Watershed

Help Us Remove Invasives! When: Sat Feb 07, 2015 9AM-11:30AM Where: Fairview Creek Headwater Park at West Powell Loop & SW 10th St Gresham OR Get Map!

Help restore the Grant Butte Wetlands

Rain or Shine Event
The recently built Gresham-Fairview Trail passes by the beautifully restored Fairview Creek Headwaters area, a refuge for wetland birds, amphibians and reptiles. The view is sadly obscured by a thick shroud of invasive Himalayan blackberry, and we want to open that view for your enjoyment. Come join us on the trail for two special Stewardship Saturdays and start removing these invasives, as we get the area ready for the annual Watershed Wide event on March 7.

This event is suitable for all ages.

Help Us Remove Invasives! When: Sat Feb 14, 2015 9AM-11:30AM Where: Fairview Creek Headwater Park at West Powell Loop & SW 10th St Gresham OR Get Map!

Help restore the Grant Butte Wetlands

Rain or Shine Event
The recently built Gresham-Fairview Trail passes by the beautifully restored Fairview Creek Headwaters area, a refuge for wetland birds, amphibians and reptiles. The view is sadly obscured by a thick shroud of invasive Himalayan blackberry, and we want to open that view for your enjoyment. Come join us on the trail for two special Stewardship Saturdays and start removing these invasives, as we get the area ready for the annual Watershed Wide event on March 7.

This event is suitable for all ages.

Help Us Remove Invasives! When: Sat Feb 21, 2015 9AM-11:30AM Where: Gresham-Fairview Trail (Between Powell Blvd bridge & Division) Park at West Powell Loop & SW 10th Gresham OR Get Map!

Help restore the Grant Butte Wetlands

Rain or Shine Event
Join us on the Gresham-Fairview trail for three special stewardship Saturdays as we get the area ready for our second annual Gresham Green and Clean event. We will begin the invasive removal process and pick up trash. Become a steward of your neighborhood trail and help open up the view of the beautiful Fairview Creek Headwaters wetland area at the base of Grant Butte.

This event is suitable for all ages, and drinks and snacks will be provided. The event will take place on the Gresham-Fairview Trail, between the Powell Blvd. bridge and Division Street, along the Fairview Creek headwaters. Park on Powell Loop.

Save Water, Reduce Runoff When: Sat May 17, 2014 9AM-1PM Where: Troutdale Community Conference Bldg 223 S Buxton Rd Troutdale OR Get Map!

You're invited
Attend a free Naturescaping Basics workshop. Learn about the practice of designing (or redesigning) your landscape so that it reduces water use and decreases stormwater runoff while saving you time, money and energy.

This introductory workshop introduces the core concepts of naturescaping, and also explores

• pollution prevention through the reduction/elimination of chemical use how native plants naturally resist pests & tolerate drought conditions while attracting native
• birds, butterflies and other beneficial pollinators to your garden
• basic site planning principals, and many other great natural gardening & design tips

Register Here!

2013 was a very productive year for the Friends of Nadaka team which includes the Audubon Society of Portland (Audubon) and Columbia Slough Watershed Council (CSWC).

By Lee Dayfield, Friends of Nadaka

Audubon released a Cooper’s Hawk and brought their educational birds to the Nadaka Community Festival. Over 300 people attended the Festival last August. This year’s Festival will be held September 27th. You can view the release of the Cooper’s Hawk on YouTube by searching for Nadaka Nature Park.

The Nadaka Nature Park & Garden Project was awarded an Oregon State Parks grant in the amount of $523,480. These funds will be used to cover the large capital improvements such as the restrooms and covered picnic shelter.

Creekside Restoration When: Sat Feb 08, 2014 10AM-1PM Where: Fairview Creek Meet at: 431 SE 205th Av Gresham, OR Get Map!

Join Columbia Slough Watershed Council for Plantapalooza 2014! This is one in a series of community focused native planting events. Help restore an acre of stream-side habitat along Fairview Creek in Gresham! This project helps to stabilize the sensitive habitat around the creek and improves water quality in the creek and in our groundwater supply. Plantapalooza 2014 offers volunteers a unique opportunity to participate in a large scale restoration project.

Volunteers will assist in planting hundreds of bare-root native plants. No previous planting experience is necessary. Plantapalooza is a great, hands-on learning opportunity appropriate for families, groups and individuals. Register today!

Creekside Restoration When: Sat Feb 22, 2014 1AM-12PM Where: Wilkes City Park 15400 NE Beech St Portland, OR Get Map!

Assist Columbia Slough Watershed Council’s SERVE (Students Engaged in Restoring Vital Ecosystems) program at this Stewardship Saturday event. The SERVE program exposes local students to hands-on restoration work in the Slough watershed, and now you can help! Improve water quality and habitat conditions by planting and mulching native plant species along Wilkes Creek. Volunteers will also assist in park clean up, fence removal and the management of invasive plant species. Register Today!

Laminated Root Rot. Click to enlarge

Laminated Root Rot and Nadaka Nature Park Abel Gebrezgi and Jim Labbe Audubon Society of Portland

INTRODUCTION
Laminated root rot (LRR) is a fungal pathogen, Phellinus weirii, also known as yellowing ring rot. (LLR gets its name from the lamination of the decayed wood (see photo above). This fungus is widespread in Southern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, northern California and western Montana.). It is one of the most damaging root diseases amongst conifers, especially firs and cedars, in the Pacific Northwest. Douglas fir, Mountain hemlock, Western hemlock, Grand fir, and Pacific silver fir are highly susceptible to infection by this pathogen. Pine species like Western white pine and Ponderosa pine and larch are more resistant to it while hardwoods are immune. The fungus was first discovered in 1914, on Western red cedar in Idaho. The first reported case in Douglas fir was in 1940, at Cowichan Lake, British Columbia.

BIOLOGY The mycelium of LRR doesn’t grow in the soil and the spores do not spread by wind like most fungal pathogens. Infection occurs when roots of healthy trees grow in contact with infected roots.

Click to enlarge

After initial contact with a living root, the mycelium grows on the bark, extending only a few inches into the surrounding soil. The mycelium penetrates the host through the injured bark and advances along newly infected roots. Symptoms include crown yellowing and thinning, distress of cones, red-brown staining of outer heartwood, and separation of annual rings. Less discernible is the root rot which eventually decays the roots, destabilizes the tree, and leads to death and toppling. In addition to the loss of mature trees within a stand, LRR creates potential hazards from tree fall especially in small urban parks. The number of cases of the LRR disease has increased substantially with the presence of fire suppression and resulting dominance of Douglas-fir and Grand fir.

Inside this Issue

• Help Guide Gresham's Future Housing Needs
• Volunteer Watching Birds for Survey
• Backyard Burning Season Starts
• Recycle (Don't Toss) at Earth Day Event
• Free Compost, Bring Your Buckets
• Attend City's Graffiti Removal Summit
• Connect With Your City Councilors
• Bike Fun in May
• Rain Garden Workshop, $200 Incentive
• City Jobs, Meetings and Community Events

Keep up with what’s Happening in your City!