It's a packed house! While the East Multnomah County Summit has already filled up, it's not too late to claim your seat for the Clackamas County Summit on Monday, May 16. But you might want to act fast, as we expect this one to max out soon, too. (Those who missed out on an East Multnomah ticket, please consider joining the wait list.) Thank you for staying tuned about the summits in development in Clark and Washington counties -- and for all your enthusiasm about this new
county summits concept
. Questions? Please send 'em to lauren@theintertwine.org.
Growing green. This month we're
delighted to welcome
Go Lloyd and
Ash Creek Forest Management, LLC, to our bustling coalition. Go Lloyd is the transportation management association for the Lloyd District; its mission is to create a thriving environment for business and community by building partnerships, delivering targeted transportation programs, and fostering economic vitality. Natural resource restoration firm Ash Creek Forest Management, LLC, provides a broad range of on-the-ground land management goods and services.
Power to your project. Our metropolis is positively abuzz with Intertwine Projects! The project leaders meeting on April 14 was full of energy, with lots of new faces in attendance. About 50 current and prospective project leaders gathered to network and meet with local funders. (Mark your calendars for the next meeting on July 12.) Lots of Intertwine Projects are in the pipeline, rolling out in upcoming weeks and months. For now, please welcome the following collaborations that officially aligned themselves with The Alliance this past month:
- TerraTrak -- with partners Sitka Technology Group, Metro, the City of Portland and Clean Water Services
- Lone Fir Cultural Heritage Garden (project page coming soon) -- with partners Lone Fir Cemetery Foundation, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, Metro and the Buckman Neighborhood
Interested in declaring
your project?
Here's how.
Turning our goof into a grin. Apologies, again, for jumping the gun last month and announcing the Annual Meeting for the wrong date. We had to move some things around, but this time we're
sure: The
Annual Meeting is set for
Wednesday, June 1, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the World Forestry Center. Brian Doyle, award-winning author, essayist and editor of the University of Portland's
Portland Magazine, will entertain us with his storytelling; Alliance partner organizations will elect board members for the coming year; and hors d'oeuvres and drinks will be served. Please
RSVP by May 25 to join us! Thank you to the World Forestry Center for hosting this special event.
Weigh in on Alliance equity work. Many Intertwine Alliance partners participated in last year's equity cohort, one-day antiracism training and three-day antiracism retreats. All were profound learning opportunities, and set in motion a coalition approach to helping dismantle institutional racism throughout our sector. For the past several months, Alliance staff and board have been exploring how to continue supporting interested partners on their paths to organizational equity. Before we go any further, we need to hear from you. Would you or your organization be interesting in utilizing The Alliance's assistance in accessing training and other equity-related resources? Would you like to see the Alliance play a role in catalyzing and accelerating work in this area? Please direct any and all comments to Lauren at lauren@theintertwine.org. Click
here to read an email from Executive Director Mike Wetter with more on the possible equity program.
Use your Outside Voice. Last month in the guest blog, Caldera staffer Randall Malcolm and former interns Patrick and Vincent Prom inspired us with a meditation on the
link between nature and creative expression. Don't miss the great art in this one, plus a funny and touching video. Next up, Kristin Bowling of Urban Nature Partners PDX showed how the super-fun mentoring program she runs
fills an important gap for local 4th to 6th graders. And last but not least, we reprinted a beautiful article from Columbia Land Trust about its
efforts to assist endangered sandhill cranes on recently acquired acreage in the Vancouver Lake lowlands. Now it's your turn! Send any and all blog ideas to tara@theintertwine.org. You can also sign up to receive
notifications by email.
Other headlines from around The Intertwine:
May is Bike Month! Demonstrate your pedal power with the Bicycle Transportation Alliance's Bike More Challenge and a slew of fun things going on at the Westside Transportation Alliance.
- Please support Outdoor School. The clock is winding down for getting a measure on the November ballot. Click here to sign the petition and for other ways you can help.
- The 30th annual Great Blue Heron Week, "Herons of the Intertwine," is set for June 1 to June 12 at locations throughout The Intertwine. Submit your field trip or activity by May 10 for inclusion in the official roster of events.
Give reign to your inner scientist this merry month of May at one of several Eco-Blitzes around the region: Graham Oaks Nature Park in Wilsonville on May 7; Fernhill Wetlands in Forest Grove on May 14; Fort Vancouver in Clark County, Washington, on May 20-21; or Powell Butte Nature Park in Portland on May 21.
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- Climate change is the hot topic at the 10th annual Science to Policy Summit presented by the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership on June 17 in Vancouver.
Funding Opportunities
Caring for nature in your community. If you have a vision for improving water quality, creating fish and wildlife habitat, getting rid of weeds, or restoring nature in the Portland metropolitan area, a
Nature in Neighborhoods restoration grant of up to $50,000 can get your idea off the ground. In 2015, Metro awarded $600,000 to 15 organizations for local restoration projects.
Apply by
Monday, May 16.
Put your project on the map. The Gray Family Foundation has announced a new grant program to stimulate and promote the integration of geographic concepts into K-12 curriculum and instruction. The
Geography Education Program will fund projects that help students develop a command of geographic tools and perspectives, foster a sense of place in their local and global community, and prepare them to engage in a way that sustains Oregon’s natural and built communities. Apply by by
June 15.
Mark your Calendar
Highlights of the month ahead. See the Intertwine event calendar for more.
- Celebrate Mother's Day by treating someone you love to "Where the Women Are: Gender and Power in the Archaeological Record of the Pacific Northwest" this Sunday, May 8, at 1 p.m. at the Cathlapotle Plankhouse on the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. After you stretch your mind, work out your legs with a 2 p.m. ethnobotany hike around the refuge.
The East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District offers a hearty array of free workshops this month, ranging from Rain Gardens 101 on Saturday, May 14, to Naturescaping Basics on Saturday, May 21. Check 'em all out and sign up here.
- Join Cascadia Wild for a wander through the woods to identify spring greens like miner's lettuce, violets and cow parsnip. The Wild Edible Plant Outing is Sunday, May 15, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Don't miss the 20th annual Tualatin River Bird Festival on Saturday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge. Flap on over for tips from experienced birders, storytelling, a scavenger hunt, covered wagon rides and so much more.
