PLANT SALE UPDATE: Important note on inclement weather and plant sale pick-up day on February 16th

In response to many inquiries about the possibility of inclement weather affecting the Plant Sale Pick-up that is scheduled for NEXT Saturday, February 16th:

We are monitoring the forecast closely and as of today, we plan to hold the Plant Sale Pick-up as scheduled, next Saturday, 2/16 from 10am – 3pm. If anything changes, we will post updates here, and we will notify all customers by email. Please stay tuned to this website for updates.

Visit our Native Plant Sale website at emswcdplantsale.com to learn more about the sale and important Pick-up Day details.

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Pick-up Day Details

Plant Pick-up Day is on Saturday, February 16th from 10 AM – 3 PM at our office, located at 5211 N. Williams Avenue in north Portland.

New draft Equity Statement and comment opportunity

In 2015 EMSWCD staff began working on awareness building, training and program development around diversity, equity and inclusion. Our communities and workplaces are strengthened by diversity, and more inclusive conservation efforts are necessary to ensure lasting and equitable outcomes. We acknowledge the historical and ongoing disparities in income, education and health in our communities. We also understand that these disparities can impact who has access to healthy land and water. For these reasons, our staff and board are committed to making meaningful changes in the work we do so that all communities can benefit from our programs.

We have recently developed a draft Equity Statement and are seeking input. We hope you will visit our new Equity page, read the draft Equity statement, and let us know if you have any comments, concerns or questions.

Link

Upcoming EMSWCD Board and Committee Meetings

The East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (EMSWCD), serving all of Multnomah County East of the Willamette River, has scheduled Board meetings and Budget, Land Legacy, and Pic Grant Review Committee meetings at the District Office (5211 N. Williams Ave, Portland, OR 97217) for the months of January through June 2019.

Visit this page to see a calendar of upcoming meetings.

Nature Notes 6 – Leaves and snow

Welcome to EMSWCD’s Nature Notes series! Nature Notes shares small moments and interesting observations from our property, as well as related natural history tidbits, on a weekly to monthly basis.

November 30^th, 2018

Natural Leaf and Snow Management

Tempted to pull out that leaf-blower for one last fall clean-up? Please consider raking instead. Not only are leaf blowers noisy, they are also very bad for the environment and human health.

Did you know…

Two-stroke engines emit hundreds of times more air pollution than cars. This pollution contributes to global warming, smog and acid rain.
Air pollution also raises risks of cancer, heart disease and asthma, especially in children.
The forced hot air damages plants and soil organisms, and compacts soil which makes plants more vulnerable to summer drought.
Electric leaf blowers create less air pollution and are somewhat quieter, but raking is still a better alternative.

Leaf cover is beneficial for the soil and also provides habitat for many pollinators and beneficial insects – leave those leaves!

October 15^th, 2018

Winter Gardening for Birds and Pollinators

The goldenrod has gone to seed, and honeybees are scouring the last of the fall asters. Here at EMSWCD, we employ a few simple practices to reduce the fall garden work and help birds and pollinators survive the winter. Read on to learn what you can do!

Did you know…

: Standing stalks provide shelter for pollinators, so leave them standing if you can.

Birds feed on seeds and insects through the winter. In the spring they will need lots of insects to feed their young. You can help birds by leaving lots of habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects to shelter safely through the winter.
Adult butterflies, ladybugs, and many other beneficial insects overwinter in rock crevices, under bark, and in leaf litter. They lay their eggs in stems, on twigs, and under leaves. Pollinators and their larvae shelter in hollow standing stalks, and beetles take refuge in clumping grasses.
A natural winter garden is a healthy pollinator hotel!

We are pleased to announce that our Working Farmland Protection program has closed on yet another important working farmland transaction. This September, EMSWCD acquired a 20-acre property in Corbett, ensuring a future for agriculture on this blueberry, raspberry and blackberry farm.

In the short term, the property will be made available for lease to agricultural operators. The property will likely ultimately be sold to a farmer with the protections of a working farmland easement – a legally binding blueprint for the future of the property which ensures it will remain in agricultural use. As part of the transaction, EMSWCD also secured an option to acquire a working farmland easement on another 20-acre property owned by the sellers. Read more →

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