Let the Good Times Roll! Kids love Nature Day Camp at Tryon Creek

Campers shakin' a tail feather in the shelter, August 2011

The bright, summery days of the Friends of Tryon Creek’s Nature Day Camps ended last month and Camp Director Casey Newman shared her thoughts on the nine weeks that the day camp runs every summer.

Nature Day Camp was started by Stephanie Wagner more than thirty years ago and originally served middle school students. It has expanded and now serves children from pre-K through 7^th grade. All told, over the course of the summer nine-hundred campers visit Tryon Creek. They spend their days outside exploring the park and engaging in hands-on forest-related activities (the fort-building exercise received a big thumbs-up).  

The forest provides an ideal hands-on lab for research: children are able to see Tryon Creek’s flora and fauna upclose. From salamanders to squirrels to slugs and birds, there is no shortage of interesting critters to inspire curiosity and wonder in forestgoers of all ages. Likewise, the park’s old (and young) trees, from the Douglas Fir (Oregon’s official state tree) to the Western red cedar, provide shade and shelter and a wealth of tales about their history and uses.

What is Ms. Newman’s favorite thing about Nature Day Camps? “Seeing the kids out there, having fun and hearing about the forest and being filled with curiosity and enthusiasm.” That is about as good as it gets.

Research shows that adults who spend time in the Great Outdoors - and are more likely to protect and preserve it - cultivated an appreciation for nature early on, spending time outside as children. Nature Day Camp is a great place for kids to experience that magic and inspiration and an appreciation for the natural world that encourages a lifelong ethic of stewardship.

Summer camp returns on June 25^th, 2012. We hope to see you there!

Friends reach out for volunteers

Richard Diffenderfer & Jessica Sweeney represent the Friends at The Standard's Volunteer Expo

The "support your community" ethic is alive and well in the Portland area. On Thursday, September 8th, Richard Diffenderfer, who volunteers for the Friends, and Jessica Sweeney, the Friends' Media/PR coordinator, participated in The Standard's annual Volunteer Expo in Pioneer Courthouse Square.

Among the items Jessica toted along to display at the expo was a beaver (see above photo). This furry fellow usually resides in Tryon Creek's Nature Center. His urban appearance at the Friend's booth drew many glances and inspired spirited discussion about the nature of such animals. Was this an adult beaver, people wanted to know (yes). Do its teeth keep growing (yes, but gnawing on wood keeps them to a manageable length)?  Is it a rodent (yes)? Beavers swim faster than Michael Phelps thanks to their large webbed rear feet and their paddle-shaped tail, and have been hunted to extinction in certain areas (it's amazing the facts that come to light when people are networking!).

Along with beaver analyses, booth visitors were given information about the many volunteer opportunities that exist at Tryon Creek. Many people were interested in volunteering on their own while others represented companies and were looking for group volunteer opportunities that their entire staff could participate in.

Volunteers really are the backbone of the Friends of Tryon Creek. Their support and commitment help us provide environmental education and interpretive opportunities to the public, staff the Nature Center, lead guided hikes, maintain park trails, remove invasive species, assist with events and much, much more. The Friends were pleased to have the opportunity to reach out to the community to strengthen our volunteer base. Many thanks to The Standard for sponsoring the Volunteer Expo and allowing us to engage with the public.

Tryon Creek Daytrippers

Daytrippers hiking the Toutle River Trail, Washington

In the Fall of 1980 Barbara Orloff, then-Director of the Friends, suggested that volunteer Andi Gassman organize a hiking club. Thus, the Daytrippers hiking group was born.

The Daytrippers meet on Tuesdays and hit the proverbial trail for either a moderate hike (between 5 – 12 miles in length with negligible to 3000-feet elevation gain) or an easier “ramble” (shorter in length and less than 1000-feet elevation gain). Each year they meet in the Nature Center to plan their annual hiking schedule and, at season’s end, they enjoy a potluck with an awards ceremony for hikers’ achievements on the trail.

The Daytrippers consider Tryon Creek their home base and although they occasionally hike in the park their adventurous spirits take them beyond, to the gorge, coast, and mountains, trying to keep the roundtrip under 200 miles. They strive not to repeat hikes for at least three years. Sharon Hawley, who has been active with the Daytrippers since 1998, notes that with “the almost unparalleled hiking opportunities in this area, we are truly blessed!”

The group has a wonderful social dynamic (and still retains some of the original members). Participants look out for each other, share a common love of the trail, and deep friendships and bonds develop (a few marriages have resulted from hiking together!).

The Daytrippers welcome new hikers. Please visit this link for more information: http://home.comcast.net/~l-simmons/daytrippers.htm

 Hope to see you on the trail!

Volunteers contribute their time to Save the Forest

Big thanks to Moss Adams volunteers!

A few weeks ago the slopes of ravines finally became dry enough that we could safely pull ivy there.  Since then a Saturday work party and three other groups have worked in the upper reaches of High Creek’s branches and the lower part of the first ravine north of High Creek.  Among these groups was a contingent from the accounting firm, Moss Adams, in a work party facilitated by SOLV.

Another area only recently dry enough to work in is the boggy middle of the North Horse Loop.  With blackberry removal accomplished first, groups of teens from Self Enhancement and Aspiring Youth have been making inroads on the ivy there.  Other individuals have worked scattered patches of ivy skipped last winter due to wet conditions.

