Landowner Resources

Online resources for homeowners, businesses and organizations.

Under construction...

Partnering Organizations and Related Programs

City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services (BES)
Watershed projects in your neighborhood

West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District
Technical assistance and funding for native plants, erosion control, and other land management concerns. Staff assistance is prioritized especially toward larger acreage landowners, open tracts, and riparian landowners.

OSU Master Watershed Steward Program

Online Native Plant Information

Naturescaping for Clean Rivers: How-to guide on native plant landscaping. Profiles many native plants. Register for a free workshop to learn more.

Bosky Dell Natives, a plant nursery located just south of Portland.

Scholls Valley Native Nursery

Livingscape Nursery

Other native plant nurseries in the Portland metro area

Contact the WRC for assistance if you are looking for plants for a non-profit organization, community of faith, or a riparian landowner, as there may be assistance available.

Native Plant Society of Oregon - Portland chapter. Publishes Guidelines for Native Landscaping.

Gardening for Wildlife

Xerces Society for invertebrate conservation and protection of sensitive insect species, especially pollinators.

Pacific Northwest Native Wildlife Gardening

Backyard Habitat Certification Program, a program of Three Rivers Land Conservancy and Audubon Society of Portland.

Native Plant Professionals

PlantNative.org maintains a list of landscape architects, designers and contractors who are versed in Naturescaping and native plants.

Contact the WRC if you are looking for assistance in removing invasive plants from your property.

Native Plant Sales

• East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District hosts an online bareroot plant sale with orders taken on a first come, first served basis in January. Pickup at EMSWCD office in mid-February.
• The Trillium Festival is hosted by the Friends of Tryon Creek State Natural Area, annually on the first weekend in April.
• Skyline Grange
• Berry Botanical Garden is not holding a plant sale in 2009, but maintains a list of their past vendors.
• Audubon Society of Portland host a plant sale annually in mid May.
• The Clackamas Community College Horticulture Club hosts a plant sale annually on the Friday afternoon before Mother's Day. Not exclusively native, but inexpensive plants.

Natural & Chemical-Free Gardening

Metro has a multitude of resources:

• An overview of natural gardening, including pest management methods, chemical alternatives, where to buy information, and other resources
• Composting, including construction plans for compost and worm bins
• Reducing waste around your home, and substituting non-toxic cleaning supplies.

The OSU Master Gardener program has returned to provide support in Portland and Multnomah County, in partnership with WMSWCD. Call 503-445-4608, Mon-Fri from 10 am to 2 pm, or stop by the office at 2701 NW Vaughn St., Suite 453.




Pet Waste

...a common question at the WRC.

Dogs for the Environment

Canines for Clean Water




Stormwater Management

Washington State Extension - Low Impact Development
A series of worksheets to help you design a rain garden.

Clean River Rewards
Stormwater management information, technical assistance and financial incentive program for sewer/stormwater ratepayers in the City of Portland service area.
Specific workbooks include:

• Site Assessment Guide
• Downspout Disconnection
• Soakage Trenches (also called French drains)
• Rain Barrels
• Rain Gardens




In development:

Erosion Control

Technical Permitting for Watershed Projects

Click here for Funding Resources.

Outreach Programs

The Southwest Watershed Resource Center offers a variety of free watershed education programs on topics including water quality, salmon, watershed restoration, and more!

Indoor programs topics include:

• Stormwater Storytelling
• Watershed Awareness (non-point source pollution model)
• Water Quality Chemistry (indoor or outdoor)
• other programs by request!

Groups of up to 12 such as scouts, youth groups, neighbors, and afterschool programs are welcome to schedule programs at the WRC. Larger groups may check about the possibility of reserving an adjacent room at the Southwest Community Center, or scheduling a traveling program at your site.

School classes interested in watershed education programs should contact Lynn Vanderkamp at 503-823-5281.

Download PDF brochure of WRC youth programs: programs.pdf (486 kB)

Outdoor & offsite opportunities available for community organizations, congregations, or neighborhoods:

• bike or driving tours of the Vermont Creek or Tryon Creek watershed
• storm drain marking and other service projects
• guided walks in Gabriel Park
• restoration & stewardship activities in your area
• presentations & outreach displays, with or without kids' activities at your site (great for summer block parties or fairs!)

For more information about these opportunities, contact Jen, WRC Coordinator at watershedcenter@spiritone.com or 503-823-2862.

1 - Forming a Group

Gain clarity, and give your group a stronger foundation by identifying:

• Core volunteers – find people who have the personal investment (understanding of the problem and desire to take action), skills, and time/energy to start and sustain the group.
  • All volunteers – but especially those without all 3 qualities – need support and training in order to avoid burnout in a leadership position.
  • Conversely, the best volunteers can be people you know who don't have these qualities yet, but can become a leader with a little encouragement, training or help.
  • If you’re unsure about forming a Friends group, test the waters by trying a one-time project. Contact the WRC for assistance.

