
trails and greenways
twine
volunteer
walking
wheelchair accessible
wildlife watching

Spicy scents of autumn trees, giant golden leaves on maples and the silvery chatter of American dippers in the river. These are the smells, sights and sounds of Oxbow Regional Park in the autumn. Witness the return of wild salmon to one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier rivers – the glacier-fed Sandy – just 45 minutes from downtown Portland.

Naturalists are on hand at the river’s edge to help spot spawning salmon and interpret their behavior and life cycle. Special salmon-viewing glasses are available on loan. Salmon viewing proceeds rain or shine. The trail is unpaved and fairly level; wear good walking shoes. Inquire at the entry booth for starting location of the salmon viewing then follow the signs to the salmon! Suitable for all ages.  Free with a $5 parking fee per vehicle and registration is not required. Leave pets at home. For more information, call 503-797-1650 option 2.

Contact Name: 
Metro parks
Contact Phone: 
503-797-1650 option 2
Contact Email: 
parks@oregonmetro.gov
Contact Website: 
http://www.oregonmetro.gov
Venue: 
Oxbow Regional Park
Venue Details: 
Metro's Oxbow Regional Park offers rare access to many of the region’s natural wonders while providing a variety of unique recreational opportunities. The river draws swimmers, rafters, kayakers and drift boats carrying anglers. Oxbow is a great place to see wildlife and animal tracks. The area’s natural habitat makes an ideal home for wildlife such as mink, beaver, raccoon, fox, deer, osprey, songbirds, salmon, elk, black bear, cougar and many others. Twelve miles of trails invite you to explore an ancient forest with centuries-old trees and ridges and ravines carved by volcanic and glacial flows. The park also offers a wooded campground, reservable picnic shelters, playgrounds, equestrian trails, and a number of environmental education opportunities.
Cost: 
free

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