September Kayak & Canoe Free Rentals
REGISTER HERE
Wednesday, September 15th
3:00pm - 7:00pm @ Whitaker Ponds
 Experience the wonders and wildlife of the Slough up close with our free kayak and canoe rental program. Each month the Council provides several weekday and weekend opportunities for you and your family to get outdoors and enjoy some time on the water.
An Introduction to Forest Bathing
REGISTER HERE
Wednesday, September 22nd
5:30pm - 7:30pm @ Kelley Point Park
Join Irene Bailey, Program Director of Temenos Rising, for a guided forest bathing walk at Kelley Point Park on Wednesday, September 22nd from 5:30pm - 7:30pm.
 This 2-hour guided forest bathing walk supports the remembering that we are all connected to each other and all life. Connection to the natural world increases our general well-being and helps us restore our relationship to place.
By slowing down and being present, we offer our bodies, minds, and hearts a nourishing break from the stress and challenges we are currently facing. Forest Bathing is a practice that calms the nervous system and reminds us to be present to the gift of life.
Bilingual Paddle with Vive NW
REGISTER HERE
Sunday, September 26th
3:00pm - 5:30pm @ Whitaker Ponds
This event is designed specifically for members of the Latinx community.
The Columbia Slough Watershed Council and Vive NW are working together to host a free bilingual paddle event on the Columbia Slough! Gear will be provided including life jackets, boats and paddles. Just sign up on our online form, and then join us on Sunday, September 26th from 3-5:30pm at Whitaker Ponds Nature Park (7040 NE 47th Ave).
If you are a beginning canoeist, that's okay! We will have volunteer paddle leaders who are fluent in Spanish there to help you. We'll provide a little canoeing instruction before your paddle. We hope you'll join us and experience the Slough---nature right in your backyard. Sign up and reserve your boat!
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Aquifer Adventure Activity Alert #3
Just because we couldn't host Aquifer Adventure this year, doesn't mean that we can't all learn about groundwater and have some fun while doing it!
 Did you know that 99% of all the water in the world is saltwater or ice? That means that the water that plants and animals and you and I drink is pretty rare and special. Watch this video to learn about where our drinking water comes from here in Portland!
Community Spotlight Series
We’d like to recognize the amazing community of folks who give their time to care for the Slough and its watershed in a new “Community Member Spotlight” series, focused on folks who are going above and beyond in helping build a healthy and accessible Columbia Slough watershed. Some of these people have been volunteering their time for years, while others have just become involved recently.
If you would like to nominate someone for us to highlight who has made a big difference in your experience of the watershed, let us know! Send an email to thomas.meinzen@columbiaslough.org.
We’ll begin this series with Paul Taylor, a longtime NE Portland resident who adopted a stretch of the Slough through SOLVE’s Adopt-A-River program. Read on to find out how Paul went—in one year—from casual kayaker to Slough adopter and rubble-removing extraordinaire:
Read the full story HERE
Charles Sams has been nominated as the next NPS Director
On August 18th, the White House announced its intention to nominate Charles “Chuck” Sams III, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla, with 25 years of experience in tribal and state conservation and land management, as Director of the National Park Service.
 In addition to serving as Executive Director of the Columbia Slough Watershed Council from 2004-2006, Chuck currently serves as a member of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, as appointed by Governor Brown. Prior to this, he held positions with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), including Executive and Deputy Executive Director, Communications Director, and Environmental Health and Safety Officer/Planner. Previously he served as President/CEO of the Indian Country Conservancy, Executive Director for the Umatilla Tribal Community Foundation, National Director of the Tribal & Native Lands Program for the Trust for Public Land, Executive Director for the Community Energy Project, and President/CEO for the Earth Conservation Corps.
Everyone at the Council would like to congratulate Chuck on this incredible opportunity and we hope for a quick Senate confirmation! To read Governor Kate Brown's statement on this nomination, click here.
Cully Neighborhood Clean Up
The Columbia Slough Watershed Council is excited to partner with several amazing organizations (listed below) and take part in a Cully neighborhood clean up in October! Snacks, lunch, and raffle prizes will be included, so come out and join in the fun on Saturday, October 2nd from 10:00am - 12:00pm and help lend a hand! We'll meet at the Hacienda CDC Futsal Court located at 6700 NE Killingsworth and go from there. More details coming soon!
