Our 2024 Big Canoe season is well underway! We have been out on dozens of paddle programs with community partners already this year and have many more planned before summertime ends. Our environmental educators have been having a fun time paddling with community partners on waterways throughout the Columbia River watershed, including the Willamette River at Cathedral Park, Willamette Park, and Fred’s Marina in Linnton; Vancouver Lake and Lake River; the Tualatin River at Cook Park; and Cullaby and Coffenbury Lakes in Clatsop County. Our Big Canoe program offers a unique opportunity to learn about water quality, explore new ecosystems, and provide an inviting on-water experience for first-time and returning paddlers alike.
Testing the water quality of the Willamette River to learn about river health on a paddle trip with youth from Verde. This Big Canoe paddle was supported by a Partner In Conservation grant from the East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District.
Members of the Green Workforce Academy exploring the natural environment with binoculars. This Big Canoe paddle trip was support by the City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services Portland Harbor Community grant program
Many of the paddlers from the Afghan Support Network were exploring the Tualatin River for the first time on this afternoon Big Canoe paddle trip. This paddle trip was supported by the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District.
Enjoying Cullaby Lake with the folks from the Astoria Q Center. This Big Canoe paddle trip was supported by the Oregon State Marine Board’s Waterway Access Grant Program (funding for the Waterway Access Grant Program comes from the purchase of Waterway Access Permits by boaters with paddle craft 10 feet in length or longer).
Teens from the Youth Conservation Corps explore the Willamette River on a sunny summer afternoon. This Big Canoe paddle was supported by a Partner In Conservation grant from the East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District.
A little bit of rain and a lot of smiles with these kids on a paddle trip supported by a grant from Metro.
Students from Clark College pause their paddling to test the temperature at Vancouver Lake. This hands-on science trip was made possible with the support of the Clark County, the Port of Vancouver, and the City of Vancouver's Experience Vancouver Lake progaram.
Our environmental educators collaborate with our partner groups to design each Big Canoe paddling program to meet our programmatic goals and the needs and interests of each group. This collaboration makes each paddling trip unique which adds to the fun and accessibility of this one-of-a-kind experience! Since June, we have partnered with the following community groups for Big Canoe paddle programs: Green Workforce Academy, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), Centennial Transition Center, Latino Network, Friends of the Children, Southwest Washington Vancouver Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, the Afghan Support Network, Camp ELSO, Friendly House Summer Camp, Verde, Youth Conservation Corps/Portland Parks and Recreation, Oregon Refugee School Impact Program, Linnton Neighborhood Association, Multnomah County Environmental Health, City of Vancouver Water Resources Education Center, Portland Harbor Community Coalition, Urban Nature Partners, Slavic/Eastern European Health Workers, Lower Columbia Q Center, and Clark College. Our Big Canoe paddle program will continue into the early fall and we look forward to many more great trips with community partners!
Our seasonal Big Canoe program is supported by grants from the East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District, the City of Portland, the City of Vancouver, Clark County, Port of Vancouver USA, Metro, and Oregon State Marine Board’s Waterway Access Grant Program (funding for the Waterway Access Grant Program comes from the purchase of Waterway Access Permits by boaters with paddle craft 10 feet in length or longer).