• Area of focus or scope: Public park? Watershed? Private landowners?
• What are the community needs that will be addressed? What niche will the group fill?
• Check with other nearby groups who might be willing to collaborate and support your efforts, or offer training or other support:
  • SWNI and the Watershed Resource Center can provide assistance in organizing a group, and fiscal sponsorship
  • Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) - City Nature
  • Watershed Councils (Tryon or Tualatin)
  • SOLV - Earth Day, Down by the Riverside, and Team up for Watershed Health programs
  • City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) Watershed Management and Community Watershed Stewardship Program
  • Neighborhood & homeowner associations
  • Three Rivers Land Conservancy
  • West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District
  • Metro natural areas
• Structure & Process: How will the group choose to organize itself?

  This depends on how many people are interested in being involved in a leadership capacity versus a participant capacity, and personal preference. Leadership can take on many forms. Some volunteers will favor a formal board with roles such as chair, secretary, and treasurer. Other groups have formed coordinating committees with point people for different functions, such as publicity, event coordination, work party leader, fundraising coordinator, etc. Still other groups prefer to function without explicit leadership, instead using a self-organizing process such as open space technology. Watershed Center staff can help you access resources and develop a structure that works for you.

• Group name
• Anticipated activities & frequency of events

Next: Documents to Guide Action

2 - Documents to Guide Action

Working together on the following documents may help focus the group's choice of activities and events.

• Mission statement that includes the scope and purpose of the group
• Stewardship agreement (if working in a PP&R park) or other landowner agreement
• Consider how liability will be covered for volunteer events
• Work plan: what concrete objectives will the group work towards?
• Awareness of fit with other guiding or planning documents, e.g. park master plan or trails plan, BES watershed management plan, SW Comprehensive Plan
• Incorporate “before” photos of sites to document conditions prior to enhancement activities

Next: Meetings

3 - Meetings

Provide an accessible way for new & longtime volunteers to interact with the group.

• Find a location that is visible (consider signage) and convenient. The more you can consistently meet at the same place, the more likely a new volunteer will be able to remember it and find your group.
• Food helps! No one likes to make decisions on an empty stomach. :)
• Meetings can take on a variety of appearances. Some groups have less frequent social meetings, others have monthly structured meetings; some just have work party events without separate meetings.
• Decision-making can also happen via email, but many people value the social or community aspect of belonging to a group that meets face-to-face.
• Doodle is an online polling tool that can help groups figure out the best meeting time.

Next: Getting the Word Out

4 - Getting the Word Out

Some ideas for recruiting people to your Friends group:

• Brochures at parks, local libraries, coffee shops, community centers
• Post event information on external websites such as PP&R, CNRG, the Dirt, Hands On Portland
• Create a webpage for your group, hosted by SWNI
• Table at community events, e.g. Maplewood Picnic, Multnomah Days, BES open houses, community forums
• Networking: phone calls, public meetings, conferences, word of mouth
• Postcard mailings or door hangers to neighbors

Note: anonymous web & print publicity is okay for recruiting volunteers who are already knowledgeable about the issues, but know that ultimately 80% of volunteers come to a meeting or event because someone asks them personally.

Next: Functional roles in a group

5 - Functional Roles in a Group

Think about how these activities might help sustain your volunteer group once started.

• Outreach: generate publicity (see Getting the Word Out), create a table display, main point of contact for new & potential volunteers

• Communication: coordinate site and tasks for work parties with PP&R/owner, relay information to/from the SWNI-wide SW Watershed Stewards list, report volunteer hours & accomplishments to PP&R/WRC; send out event reminders to volunteers

• Grantwriting: for project funding

• Documentation, Photography, Historian: capture events in numbers, images and “before & after” stories to share with other residents

• Group Pulse/Process: keep things light, keep a read on how the group is functioning – make sure people are having fun and not burning out; and that the group’s process is facilitating equitable involvement by all members

Next: Activities

6 - Activities & Projects

A list of common activities that watershed volunteer groups engage in:

• Stewardship:
  • invasive removal
  • native planting
  • bioswales, rain gardens, other stormwater projects
  • erosion control
  • litter patrol
  • creek habitat enhancement

• Education:
  • interpretive signage at natural areas & project sites
  • tabling and activities at community fairs
  • social events to build awareness
  • partnerships with schools, congregations, and neighborhood groups

• Networking:
  coalitions & partnerships
  • conferences
  • fundraising
  • advocacy on specific related issues, e.g. for land protection, city code updates

Next: Stewardship Event Checklist

7 - Resources & Bibliography

Friends group specific resources

“Combatting the Same Six Syndrome,” SOLV.
http://solv.org/volunteers/same_six_people.asp

"Episodic Volunteers vs. Key Volunteers," SOLV.
http://solv.org/volunteers/key_vs_episodic.asp

Hands On Portland Partner User Guide
http://www.handsonportland.org/AboutUs/index.php/Partner%20User%20Guide%20102507.doc

“The Core Group.” Refuge Net.
www.refugenet.org/new-pdf-files/TakingFlight/D%20The%20Core%20Group.pdf

General Community Organizing & Recruitment Resources

Community Tool Box
http://ctb.ku.edu/en/Default.htm

especially
Chp. 14: Core Functions in Leadership:
http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/chapter_1014.htm
Section 5: Building and Sustaining Commitment
http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/sub_section_main_1136.htm

Brown, Michael. "How to Recruit People to Your Organization," Cambridge, MA, 1994.
Reprinted online at: http://www.iww.org/organize/branch/recruit/index.shtml

Kretzmann, John P. and John L. McKnight. "Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community's Assets."
http://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/abcd/resources/

WRC seeks Outreach Intern

Location

SWNI's Watershed Resource Center has recruitment underway for a Watershed Education & Outreach Intern through the AmeriCorps LINKS program. Application details at the end of the post.

