2016 line-up. Calling all leaders of
Intertwine Projects! We've set the schedule of quarterly gatherings for the rest of the year, and can't wait to spend some quality time together. Please mark your calendars and join your Intertwine peers for connection, learning, project support, free lunch and fun.
SPRING:
Thursday, April 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
RSVP today!
SUMMER:
Tuesday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
FALL:
Tuesday, Oct. 18, in conjunction with The Intertwine Alliance Fall Summit. Time to be determined.
Interested in declaring an Intertwine Project but not sure yet? We encourage you to attend the meetings to soak up the scene and learn more. Questions? Please get in touch with Program Manager David Cohen at david@theintertwine.org.
Summits, summits everywhere! Just a reminder that instead of one big Intertwine Alliance Spring Summit this year, we're convening four county summits. The purpose of these county gatherings is to strengthen sub-regional relationships, celebrate successes and build for the future. Folks living and working in
East Multnomah County, mark your calendars for a half-day gathering on
Thursday, May 12, from noon to 5 p.m. at McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale. Leadership groups for all four summits are meeting regularly; we'll announce dates and locations for the Clark, Washington and Clackamas county summits soon.
Welcome x 4. The Intertwine Alliance is delighted to welcome the following new partners this month:
Environmental Science Associates;
Switchback Group, LLC;
Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District; and
Felida Neighborhood Association. We look forward to many inspirational collaborations between these and other
Intertwine partners.
Getting there is getting easier. Great news! Nearly
400 new trail signs will be installed across the region early this year, thanks in part to a $262,000 Oregon Department of Transportation grant to Metro. You'll see new signs along the Rock Creek Trail in Hillsboro, Fanno Creek Trail in Tigard, Tualatin River Greenway in Tualatin, and Trolley Trail in Milwaukie, Oak Grove and Gladstone. The signs will be co-branded by Metro, local parks providers and The Intertwine Alliance.
Big money for big work. Kudos to the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District for
bringing nearly $1,000,000 to Washington County to improve and protect watershed health with two recent grants. A USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program grant of $936,000 will support conservation work in the Dairy Creek and McKay Creek watersheds. An Oregon State Weed Board grant of $49,334 enables the district to continue combating invasive weeds.
People power. Don't miss the
2016 Oregon Active Transportation Summit: Our Healthy Streets, hosted by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance,
March 14-15 at the Sentinel Hotel in downtown Portland. Keynotes include Lynn Peterson, former director of the Washington State Department of Transportation, and Seleta Reynolds, general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Check out the list of sessions, the agenda and registration
here.
Catch up with the blog. Last month's fascinating contributions to
Outside Voice include the Port of Portland's
Lisa Appel on habitat improvement at Government Island and
Alan DeLaTorre of PSU's Institute on Aging about being an "age-friendly" city. We welcome contributions from all Alliance partners, with the goal of publishing twice a month. Email tara@theintertwine.org with your ideas, or sign up to receive
blog notifications by email.
Funding Opportunities
Looking for a cool half-million? The final round of funding for Metro's Nature in Neighborhoods capital grant program starts soon, with $1.7 million available for grants up to $500, ooo. Letters of interest for projects involving land acquisition, urban transformations, restoration, or neighborhood livability will be accepted through
April 18. Full applications accepted upon invitation and due in August. Learn more
here.
Watering the watershed. Clackamas County Water Environment Services is accepting proposals through
April 27 for watershed improvement grants up to $30,000 through its
RiverHealth Stewardship Program. Preferred proposals will improve watershed health, be visible to the general public, show a clear community benefit, and include rainwater infiltration, environmental restoration and/or pavement removal.
Advance environmental justice. Request for Proposals for Confluence Environmental Center's 2016-2017 AmeriCorps placements are due
March 17. This important
program catalyzes environmental justice in the Portland area by working with community partners to develop 11-month AmeriCorps positions that address critical environmental needs in low-income communities and communities of color.
Mark your Calendar
Highlights of the month ahead. See the event calendar for more.
Cheers for conservation. The Nature Conservancy and OMSI team up this month to present two
Science Pub events, one in Portland and one in Hillsboro.
- Thursday, March 3, at McMenamins Mission Theater: the role of fire in the Willamette Valley.
- Monday, March 28, at the Venetian Theatre & Bistro in Hillsboro: reimagining the management of non-native grass in the sagebrush ecoystem.
Taking refuge. Now that Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is again a safe place for birds and people, it's a good time to look a little closer at these marvelous lands and the diverse wildlife inhabiting them. Join Audubon Society of Portland for a
special Nature Night on
Tuesday, March 8, as Conservation Director Bob Sallinger speaks about Malheur’s rich history, its current status, and the future of the refuge. Lower ballroom at Montgomery Park in Northwest Portland. $5 suggested donation.
It's a hoot. The annual
Owl Fest at Tryon Creek State Natural Area flies back to town
Saturday, March 12, with family activities including owl pellet dissection, crafts, guided hikes, and close-up encounters with Audubon Society of Portland education owls Hazel and Julio. Free.
Slough cool. Join the Columbia Slough Watershed Council on
Saturday, March 12, for
Slough 101, a free introduction to the river inlet, in partnership with the Portland Water Bureau and Bureau of Environmental Services.
Preregistration required.
