Monthly News from the Slough

As the weather begins to change from sunshine and blue skies to cooler temperatures and rain, so too does our programming calendar. While we were unable to host a handful of our usual summer water events such as Explorando el Columbia Slough or Regatta, we were able to implement our first-ever canoe rental program which allowed over 200 individuals and families to explore the wonders

of the Columbia Slough for free! Thanks to our funders at Bureau of Environmental Services (BES), METRO, and East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation, we were given the flexibility we needed to create safe, and engaging paddling opportunities for the larger community. Last but not least, a huge thanks to all of our amazing Paddle Team volunteers that made this season possible, we couldn't have done it without your help!

In addition to these free public paddles, the Council also started a new program to host free bilingual paddle events in languages commonly spoken in our watershed. We started with Spanish- and Russian-speaking communities in partnership with two local nonprofits, Vive NW and Slavic Community Center NW. Funding from East Portland Action Plan, East Portland Community Office, and BES made this new program possible.

Ten new bilingual paddle leaders were trained and then led four free paddle events with 45 participants from the Latinx and Slavic communities. Check out this article on our blog for more about the program, and thanks to East Portland Action Plan, East Portland Community Office, and BES for making this work possible.

As our public paddling programs wind down for the season, our stewardship programming is ramping up! Join us for Stewardship Saturdays, starting this month! Registration required and group sizes are limited so register here today!

BIRDS & BOTANY AT KELLEY POINT PARK

Looking to try out a new hobby or brush up on your winter bird and plant knowledge? Join longtime birder and naturalist Thomas Meinzen for a free, socially-distanced bird walk at Kelley Point Park, a beautiful peninsula park at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers.

Sunday, November 8th
9:00am - 11:00am
@ Kelley Point Park
REGISTER HERE
* Face coverings and social distancing will be required

STEWARDSHIP SATURDAY'S ARE BACK!

The rains have returned, and that means we can plant again! Stewardship Saturdays are back, and we have two dates in November scheduled for November 7th and 14th where we can use some help!

On November 7th, come join the Council as we “spruce” up a restoration site at Woodland Elementary in Gresham! This site has been planted and stewarded for the last three years by Woodland students and without in-person classes this year, their trees need some help.

On November 14th we are headed to ACME Storage to help add more native plants to this great site along the Columbia Slough. We still have some openings, so come join us!

Saturday, November 7th
9:00am - 12:00pm
REGISTER HERE

Saturday, November 14th
9:00am - 12:00pm
REGISTER HERE

* Face coverings and social distancing will be required

LET'S TALK TURTLES!
A Webinar on Watershed Wildlife Ecology with Portland Parks Ecologist Laura Gudreyahn

Join us Thursday, December 10th at 6:00pm for a special (free!) winter webinar on turtles, ecology, the future of Whitaker Ponds, and more, with Columbia Slough and Willamette watershed ecologist Laura Gudreyahn. In this webinar, we'll learn how to identify our watershed's four turtle species with live turtles, join Laura in the field to see her work as an ecologist, and give you a chance to ask questions about watershed wildlife in a live Q&A with Laura! Registration is limited, so sign up for the Zoom webinar here!

Thursday, December 10th
5:30pm - 6:30pm PST
ZOOM Webinar
REGISTER HERE

TOGETHER FOR WATERSHEDS

Check out the most recent content from the Together for Watersheds partnership - a collection of watershed groups from around the region that are working together to provide engaging on-line content for individuals and families. This week's video comes from Backyard Habitat Certification Program. What exactly is naturescaping you ask? Great question, watch and find out!

WHAT'S NEW AT SLOUGH SCHOOL?

Synchronous Slough School: Do you want live teaching in your virtual classroom? Just invite Education Director Jennifer Starkey! Let's put things in the calendar: Animals, plants, Soil, Water, History, Field visits! We can do it.

Asynchronous content is growing all the time - Not only Slough School's content, but City of Portland's Clean Rivers Education has published a rich source of learning.

Zine Project! 5th graders from Rigler (PPS) and Woodland Elementary (RSD) are working on a Zine Exchange project about the animals that find a habitat in the Columbia Slough and Fairview Creek. Get ready for mutual education! ¡En Español!

POIC/RAHS students have been working with Slough School and Yoko Silk from Portland Parks to gain more in-depth knowledge about the Columbia Slough and its natural areas. This crew of youth is building workforce skills and we're pretty excited to see them grow into leaders.

Alliance High School at Meek students are still collecting wildlife camera data from Whitaker Ponds! Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post from these students, but in the meantime, check out this evidence that Whitaker Ponds is fact home to mama and baby beavers!

A NEW ARTICLE FOR THE MONTH

Another important read from the Atlantic in this specific, historical moment - E arth's New Gilded Era: The world is getting hotter, and the divide between rich and poor is getting bigger.

"Poor, vulnerable people are already feeling the effects of climate change,” she [Cheryl Holder] said. “They are the proverbial canary in a coal mine. Truly, their experiences are like oracles or prophecies.” This view of climate justice transforms the dominant narrative of climate change from one of a shared experience of gradual challenges into one where poor people, women, and minorities are on the front lines, serving as a vanguard against oblivion."

In4All IS HIRING!

Thanks to a capacity grant award, In4All is hiring an East Portland Area Manager to help grow their programs in east county and N. Clackamas. If you're unaware of In4All, take a moment to learn more as they are a tremendous asset to us all! In4All mobilizes community, bringing local businesses and schools together to provide real world, hands-on learning experiences that expand opportunities for students who are historically underserved to engage in their education and aspire to careers in fields they might not otherwise consider possible.

When asked about working with In4All, Khan Tung, a recent intern at the Columbia Slough Watershed Council said that, "Working with in4All has been a game changer! I have always been really excited with biology and science, so to finally have this kind of opportunity to connect with environmental organizations to learn from and gain professional development experience is exactly what I've been looking for in order to achieve my dream."