Volunteers celebrate Earth Day 2013 by caring for Tryon Creek with stewardship activities in the park

 

The Friends of Tryon Creek welcomed volunteers from Lewis & Clark College, Intel, First United Methodist Church, and SOLV, to help care for the park by removing invasive species at the April 20th annual Elinor Levin Garlic Mustard Day & Earth Day Celebration.

 

Friends' member Stephanie Wagner teaches Intel employees about garlic mustard

 These power-house volunteers pulled enough garlic mustard to fill three big bags, and fifteen cubic yards of ivy!

The ecological health of Tryon Creek State Natural Area depends upon volunteer work parties that tend to the park and its trails: without these stewardship efforts Tryon Creek would be overrun by non-native species that outcompete native plants and threaten the whole ecosystem of the park.  The Friends thank Lewis & Clark, Intel, First United Methodist Church, and SOLV for lending a hand and helping to care for Oregon's only urban state park.

Photo credit: Mike Beard

"Gathering of Friends" annual event

On Saturday, March 9, 2013, the Friends' community came together to honor outstanding volunteers and reflect on the accomplishments of the past year at the "Gathering of Friends" annual event.

Friends' Executive Director David Cohen presents Phil Hamilton with the Highest Number of Hours Award

Volunteers are the backbone of the Friends and the number of hours volunteers dedicate to the park and the organization is truly inspiring. Consider, for example, Phil Hamilton (shown above): he received his award for Highest Number of Hours after putting in a whopping 19,356! 

Bob Snyder receives the Individual Volunteer of the Year Award from Volunteer Coordinator Sarah Kreisman and David Cohen

Bob Snyder serves on the Friends' Board and Volunteer Committee; acts as a Nature Guide and Nature Center host; and supports auctions and raffles by donating handcrafted wood objects and art.

Dave & Dixie Johnston are presented with Trail Hosts Volunteer of the Year Award

Committed, long-serving volunteers Dave and Dixie Johnston are well known for being dedicated, detail-oriented, and positive. 

Sarah Bidwell receives Interpretive Volunteer of the Year Award from Park Manager John Mullen

Sarah Bidwell leads engaging guided hikes and assists with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department's interpretive programs at Tryon Creek State Natural Area. 



David Cohen presents Nature Center Host Volunteer of the Year Award to Shannon Zimmer

Shannon Zimmer, Nature Center Host Extraordinaire, is always helpful with a smile on her face. Shannon provides great customer service to Nature Center visitors and is a pleasure to work with.

 

Education Coordinator Linda Koser presents Education Volunteer of the Year Award to Jan Johanns

Jan Johanns works lots of hours, has lots of wonderful ideas that support and energize the Friends' Education Program, and is always ready to help .

Nature Day Camp Director Casey Newman presents Assistant Counselor of the Year Award to Doug Sam

Doug Sam is an enthusiastic young volunteer who puts in a lot of time with the Friends' nature day camp program and is always ready to lend a hand without waiting to be asked. His good humor is always appreciated.

Terry Gibson received the Stewardship Volunteer of the Year Award

Terry Gibson co-created the training program for Educational Stewardship Guides. Terry implemented the training, led guided hikes, and volunteered many hours doing hands-on stewardship work.

David Cohen and Sarah Kreisman present Rising Star Award to Diane Quivey

Diane Quivey volunteered with the owl monitoring project, maintains the trail she adopted, helps with special events, and solicited a Century Link grant for working 40 hours.

David Cohen presents Partner Award to Happy Cup Coffee

Happy Cup Coffee, a great partner to the Friends, helps keep volunteers' energy level up at park events.

David Cohen presents Partner Award to National Charity League of Lake Oswego

National Charity League of Lake Oswego regularly provides volunteers that participate in park ivy pulls and special events.

David Cohen presents Partner Award to Lewis & Clark College

Lewis & Clark College supported the Friends by donating facilities' use and bringing volunteers to help out with stewardship activities in the park.

We thank all the great volunteers that helped the Friends' environmental education and stewardship programs thrive. In 2012, 1,465 people gave over 8,000 to the park and to the organization. Their focus, dedication, and contagious love for the natural world is the bedrock that supports the Friends' mission "to connect people to Tryon Creek, share our passion for the wonders of nature and inspire environmental stewardship in all." Thanks, volunteers!

The Friends' First Annual Trillium Festival Gala

Spring trillium graces Tryon Creek State Natural Area

On March 29th the Friends of Tryon Creek will welcome their supporters to the Trillium Festival Gala, an evening fundraiser to benefit the Friends' environmental education and stewardship programs. The gala will take place at Lewis & Clark College and features a great lineup that is sure to engage and inspire.

Brian Doyle, award-winning author and Portland Magazine publisher

The gala kicks off with a talk by special guest Brian Doyle, celebrated author of Mink River, the essay collection Grace Notes, and many other wonderful books. When asked what the title of his talk would be, Mr. Doyle's reply was...

"...notes on wonder and amazement and astonishment and the slather of mud and owls and how kids are the agents of the world to come; with sidelong commentary on how if we are not drafting kids into armies of wonder we are totally punting our responsibilities here, brothers and sisters."

Portland, Oregon Philanthropist John Gray

The Friends will also be presenting the first annual John Gray Award for Environmental Education to an outstanding individual or organization in recognition of their commitment and contribution to environmental advocacy. John Gray was a great supporter of the Friends and, as the Oregonian reported in Mr. Gray's November 2012 obit, much of his "philanthropy was devoted to environmental education programs that aimed to bring young people to the region's forests..." The Friends are honored to present the award in recognition of Mr. Gray's legacy.

The gala will also feature a silent auction with items that include vacation packages; original artwork; merchandise from Columbia Sportswear, Keen, Patagonia, and REI; gift certificates, and more.

To purchase tickets please visit www.tryonfriends.org.

Community makes National Public Lands Day a smashing success at Tryon Creek

Lewis and Clark students and community members mug for the camera before hitting the trail to pull ivy

Saturday, September 29th, was National Public Lands Day. It is the largest volunteer event of its kind in the country, as thousands of volunteers show their support of public lands by participating in stewardship activities from coast to coast. The Friends of Tryon Creek were pleased to host just such an event at Tryon Creek State Natural Area. Volunteers rolled their sleeves up and got their hands dirty pulling ivy in the park from 9 a.m. to noon.

REI's Gayle Hoybook distributes free tees to volunteers.

REI was a great supporter of the event. In addition to providing stewardship volunteers with awesome free t-shirts, they served snacks and beverages (to keep their strength up. Those ivy pulls are a lot of work!). The Friends' tip our hats to REI and their strong support for the Friends' environmental stewardship and conservation programs.

3rd & 4th grade Girl Scouts lend a hand doing stewardship at Tryon Creek

Volunteers big and small lent a hand at the event, including Girl Scouts from Troop# 45660 who attend Arco Iris Spanish Immersion Charter School in Beaverton. Their troop leader, Regan Schutz, noted that her group "had a lovely time, and our guide was amazing.  The girls were really interested in learning more about why English Ivy is so destructive to our forests, and they absolutely put their best glove forward when we got down to pulling!  It's amazing how empowering it is to actually get down and work--easy to forget what it's like to be 8 and 9 years old.  Working together for something bigger than themselves, I really felt a shift that day in our (relatively new) troop!" Way to go, Girl Scouts!

The National Public Lands Day stewardship effort at Tryon Creek was very successful. "We had a fantastic turnout of volunteers", says Sarah Kreisman, Volunteer Coordinator for the Friends of Tryon Creek. "It is so wonderful to see how much our community values their public lands."

Thanks Volunteers! We couldn't do it without you!