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Thank you for joining us at Steigerwald, Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez!
Yesterday, Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez toured the newly restored Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. We want to thank the Congresswoman for her interest in this project. The Steigerwald Reconnection Project generated over 550 jobs, protected a mobile home community and 124 acres of industrial land from flooding, and restored nearly 1,000 acres of floodplain habitat. It is also an enormous asset for public recreation!
Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez pitched in to help the revegetation effort at the refuge by planting an Oregon myrtle, a Pacific willow, and a red osier dogwood near the confluence of Gibbons Creek and the Columbia River with Chris Collins, Restoration Program Lead.
Happy 13th work anniversary, Sam!
Volunteer Coordinator-extraordinaire Sam Dumont celebrates her 13th work anniversary with the us this month! Sam leads a volunteer program that engages hundreds of people in stewardship events annually. She is also active in classrooms as an environmental educator.
“I love being surrounded by coworkers who are passionate about the Estuary Partnership’s mission; it’s an atmosphere that inspires the best in each other and in the students and community members who work with us,” said Sam. “I am grateful that I get to incorporate my playful energy into my job in a way that fosters connections for people to nature and to each other.”
Welcome, Jana!
Please join us in welcoming Jana Magnuson to the Estuary Partnership! Jana joined the Estuary Partnership as the Financial Accounting Coordinator in March. In addition to her passion for water and natural ecosystems, Jana brings more than a decade of experience with nonprofit accounting to the organization. In her free time, she loves camping, hiking, traveling, watching baseball, playing kickball, reading, and swimming. She and her husband have two dogs that take as many camping and snowshoe trips as possible. Jana has a BA in Marketing Communications from Columbia College in Chicago.
Estuary Partnership goes to Washington DC
For the first time since 2019, we traveled to Washington DC to attend the annual National Estuary Program convening and to meet with Congressional leaders representing our lower Columbia River study area.
As a bonus, we were in Washington DC during “peak bloom” of the famous cherry trees lining the Washington Mall. We also found a little bit of extra time to explore the local attractions, including the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and the U.S Botanic Garden.
April is Earth Month and we’ve already begun the celebration with our partners at Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe, Ash Creek Forest Management and KPFF. Will you join us? As a bonus, we’re also celebrating the GiveBIG campaign on May 2 and 3. Our goal is to raise $5,000 during April’s Earth Month campaign and through GiveBIG on May 2 and 3.
You can help us reach our goal by donating today. Anyone who donates $100 or more April 1 through May 3 will get a certificate for a two-hour kayak rental for two from Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe!
You’re also invited to show your support by joining a volunteer event on April 21, April 22, or May 3.
Meet our outstanding Earth Month and GiveBIG partners:
Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe – Team Alder Creek runs the premiere paddle sports store and paddling school in Oregon, with one main retail location at Portland’s Jantzen Beach and three satellite rental locations in Tualatin, Lake Oswego, and Ridgefield.
Ash Creek Forest Management – Environmental restoration firm and certified B-Corp, Ash Creek has also been integral to revegetation work at the Steigerwald Reconnection Project.
KPFF – KPFF is a multi-discipline engineering firm whose team thrives on designing innovative solutions for projects of all scales, kinds, and industries. KPFF is currently working to engineer the Estuary Partnership and the Port of Ilwaco’s Baker Bay stormwater project.
Get out there and make a difference!
Each year, hundreds of volunteers plant thousands of native trees and shrubs along creeks and in floodplains to improve habitat for fish and wildlife, lower water temperature, and reduce erosion. Now, it's time to help these new plants thrive by applying mulch and removing weeds.
Volunteer planting events are family-friendly, and teenagers aged 15 and older can volunteer without an adult (additional waiver required). New events will be added to our volunteer calendar so check our website often and follow our social media channels to stay updated.
Do you like wearing waders? Are you outdoorsy in the rain and the sunshine? If you answered “yes” to these questions, then please continue reading for a unique volunteer opportunity! Our western painted turtle research partners at Portland State University need volunteers to help with surveys at the Sandy River Delta this spring. Volunteers will assist with locating and identifying amphibian egg masses, locating and observing basking western painted turtles, and trapping and measuring western painted turtles. If you’re interested in learning more, please email sandyriverturtles@gmail.com.
You’re invited: Columbia River Estuary Conference May 16-18
The Columbia River Estuary Conference (CREC) is May 16-18, 2023, in Astoria. The theme of CREC 2023 is reconnection. CREC 2023 will be a space to reconnect with each other to catch up, discuss our work and results, and seek out new ideas and collaborative opportunities.
