Save the date - Meet Kristen - Science to Policy recap and more
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Save the Date for our Annual Celebration
Save the date for our biggest party of the year. On Thursday, October 17 at 6pm, we will gather at the Jupiter NEXT Hotel’s Arium Ballroom to celebrate our successes, our strong partnerships, and to raise critical funds to support our work. Tickets will be available soon.
The celebratory evening will be emceed by Portland’s famous Poison Waters. The event will feature fun raffles, a wall of wine, and a paddle raise to generate funds to support the Estuary Partnership’s mission. Guests will also have time to connect with Estuary Partnership staff and each other. And we will honor our 2024 Steward of the Year!
Thanks to Consor for committing to be a Mainstem sponsor, to Inter-Fluve and Wolf Water Resources for their Tributary-level sponsorship, and the Port of Portland for their Floodplain-level sponsorship. We are seeking additional sponsorships and donations to help make the event a success – reach out to Erinne Goodell to learn more.
Big Canoe season is here!
If you're out on the river this summer, keep an eye out for our Big Canoes! They are bright orange, 29' long, and hold up to 14 passengers, making them very hard to miss!
Our Big Canoes are floating classrooms. They offer memorable, engaging, and exciting outdoor experiences for classrooms and community groups. This summer, our 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 Waterway Access Grant Program (funding for the Waterway Access Grant Program comes from the purchase of Waterway Access Permits by boaters with paddlecraft 10 feet in length or longer).
Thank you, Animal Saving Club!
We want to give huge thanks to the members of the Animal Saving Club! They donated over $1,000 to support our work! The funds were raised through the club’s sale of Columbia River animal-themed greeting cards. Guided by local artist Anne Storrs, members of the Animal Saving Club designed the greeting cards depicting animals connected to the Columbia River.
The Animal Savings Club was started by a group of kindergarteners with a passion for the environment, conservation, and animals. Today, members of the Animal Saving Club are eighth graders at Mt. Tabor Middle School and other schools in Portland, OR.
We’re so grateful for our business partners and individual supporters who helped us celebrate Earth Month in April! Special thanks to KPFF and Ash Creek Forest Management for providing matching gifts, and to Fort George Brewery for donating 1% of all their 12-ounce can sales throughout the month. More than $6,000 was raised to enhance habitat and engage communities in the river's care!
We want to thank everyone who presented and attended the 2024 Science to Policy Summit held on May 15, 2024, in Camas, Washington. The topic of the summit, Conservation as climate mitigation: Using carbon programs to protect and restore ecosystems, was incredibly interesting. It generated excellent questions and discussions amongst the nearly 100 restoration practitioners, scientists, business leaders, and public officials who attended the summit.
We especially appreciate Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) for providing the opening remarks at the Science to Policy Summit.
Additionally, the Estuary Partnership thanks the summit’s presenters and panelists for their participation:
Jessica Stalberger, ANEW Climate, LLC
Allan Warren, Bonneville Environmental Foundation
Ian Sinks, Columbia Land Trust
Charles Seaton, Columbia Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
Please join us in wishing Erinne Goodell a happy 10th work anniversary! As Development and Communications Manager, Erinne works behind the scenes to make the Estuary Partnership’s website and social media channels shine. She is also the creative mind behind fundraising efforts such as the Annual Celebration, Giving Tuesday, and Earth Month. Her work to expand relationships with partners and awareness of the organization is central to the Estuary Partnership’s success.
"It is such an honor to work with the passionate educators and scientists at the Estuary Partnership," said Erinne. "I’m always excited to learn about the incredible work they are up to in the field, and to share that with the community. I also love having the opportunity to bring people together in person, so I look forward to seeing you at our Annual Celebration in October!”
Welcome to the team, Kristen Klever
Please welcome Kristen to the Estuary Partnership team! Kristen joins the Education team as an Environmental Educator and Paddle Program Specialist. She will lead paddle trips in the Estuary Partnership’s Big Canoes, facilitate field trips, and organize planting and community events.
Kristen brings over twenty years of environmental education experience to the Estuary Partnership. In her free time, Kristen is a volunteer with Portland Public schools, and local mutual aid and community youth programs. She maintains a garden with Portland Community Gardens and is a 2024 cohort member of the Oregon State University Master Gardner program. When Kristen isn’t volunteering, gardening, or working at the Estuary Partnership, she makes art with her family and listens to Bruce Springsteen.
Partner Promotion: Cathedral Park River Fest
Join our friends at the Human Access Project at a grand opening party celebrating the new dock at Cathedral Park and the removal of 150 tons of concrete from the river's edge.
Date: Saturday, June 29, 2025 from 2:00-8:00 p.m. Place: Cathedral Park (N. Edison Street and Pittsburg Avenue Portland, OR 97203). River Fest will be hosted on on beach, dock and grass at Cathedral Park.
What: Ribbon cutting ceremony; live music, free swimming lessons from the Black Swimming Initiative; free kayak rentals from Mosquito Fleet; free life jacket giveaway from Metro; BBQ; performance by the Rose City Raindrops synchronized swimmers; and a boat display from Portland Fire, and more.