Organizational partners include Verde, Hacienda CDC, SOLVE, Oregon Walks, Community Cycling Center, Andando en Bicicletas en Cully, Cully Association of Neighbors, Habitat for Humanity, & Cully Blvd Alliance.
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COMMUNITY RESOURCES & NEWS
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ARTICLE FOR THE MONTH:
 The Unbearable Summer: Disastrous environmental events are converging like never before, by Ronald Brownstein, senior editor at The Atlantic
“Heat, drought, floods, and especially the lengthening and intensifying wildfire season, have compelled the West to reckon with climate change more explicitly than probably any other region in America. But this summer’s convergence of extreme events proves that climate change isn’t a future threat; it’s here. Scientists, political leaders, and environmentalists all broadly recognize that extremes and unpleasant surprises—events that once seemed impossible—will become more commonplace..” To read the full article, follow this link HERE.
Slavic Cultural Festival 2021
 One of the Council's most recent community partners, The Slavic Community Center NW, will be hosting the highly anticipated Portland Slavic Festival on Sunday, September 12th from 10:00am - 8:00pm at Ventura City Park. This event celebrates Slavic heritage in a variety of traditional displays and programs by uniting the diverse members of the former Soviet Union and showcasing their rich cultural aspects. Join Council staff members and the larger community, and celebrate Slavic Heritage! For more information, visit their facebook page. If you can't join in person, you can also watch it from the comfort of your home at https://bit.ly/slavicfestonline and preorder food at https://bit.ly/slavicfestfood for September 12th delivery!
SOLVE - Urgent Need Cleanup
 Join SOLVE near 87th and Marx Dr. on Saturday, September 22nd from 10:00am - 1:00pm for a cleanup in an urgent-need area near the Columbia Slough. SOLVE defines an Urgent Need cleanup as an area with a high concentration of litter that poses a threat to public safety and environmental quality.
Urgent Need cleanups are not family friendly or suitable for anyone under the age of 18 due to an increased presence of hazardous materials. Safety guidelines will be put in place before the cleanup begins. During this cleanup, you will work with SOLVE staff in a small group to clean up piles of trash along the road near the slough. We will be meeting next to Trojan Storage on Marx Dr. This project has been funded in part by a grant from Travel Oregon. Registration is required, more information can be found HERE.
An Update on the Shaull Property Purchase
Over 1,000 people voted for the City of  Gresham to use a portion of their $5.4 million share of the 2019 Metro Parks and Nature Bond to purchase the “Shaull property,” a 7.8-acre of land with wetlands and trees next to Southwest Community Park. As a result, Gresham City Council directed staff to negotiate a potential City purchase of this property, which would preserve the natural area and prevent the development of 30 homes. On June 15, the City signed a purchase and sale agreement with the property owner.
Since then, the City has taken the following steps:
* Conducted the typical due diligence steps required to complete the purchase. No concerns arose from the environmental site assessment, appraisal and title review.
* Secured $200,000 from East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District.
* Received tentative commitments of $700,000 total in state American Rescue Plan Act funds from State Representative Ruiz and State Senator Gorsek, although this funding needs to be approved by the federal government.
* City Council approved an intergovernmental agreement with Metro to allocate up to $2.475 million of Gresham’s $5.4 million share of the 2019 Parks and Nature Bond for this purchase.
* The City is currently on track to close the sale of the property on September 15. The closing date may be extended to November 1 if needed.
After the sale is final, the City will take ownership of the property. Future improvements to this property and the adjoining Southwest Community Park will be prioritized against other potential projects for funding. The City will work with local educators, community groups and wildlife experts to design opportunities for nature experiences for park visitors while protecting the habitat.
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he Columbia Slough Watershed Council is recognized as a leader in creating community for land protection, recreation, and public health. My history with the Council goes back over a decade. I’ve been a paddler and birder of your peaceful waterways, a donor of the Council, a volunteer and supporter of People of Color Outdoors (a project the Council fiscally sponsors), and an enthusiastic partner when I served as Executive Director of the Portland Parks Foundation and, most recently, Portland Audubon. Cathy Kellon and I were also members of a cohort of Green EDs who met regularly to advance equity. Now, after 15 years leading nonprofits, I’m pleased to focus my energies on helping nonprofit boards and Executive Directors build more resilient, equitable, and effective organizations. I couldn’t have found a more compelling organization and mission to serve during this phase in my career.
