Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Watersheds 101

"Watershed" has been a buzzword I've been hearing since I joined the Friends of Tryon Creek. It is an important component of the park so this morning I met with Terri Preeg Riggsby, Tryon Creek's resident watershed expert and member of the Tryon Creek Watershed Council (TCWC), to learn more.

Terri has been with TCWC for ten years and has gleaned a great deal of information about the region. She explained that a watershed is a geographical area that is bordered by high elevation from which water flows downhill to lower elevations. In the case of Tryon Creek's 4,200-acre watershed, water runs to area tributaries and then into the creek and eventually into the Willamette River.

Ideally, water flowing into area waterways would be filtered through the ground to underground streams. This would allow for cleaner, cooler water which is necessary for healthy ecosystems. The current reality is that much of the stormwater ends up running down our streets and into drains and the sewer system. It eventually ends up in the river along with all the unhealthy particles it picks up along the way. The result? Warmer, polluted water that contributes to turbidity and erosion.

The mission of the Tryon Creek Watershed Council is to preserve and protect area waterways, increase ground-access for water, and educate the community about the importance of the watershed and its contribution to clean water and the general health of the environment. I have a new respect and appreciation for the work of the TCWC and am pleased they are a partner to the Friends.

For more info on the Tryon Creek Watershed Council please visit http://tcwc.tryonfriends.org/index.html

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Hooray for Outdoor Education!

Capitol Hill 2nd Graders learning about pond life

"Kids who play outside are simply more focused, healthier and happier." - Jason Mark, writer for The Earth Island Journal

I have been taking my two children to Tryon Creek since they were babies. I would strap them to my chest, a la Baby Bjorn-style, and traipse along the park's forested paths, breathing in the fresh clean air, admiring the lush green space around me and enjoying some relatively calm and centered moments amid the chaos of daily child rearing.

As my children grew, I took to planting them on Tryon Creek's trails on their own two feet, expecting their curiosity and energy levels to run wild. And, while they didn't seem to mind being in the natural world, they didn't display nearly the interest or appreciation I hoped they would.

Until now.

I have discovered the key: Hands-on experience with outdoor education. A few weeks ago I blogged about No Oregon Child Left Inside.  The purpose of this act is to provide opportunities for children to explore and learn about nature in order to encourage stewardship of the land by nurturing and inspiring an appreciation of the outdoors.

Last month I began taking my kiddies on guided hiking tours of Tryon Creek. The interest those hikes have generated is through the roof! Now my kids ask to visit the park on a near daily basis. They look for things they learned about on past hikes and ask questions about plants and creatures that are new to them (alas, I am no naturalist so I have to leave the answers until the next time we are with a park expert). They have chosen to write about their park visits at school unprompted. Now, that's something new! And, they always express concern when they see a sight along the trail that has been disturbed (joggers, you know not the damage you can do to a rough skinned newt.).

My children's cheeks are rosier then ever, their young legs are strong and sturdy, and they radiate enthusiasm and joy with each and every hike. A heartfelt thanks to outdoor educators!

(Click here to read Jason Mark's take on No Child Left Inside: http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/elist/eListRead/no_child_left_inside)

Monday, December 6, 2010

Holiday Forest Market

The Friends of Tryon Creek welcomed the public to the park's Nature Center for their annual holiday Forest Market on December 4th & 5th. At the event I admired the handiwork of local artisans and authors while my children made Christmas ornaments out of recycled items. The setting was very intimate so I was able to visit with many of the vendors and learn about their wares which featured everything from chocolate and candles to note cards, books and reclaimed-materials-turned-into-yard-sculptures.

Families enjoyed making decorations out of recycled items...

...while shoppers checked out (and sampled) yummy Oregon honey from The Bee Hive (I bought three jars!). 

Pamela Yocum's ceramic designs. These were absolutely stunning. (http://www.pamelayocum.com/Ceramics/Contact_Me.html)

Susan Burson's exquisite pine needle baskets (that's right! The woven portion of these gorgeous pieces are made by hand using pine needles).