July 2021 Contents

Check out highlights from WWRC activities and projects over the past year.

 

Last year looked a little different for WWRC programming, but we are grateful that we still had the opportunity to form new partnerships, take on new projects, and work with many fantastic volunteers and community groups! Our work touched many watersheds throughout the westside of Portland, and made a positive impact by adding native plants to the landscape, reducing stormwater runoff and pollution, and providing educational activities for youth and adults.

Our 2020-21 Annual Report provides a look back at our accomplishments, including photos, stats, and other highlights from last year's WWRC activities.

108 volunteers contributed 289 service hours to support WWRC projects over the past year (photo courtesy of Corey Shelton).

We had a great time testing water in Fanno Creek, and getting creative with wildlife-themed art.
    

Thank you to the Neighborhood House Connect Program for joining us for a fieldtrip on the SW 25th Ave community trail a few weeks back! Students and teachers had the opportunity to learn about native plants, the importance of headwaters areas, ways we can prevent water pollution and protect wildlife, and even got to search for aquatic macroinvertebrates in Fanno Creek. We are grateful to Friends of Fanno Creek Headwaters for helping us lead these activities, and for being a great caretaker of the SW 25th Ave community trail space. 

If you are interested in an educational activity for your group, please contact us (manager@westsidewatersheds.org, 503 865 6759). 

Students painted wood cutouts of native wildlife and learned how to protect and create habitat for these creatures in our neighborhoods (photo courtesy of Neighborhood House). 

They may not look great now, but many of these plants are already on the path to recovery.
 

Excessive heat can take a toll on both native and ornamental plants. But just because some of these plants look brown and crispy does not necessarily mean they are dead or dying.

Patience and care are the best medicine you can provide to plants that have suffered heat damage. For tips on specific actions you can take (plus things you definitely should not do) to care for heat damaged plants, check out this resource from Oregon State University Extension. 

This little cascara tree (Rhamnus purshiana) suffered significant sun/heat damage a few weeks ago, but has since rebounded with lots of new, bright green leaves.    

We'll have activities for kids, and info on local watershed projects and events.

Multnomah Days is a street fair celebration in SW Portland. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, August 21 from 9am – 5pm in Multnomah Village.

The event futures live music, food, local vendors, artists, organizations, and all kinds of fun activities for the whole family! WWRC will be joined our partners from City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services, West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, and Tryon Creek Watershed Council. Stop by our booths to say hello and learn more about the great work being done to care for watersheds and natural areas around SW Portland!

You can learn more about Multnomah Days here: multnomahvillage.org/multnomahdays