trails and greenways

Drop in for our regular Saturday 'freelance' work parties to become a steward of our beloved natural area: Forest Park! Volunteer Freelancers will take a short hike to one of our various sites and work off-trail removing English ivy. This is a DIRTY job so come prepared in grubby, long-sleeved clothing and boots. We'll provide gloves, tools and snacks.Volunteers will meet at the Lower Macleay field house located at 2960 NW Upshur St. Activities include: Invasive Plant Removal.

Register online here: http://solveoregon.org/get-involved/events/first-saturday-no-ivy-league-...

Drop in for our monthly Wednesday 'freelance' work parties to become a steward of our beloved natural area: Forest Park! Volunteer Freelancers will take a short hike to one of our various sites and work off-trail removing English ivy. This is a DIRTY job so come prepared in grubby, long-sleeved clothing and boots. We'll provide gloves, tools and snacks.Volunteers will meet at the Lower Macleay field house located at 2960 NW Upshur St. Activities include: Invasive Plant Removal.

Register online here: http://solveoregon.org/get-involved/events/wednesday-no-ivy-league-event...

This spring of 2016, instead of one big summit, The Intertwine Alliance is convening four county summits to strengthen sub-regional relationships, celebrate successes and build for the future.

All welcome.

This countywide summit will gather professionals, advocates and all other stakeholders committed to a greener and more nature-filled Clackamas County in order to find common ground – to celebrate regional successes, learn what’s happening in the sub-region, and build a shared vision for future action. 

Join us to be inspired by some significant local collaborations and to use the brain power in the room to begin solving our challenges collectively.

View agenda.

The summit will include:

• Stories of successful local collaborations
• An interactive mapping exercise to locate projects around the county, connect projects, identify gaps and envision future projects
• Identification of shared values and development of a collective countywide vision for parks, trails and natural areas
• Networking with peers, friends and new acquaintances who share this work

Please RSVP here no later than Thursday, May 12. Questions? Please email Lauren at lauren@theintertwine.org.

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

28908 NW Main Ave, Ridgefield, WA 98642; www.ridgefieldfriends.org

When: Sunday, May 8th, 2016

What: Take mom out for a stroll at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge to connect with wildlife and Native culture this Mothers' Day at 1:00pm. Learn how the traditional roles of Native women in Pacific Northwest helped maintain gender equality and how evidence of women's labor show up in the archaeological record. The Plankhouse will be open for visitors from 12pm-4pm, and there will be activities for the kids as well. 

1pm: Presentation "Where the Women Are: Gender and Power in the Archaeological Record of the Pacific Northwest"

The Pacific Northwest has a rich ethnographic record which details the lifeways of Native Americans at the time of Euro-American contact. Despite the wealth of data on gender division of labor in indigenous groups of the 19th-20th centuries, archaeological research on gender is rare. Activities traditionally associated with women such as plant gathering cooking, basketry, and mat making remain poorly understood in comparison to activities typically associated with men. In this presentation doctoral student, Tiffany Fulkerson, will explore the relationship between women's labor and their social power through evidence in the archaeological record.

2pm: Ethnobotany Hike
Join our speaker and a Refuge Naturalist for a walk on the Oaks to Wetlands Trail discussing spring plants and their relationship with Chinookan culture. Participants should be prepared for a 2 mile hike on moderately uneven terrain. Meet at the Plankhouse.

12pm - 4pm: Plankhouse Tours and Children's Activities
Tour the Plankhouse on your own or guided by our experienced volunteers. Children's activities exploring local nature and culture will be available as well.

Cost:   Refuge admission is $3 per vehicle - save money and carpool with a friend!

Contact:  Sarah Hill; 360.887.4106/Sarah_Hill@fws.gov For wheelchair access to events, please contact Sarah prior to the event date.

Celebrate the 20th annual Tualatin River Bird Festival on Saturday, May 21, at the Tualatin National Wildlife Refuge in Sherwood, 19255 SW Pacific Hwy, Sherwood. Spend the day outdoors and get acquainted with this wonderful place. This is a free, family-friendly event with activities for everyone.

Start the day with an early morning bird walk. Listen to the "dawn chorus" and learn to identify birds by sight and sound with experienced birders. Family activities start at 10 a.m. and will include hands-on educational arts and crafts to help children learn about nature, building a bird and butterfly house for their backyard, storytelling, and a scavenger hunt. Visitors can learn to catch a fish, try their hand at archery, practice shooting a BB gun, or play migratory putt-putt golf. The always popular and exciting Audubon Birds of Prey show will be featured. Conestoga wagon rides around the Refuge, always a big hit, will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Check out the conservation exhibits presented by local environmental groups and browse in the Nature Store. 

Festival parking is available at the office building at 12205 SW Tualatin Road, corner of SW 124th and Pacific Highway. Free ADA-compatible shuttle buses will provide continuous transportation to the Refuge from 5 a.m. until 5 p.m. There will be no on-site parking at the Refuge. For complete information on this event, please visit http://www.friendsoftualatinrefuge.org/ or call 503-625-5944, ext. 227.