trails and greenways

Join us for a day of fun and learning at Family Fun on the Farm. School is out for the day on 10/14 and you're invited to join us from 10 am to 1 pm. We'll explore the 16-acre Sauvie Island Organics farm and the grounds of Howell Territorial Park while learning about food, farming and the land. Our staff will guide you and your family through an exploration of our curriculum, designed for elementary school-aged children, including:

Soil Exploration. Dig in and learn about healthy soil.
Seed to Harvest. Plant, tend and harvest the Grow Lunch Garden.
Plant Parts Investigation.Explore the farm and plants we can eat.
Wildlife & Food web. Who else has been foraging on the farm?
Pollination Station. Meet these hard-working farm friends.

The event is free, but pre-registration is requested here:

Make a difference while having fun and exploring Salmon Creek Park, an urban wildlife greenway. Help plant trees to benefit the local habitat of Salmon Creek. Named for the historical salmon runs of the past, it recently regained its status as a salmon spawning ground thanks to the help of local volunteers. 

All ages welcome. Fun for groups, families and individuals. Registration is required and space is limited.

We provide: Tools, gloves, hot cocoa, coffee and snacks.

What to bring: Water bottle, snack, extra clothing, shoes for the ride home, and camera or binoculars if desired.

What to wear: Dress for the weather; clothes may get wet and muddy. Long sleeves, pants, rain gear and sturdy shoes or boots are recommended.

What to expect: Estuary Partnership staff will distribute tools and gloves and demonstrate planting techniques. Volunteers will be planting for approximately 2 1/2 hours. 

 Questions? Please contact Samantha Dumont at 503-226-1565 x 245 or sdumont@estuarypartnership.org

On Saturday August 20^th from 10 – 4PM, Better Block PDX and Oregon Walks are co-sponsoring the “Oregon Walkways: Connect the Park Blocks on the Green Loop” public event along SW Park Avenue between NW Hoyt and SW Market, demonstrating what the Green Loop might feel like through downtown Portland.

Feel free to contact Volunteer.betterblockpdx@gmail.com if you are interested in learning more, helping out, have any ideas, or have any other questions!  Also, feel free to share and invite others to the planning meetings and the event!

Come enjoy a stroll through downtown on Park Avenue, learn about the history of planning and transportation of Portland’s Central City, engage with local businesses, merchants, entertainers and organizations along the route!  See the latest from the Loop PDX Design Competition winners!  Fun for the whole family!

Where:  Cathlapotle Plankhouse at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge:  Carty Unit - 28908 NW Main Ave, Ridgefield, WA 98642

When:    August 14, 2016

Join us for a day of demonstrations and hands on activities highlighting traditional technologies found across the world and throughout time.  The Cathlapotle Plankhouse will be open from 12:-4:00 and there will be activities for families to connect with local culture and wildlife. In the House students from the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde's Lifeways class will be demonstrating carving, weaving, and Native art design, while outside visitors can try their hand throwing an atlatl, shooting a bow and arrow, making cordage, friction fire, and watch stone tools being created by an experienced flintknapper.

12pm - 4pm: Experience traditional tools and technologies humans have used since time immemorial. Demonstrators will be at the Plankhouse showing various traditional skills found both around the world and in Indigenous cultures of the Lower Columbia River.

Carving, Weaving, and Native Art Design demonstrations by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Lifeways students
Chinuk Wawa, the heritage language of Chinookan Peoples
Cordage Making              
Atlatl Throwing          
Friction Fire        
Flintknapping
Natural Paints and Pigments

12:00pm: Naturalist Led Hike "Bird Language" - join us for a hike directed towards opening up participant's eyes to the world of Bird Language. Learn how to use bird calls and behavior to discover what is happening in the environment around you. 

2:00 pm: Naturalist Led Hike "A Walk through the Oaks" - join a us for a hike down the Oaks to Wetlands Trail and learn about how the Native Peoples of this area have been taking care of Oak and other Refuge ecosystems since time immemorial.

You can also check out the ample wildlife watching opportunities on the River 'S' Unit Auto Tour Driving Route.

Cost:   Refuge admission is $3 per vehicle

For more information: 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.

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

The Intertwine Alliance continues its 2016 series of county summits with Investing in Nature for Healthier Communities in Washington County.

Join us for a look at the many ways nature keeps our communities thriving. It'll be a chance to find out about the range of efforts going on in the county supporting the health-nature vision, along with ways to connect your organization or programs to the work. Former Kaiser Permanente pediatrician and Intertwine Alliance Board Member Dr. Phil Wu will give a keynote address about the latest evidence supporting nature-based positive health outcomes. Attendees will be inspired, in the Innovation Cafe session, by projects going on in the county that are coming up with creative solutions to long-standing challenges.

And, as always, there'll be a social hour to connect with peers and new individuals/groups interested in working collaboratively in our region.

RSVP here by Sept. 28.