Watershed Education & Outreach Intern

AmeriCorps LINKS Member
Dates: September 2009 - June 2010 (flexible)
675 hour position (average about 15 hours per week)
Application Deadline: Open until filled. Applicants are interviewed & placed on an on-going basis until positions are filled. Interviews are underway.

Position Summary:
Do you love water, wildlife and plants? Want to share your enthusiasm with a variety of audiences, and create opportunities for others to discover what they can do to help? The Southwest Watershed Resource Center (WRC) seeks an intern who will help inspire awareness and action to protect watershed health by helping to create & implement education programs, demonstrations, or activity kits for youth. Intern may also assist with a community-based social marketing program to reach park visitors. Put your creative ideas into action for the benefit of healthy watersheds and healthy people!

About the Project Sponsor:
The Southwest Watershed Resource Center (WRC), http://wrc.swni.org, inspires watershed awareness and stewardship at the neighborhood scale in SW Portland. The office is located inside the Southwest Community Center (SWCC), 6820 SW 45th Ave, adjacent to Gabriel Park. SWCC is located on bus line #1 and within 0.75 mile walk of bus lines #44, 45. No regular off-site travel is needed for this position.

General Responsibilities (to include, but not limited to):
- Develop and promote new programs, demonstrations, or activity kits for young audiences based at the WRC and Gabriel Park.
- Acquire, organize and maintain education program supplies.
- Help recruit and train volunteers to assist with programs.
- Assist with community-based social marketing outreach to promote watershed action among park visitors.
- Integrate program assessment throughout process, and compile data.
- Complete and submit all necessary LINKS AmeriCorps Program paperwork and reports in a timely manner.
- Attend and complete LINKS AmeriCorps Program orientation and enrollment session.
- Wear an appropriate LINKS identifier and required safety gear while performing service or attending official events.

Requirements:
- Desire to motivate others to act on behalf of watershed health wherever they are.
- Able to develop an encouraging, professional rapport with a variety of audiences, including young children, parents, volunteers, and adults.
- Excellent public speaking and written communication skills.
- Ability to create content for websites.
- Must be at least 17 years of age at the time of enrollment in the program.
- U.S. citizen, national or lawful permanent resident.
- Possession of a high school diploma or equivalent, or commit to earning one prior to receiving an education award.
- Ability to commit to the full term of service for which they are applying.
- Submit to a criminal history background check and National Sex Offender Registry search.
- Regular and reliable attendance.

Preferred Qualifications:
- Knowledge of Pacific NW ecology, natural history or related background.
- Prior work or volunteer experience with youth.
- A ready learner of skills in educational program development and assessment.
- Creative arts and/or writing helpful in development of program materials.

Member Benefits Include:
- Receive training in environmental education, program development & assessment, social marketing, and volunteer coordination. Internship may be eligible for credit or culminating project, depending on program of study.
- Upon successful completion of a term of service, eligible members receive an education award of $1,800. The education award can be used to repay qualified student loans, for further education in an accredited institution of higher learning, vocational or for trade schools. The education award is taxed in the year that it is used.
- Loan forbearance (after successful completion of a term of service, AmeriCorps will pay a portion of the accrued interest on qualified loans, which is taxable).
- Other expected benefits include unlimited use of community center recreation facilities.

How to apply:
Step 1 - Email your résumé to links.recruitment@esd112.org and to watershed.resource.center@gmail.com
Step 2 - Complete your application online at the AmeriCorps website. AmeriCorps Application
1. If you do not already have a username and password, you must create a profile.
2. Once you have created a profile, log in and complete an application by clicking “Applications” under the “My AmeriCorps” menu.
3. To apply to this specific position, click “Search Listings” under the “My AmeriCorps” menu and search for
program name LINKS.
4. Select the position listing and click “Apply Now” at the bottom of the page.

Questions about the project?
Contact: Jen Seamans
WRC Coordinator
503-823-2862
watershed.resource.center@gmail.com

Questions about AmeriCorps, LINKS or our recruitment process?
Contact: Erika Johnson
LINKS
2500 NE 65th Ave
Vancouver, WA 98661
p 360) 750-7500 x 114
f 360) 360-694-2491
links.recruitment@esd112.org

Unable to Apply On-line? Click here: http://www.esd112.org/links/resources.html.