Native American talk

Saturday, January 19 at 7 p.m.

Native Tree Thinning Project at Columbia Children’s Arboretum

Good Afternoon All,

I want to let you all know of a special project we are conducting at Columbia Children’s Arboretum this winter that we hope won’t affect your use of the park. PPR will be removing native trees to improve the overall forest health at CCA in the next week or two.

As you know, thousands of trees, shrubs and ground covers have been planted at CCA to restore the ecological functions of the site. However, several dozen of those trees have become so dense that in some areas of the forest they are choking each other out. Most of the trees are so crowded that only the very top of the tree has any green canopy. Additionally, the more complete shade under the trees has prevented native shrubs and ground covers from establishing, leading to reduced habitat value for animals, poor water quality in the nearby slough channels, and higher rates of homeless camping on the bare soil.

In the coming 2 weeks, some trees will be girdled so that they die slowly, providing snag habitat for the hundreds of bird, mammal and insect species that are found at CCA. Other trees will be completely cut down and the wood will remain on the ground to enrich and de-compact the forest soil. In Winter/Spring 2019, community members and school groups will be planting hundreds of shrubs and ground covers in the newly thinned areas.

Special care has been taken to select trees that are less than 12” dbh for removal and that are of varying sizes and species. The goal is to have a forest with a diversity of tree species and ages.

This project is being conducted and monitored under a Type 1x Land Use permit (#LU 18-251306EN; attached).

Please share this information with anyone else you know who uses Columbia Children’s Arboretum and let me know if you/they have any questions.

Laura Guderyahn (she, they (either))
Ecologist | Lands Stewardship
Portland Parks & Recreation
Office Location: 8931 SE Flavel St, Portland, OR

Mailing Address: c/o Laura Guderyahn @ CNE (B-460)

Mt Tabor Yard, 6437 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97204
503-823-6736 (mobile)
laura.guderyahn@portlandoregon.gov
portlandparks.org

City wide issues

EPA Portland Harbor Open House

From the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

Greetings!

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with support from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group (CAG), invites you to attend the third quarterly Open House/Public Forum on Wednesday, December 12 from 5:30-8:30pm at Revolution Hall located at 1300 SE Stark Street, Portland OR.

To RSVP: Please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/epas-third-portland-harbor-public-forum-tickets-52411006732.You do not need to RSVP to attend, however we encourage you to RSVP to provide us more information for set-up and logistics.

What is the purpose of the Portland Harbor Open House/Public Forum?

The Portland Harbor Open House/Public Forum is an opportunity for community members to meet with EPA and DEQ four times a year to understand and review information and updates about the Portland Harbor Superfund Site. This is also an opportunity to ask questions of the Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs).

The meeting will include two segments: (1) open house tabling, and (2) a public forum. The schedule details for the evening are as follows:

Open House Tabling, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.: Tables will be set-up to provide information in a creative, interactive, and visual way. PRPs who have signed legal agreements with EPA and Non-PRP agencies and groups working on topics like fish consumption and community outreach will be available.
Public Forum, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.: Welcome, open house report-outs, Proposed Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD) presentation, question and answer session, and next steps.

When and where will the forum take place?

Location: Revolution Hall • 1300 SE Stark Street, Portland, OR 97214
Rooms:
Open House: 2nd Floor Hallway
Public Forum: Room 101 on the ground floor
Time: 5:30-8:30 pm
Food: Dinner will be provided by the Pre-Remedial Design Group and River Mile 11 East Group and will include gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options from Miss’ipi Chef, a minority- and women-owned business. The food will be served on a first-come first-served basis.

Public Transportation and Parking Information:

Public Transportation – Revolution Hall is on the East Side of Portland and is located within one block of TriMet bus lines 70 and 15, and five blocks from lines 12, 29, and 20.
Free Street Parking: Free, non-metered street parking is available starting at SE 16^th and Stark, two blocks to the West side of the building.
Parking Lots: The Revolution Hall parking lots are only available to the general public after 6:00 p.m. If you arrive after this time, there is a parking lot South of the building.

Additional Information:

Proposed Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD): EPA released a proposed Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD)for changes to the Portland Harbor Superfund site cleanup plan for a 60-day public comment period ending December 21, 2018. This 60-day comment period incorporates a 30-day extension. Information and materials from the proposed ESD are below:
Review the full proposed ESD slide deck from the in-person session
Watch the Proposed ESD webinar recording

Final Agenda: A final agenda for the evening public forum/open house is attached to this email to help provide context about the open house and public forum meeting.

For more information: