Are you familiar with the term "Urban Heat Islands?" If so, do you know why they exist and how they are related to social justice issues?  While Portland has a reputation as a green city that draws many to the region for its urban forests and parks, that greenery is not distributed evenly across the city. West of the Willamette River, for example, most neighborhoods have more than twice the tree canopy cover of neighborhoods in North and East Portland. As of 2018, 80% of Portland's population lives east of the Willamette, where canopy cover is only 20.5% - a lower rate than New York or Los Angeles. The number of parks, natural area, and shady yards which serve to reduce urban heat accumulation are similarly skewed toward western Portland's wealthier and whiter neighborhoods.

To learn more about Urban Heat Islands in the Portland metro area, why they exist, how they relate to social justice issues, and how you can help, read our latest blog on this topic HERE!



NOT JUST SLIMY & GREEN:  THE SLOUGH'S AQUATIC PLANT SCENE

Have you noticed how green the Columbia Slough is this time of year?  The long, sunny days and warm, nutrient-rich water makes late summer an ideal time for algae and plants to thrive in the slow-moving Slough. These thick mats of aquatic vegetation can pose a serious impediment to paddlers, and even bigger consequences for water management and watershed health. But there's more to these masses of green than meets the eye. The Slough is home to a fascinating variety of aquatic plants, including important indigenous First Foods, trap-door carnivores, and tiny water-filtering weeds.

Learn more about a variety of species to look for on your next visit to the Slough including: Duckweed, Elodea, Curlyleaf Pondweed, Common Bladderwort, Green Algae, and Eurasian Watermilfoil by following this link to our latest blog.

BIRDS & BOTANY AT SMITH & BYBEE                             

Ever find yourself wondering about the birds singing in your backyard or flocking to your local park? Looking to try out a new hobby or brush up on your bird and plant knowledge? Join longtime birder and naturalist Thomas Meinzen for a free, socially-distanced bird walk at Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area, one of the country's largest urban wetlands and a gem of the Columbia Slough Watershed.

Saturday, September 5th
9:00am - 1100am
REGISTER HERE
**COVID-19 precautions and safety protocols will be in place **


PLANTS & POLLINATORS AT WHITAKER PONDS

Join Jennifer Brixey of the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) and Thomas Meinzen of the Columbia Slough Watershed Council for a free, socially-distanced plant walk. Come out and connect with some of Whitaker Ponds’ fascinating plants and pollinators!


Saturday, September 19th
11:00am & 1:00pm
REGISTER HERE
**Registration will be capped at 10 volunteers due to COVID-19 precautions **
 

A CALL TO PRIVATE SECTOR SLOUGH NEIGHBORS! 

Do you operate a business or own industrial land along or near the Slough? We want to hear from you!  The Columbia Slough Watershed Council is asking business owners and industrial landowners to participate in a short 15 minute survey to better understand how we can work with private sector Slough neighbors to protect clean water and a healthy environment for those who work, live, and play in the watershed. All industrial landowners and business owners that operate in the Columbia Slough and complete this survey by September 21, 2020 will be invited to enter into a random drawing for a chance to win one of two prizes - either a Microsoft Surface Go 2 tablet or a Patagonia Black Hole Pack - at the end of the survey! 

Follow this link to fill out the survey, we really appreciate your time! 



PLEASE WELCOME KHAN & KEAGAN!

Thanks to a partnership with Portland General Electric and the Project Zero Internship program, the Columbia Slough Watershed Council is thrilled to introduce to you our two newest interns -  Khan Tung and Keagan Moore! Both Khan and Keagan have already made a tremendous impact while supporting our both our stewardship cleanups and public paddle events over the last few weeks and look forward to learning from, and contributing to the Council's mission and work in preserving and protecting the Columbia Slough.  To read their full bios, visit our website's About Us page. 



GREAT SLOUGH CLEAN UP 2020

This August we celebrated our annual Great Slough Clean Up! As many of you know, the Great Slough Clean Up is generally a day of simultaneous community paddle clean ups at multiple sites throughout the Slough. Due to COVID-19, we adapted this event to include multiple days of clean ups all month long on both water and land in order to spread out our impact and allow for social distancing.

This month, we cleaned up 190 cubic feet of garbage from 4 locations on the Slough with 38 volunteers! We hosted clean ups at two lesser known boat launches on the Slough in the Sumner and St. Johns neighborhoods, as well as at Kelley Point Park and Johnson Lake Natural Area. Interesting trash finds included a back massager, shopping carts, deck chairs, tires, a Nintendo game, a bike frame, and a skateboard!  Thank you to all of the amazing volunteers who helped us make a great impact on the health of the Slough!

 

CENSUS 2020, ALL VOICES COUNT!
 

Every decade, the Census Bureau fulfills a constitutionally-mandated count of every person living in the United States. It is the largest peacetime mobilization undertaken by the federal government, cumulating in data vital to U.S. social, political, and economic systems. Census data also form the statistical backbone of efforts to understand the impacts of the climate crisis and environmental hazards, as well as the consequences of policy decisions on communities. Due to a long and continuing history of unequal protections and racist policies (such as redlining), people of color and low-income communities disproportionately bear the health and economic burdens caused by environmental hazards. The climate crisis also hits many of these same communities the hardest. Policymakers, civil rights advocates, and others rely on census data to develop and implement equitable policies and practices that advance climate and environmental justice.

It is critical that every voice is counted, as the results of the census are used to reapportion the U.S. House of Representatives, determining how many seats each state gets. The census covers the entire country and everyone living here. Census data guides the distribution of $1.5 trillion dollars annually to state and local governments, nonprofits, businesses, and households across the nation. These dollars support vital programs in our communities. For more information, or to complete your 2020 census, visit www.oregon2020census.gov  



ARTICLE FOR THE MONTH:

Last week, the Portland City Council passed a dramatic overhaul of its zoning code to allow more housing density in the city's residential neighborhoods. The Residential Infill Project allows duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes to be built in neighborhoods currently zoned for single-family homes. Nonprofit developers like Habitat for Humanity say that means they will be able to build more affordable housing. Listen here to Steve Messinetti, the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Portland, about what the change means for low-income housing. 

Listen to the full interview HERE.



PORTLAND PARK FOUNDATION: Action Needed for the Future of our Parks System

The coronavirus pandemic, closure of community centers and pools, and cancellation of recreation activities have created a multi-million dollar deficit for Portland Parks & Recreation.  Portland Parks & Recreation is at a critical juncture and they need our help now. As many of you may know, last fall PP&R  initiated a careful study of new funding options. But this crisis propelled the bureau and City Council to take faster action. On July 22nd, City Council referred a 5-year levy to the November ballot to provide $48 million/year to:

* Restore recreation, fitness, swim lessons, arts and other programs closed by the pandemic
* Better care for our city's parks, natural areas, tree, canpoy, and watersheds
* Reduce PP&R's reliance on fees, expanding recreation opportunities for communities of color and all families experiencing poverty

Portland Parks and Recreation are urging community members and organizations to support this effort by endorsing the levy. Follow the links below for more information and to endorse the Levy!

Get More Information & Endorse the Levy



GRESHAM'S ENVIRONMENTAL OVERLAY CODE & MAP UPDATE

Live or work in Gresham and curious about updates to the City's environmental protection regulations? The City of Gresham's "Environmental Overlay Code and Map Update"  is designed to continue allowing development while streamlining the process and minimizing negative impacts to our natural resources, property, public health, and public safety for the Gresham community. As soon as September 8th, community members will have an opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions regarding this update through a Neighborhood Coalition Zoom Meeting.

For more information on this, please visit the City of Gresham's website.