At the same time three of our most active volunteers have been cutting ivy on trees deep in the area between Old Main and Iron Mountain trails, saving the forest there until the probably distant year when the ivy around the trees is pulled from the ground.  While covering that area we’ve found several patches of wild European clematis, which we dug out.

(Submitted by FOTC Board President and Volunteer Par Excellence, Phil Hamilton)

Stephanie Wagner's contributions celebrated as she retires from the Friends of Tryon Creek

FOTC Education Coordinator Linda Koser toasts to Stephanie Wagner

On a warm evening in July people gathered at Tryon Creek’s Nature Center to raise a glass to Stephanie Wagner, an extraordinary environmental educator, and applaud her 27 years of service and achievements with the Friends of Tryon Creek.

Stephanie first became a part of the Friends in 1979, teaching nature education to children. In the years that followed Stephanie served in seemingly every position within the organization from FOTC Board President to Executive Director, a role she filled for nine years. She most recently served as Education Director and was responsible for overseeing the creation and implementation of the Friends’ education programs.

The celebration for Stephanie was billed as an “intimate fundraiser” and guests were asked to make a modest contribution on a sliding scale, starting with $10. Attendance was strong, with nearly 100 people on hand to pay tribute to Stephanie. Every dollar that was raised went directly to support the Friends’ education programs for children to honor Stephanie’s passion for inspiring a love and appreciation of nature in young people.

It was wonderful to see many familiar faces, and the positive sentiment in the air was palpable. Gratitude for Stephanie’s contributions over the years was abundant, as well as a sense of awe at the realization that Stephanie’s efforts touched literally thousands of people and impacted them for the good through her role as an outdoor educator.

The evening culminated with individuals toasting to Stephanie and sharing anecdotes that demonstrated her commitment to the Friends and to education. Words like “passion”, “dedication” and “engagement” factored prominently. Friends’ Executive Director David Cohen presented Stephanie with a gift from the staff, a framed photograph of the park, and Board President Phil Hamilton announced that that the classroom will be renamed in her honor as a gift from the board.

The Friends of Tryon Creek have been fortunate to have had Stephanie’s expertise over the past 27 years. We will continue to see her around the park, as she plans to remain on the education committee and will continue to produce programs for the Friends. We wish Stephanie all the best with her future endeavors and appreciate all she has done for the organization.

(For more information on Stephanie and FOTC please visit http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/06/stephanie_wagner_to_retire_fro.html)

Meet FOTC's New Summer Intern

This summer Maureen Traxler will be leading weekly Evening Guided Walks that take place every Wednesday from 7 – 8:30 p.m. at Tryon Creek. As the Interpretive Education Intern with the Friends of Tryon Creek, Maureen has become an expert on nocturnal creatures so that she can educate hike attendees about the wonders of the nighttime forest and its occupants. The Evening Guided Walks are free, fun and family-oriented, so be sure to attend one and learn more about Tryon Creek if you have the chance.

Maureen is one of two interns who are working with the Friends this summer. Raised in Alabama, Maureen chose to make the Pacific Northwest her home and enrolled at Lewis & Clark College in 2007. Now a recent graduate with her BA in Biology, Maureen began volunteering at the park last fall after learning about our Volunteer Field Trip Training Program.

Although Maureen spent time helping out at Tryon Creek while in school, her activities were limited to assisting with ivy pulls and maintenance.  The Field Trip Training Program provided something new. Maureen enjoyed the opportunity to interact with park visitors of different ages and backgrounds and learn more about Tryon Creek’s plants, animals, history and ethnobotany. 

After graduating this spring, Maureen chose to expand her role at Tryon Creek by becoming the Interpretive Education Intern. In addition to leading Wednesday’s walks, Maureen assists with Kids in Nature classes on Thursday mornings and provides extended care for Friends of Tryon Creek’s summer day campers.

Regarding Maureen’s post-internship plans, as a “product of public education (she is) interested in making science and biology interesting for others” and hopes to become a formal or informal educator (engaging in academic research is also a possibility). The Friends are pleased to have Maureen on board with us this summer.

Update on Volunteer Efforts at Tryon Creek

As the ground in the Park starts to dry this summer the emphasis of our invasive species control efforts is shifting.

Most notably we have already cut the ivy growing on trees on nearly ten acres in the last few weeks, with a target of covering 50 more acres by the end of summer.  The recent work was accomplished on ridges and in ravines running from the bicycle path toward Tryon Creek, north of the houses that adjoin the Park west of Terwilliger.  The trees in that area were originally "saved" about eight years ago.  Since ivy, once cut, regrows about ten feet a year, it was time to save those trees gain.  Our small cadre of weekday and Sunday volunteers will continue working in the area between Iron Mtn. and Old Main trails for some weeks to come.

While cutting ivy on trees we found and hopefully eradicated two patches of mature clematis.  Although we've cleared most mature clematis patches in the Park, it's inevitable that we will find a few when we return to areas that we've ignored for eight years.  Since clematis may grow over fifty feet in a single year it can take over a site rather quickly in that time.

As the boggy area in the middle of the N Horse Loop has also begun drying, I've resumed digging up Himalayan blackberries there.  That project was halted early last winter when the site got too soggy.  Blackberry removal there is a preamble to ivy pulling, so that work will follow.  

One person has been helping me with with ground ivy maintenance (second pass) inside the N Horse Loop, while a few groups did initial pulling in the same general area, near the middle of the loop.  As the ground dries further most group work will shift to ravines until fall rains drive us off them.              

(Submitted by Guest Blogger Phil Hamilton)