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Making Tracks
The Newsletter of the Friends of the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Joyfully Connecting our Community with the Wonder of the Refuge
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Photo credit Spencer Giles | |
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Chicken Creek Christmas Tree Placing
- January 20, 2024, 9:00 AM, Tualatin River NWR
January Board of Directors Meeting
- January 23, 2024, 2:00 PM, Riparian Room 19255 SW Pacific HWY
Tim Wood- Conservation Conversations: A Speaker Series brought to you by The Friends
- January 27, 2024, 10:00 AM, Riparian Room Tualatin River NWR
Amphibian Egg Mass Survey Required Training
- January 27, 2024, 1:00 PM, Tualatin River NWR Visitor Center
Amphibian Egg Mass Survey (session 1)
- February 02, 2024 12:00 PM Tualatin River NWR
Amphibian Egg Mass Survey (session 2)
- February 07, 2024 9:00 AM Tualatin River NWR
Amphibian Egg Mass Survey (session 3)
- February 09, 2024 12:00 PM Tualatin River NWR
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President's Perch
by Cheryl Hart
Board President
| I hope that some of you were able to enjoy a few lines of bowling at Langer’s Entertainment Center last Monday. What a fun fundraiser that is for Friends. All the bowling and shoe rental fees collected on that day became a donation to Friends. While I didn’t bowl, (I did kibbutz) it was such fun to have some social time with Board and Friends Staff as well as Service Staff and their families. That event started me thinking about all the wonderful community partners we have. Langer’s has been incredibly generous. The Oregon Chinese Coalition is getting ready for their third annual youth art contest. High school and middle school youth from several area schools are busy planning the second Youth Climate Change Summit. Sherwood Rotary presented us with a check that will help to support several of our programs. |  |  |  | |
An article about our program with Greenway Elementary School attracted a new major donor for Friends. And those are just the examples I can think of from the past couple of months. We could not accomplish any of the things we do without these partnerships. Speaking of programs, you might be interested in the Conservation Conversation speaker series that has been spearheaded by Alan Christensen, one of our Board members. The speakers so far have been very interesting and the third one is coming up this month. Tim Wood, former head of Oregon State Parks and Recreation will be talking about how these amazing places have evolved over the past 100 years and you might learn about some places that you will want to visit. We’re doing this one in the daytime to make it easier for those of us who don’t like driving at night, especially in the winter so please join us at 10:00 AM on Saturday, January 27, in the Riparian Room of the Visitor Center. There is no charge for this program.
Thank you all for your support of the Friends!
-Cheryl
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Focus on Friends
by Bonnie Anderson
Executive Director
| It is really hard to believe that we are already halfway through January of 2024! November, December and January are busy times at the Friends. We have been closing out the year and planning for 2024. Cheryl and I participated in the Annual Work Plan with the USFWS Staff at the end of November and we are very excited for what the new year holds at Tualatin River and Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuges. We spent several days visiting all of the units on the Refuge - and even though it was very frigid outside, we enjoyed hearing from each of the Refuge staff about their plans and challenges for the coming year. |  |  | I also would like to update all of our generous supporters on a few programs. Our Giving Tree that supports students in Sherwood (SHARE) and Greenway Elementary was a huge success. Well over one hundred books, games, stuffed animals, puzzles, and other nature related items were delivered. Both Greenway and SHARE expressed their appreciation and have really come to rely on these donations to make the holidays a little brighter for their students in need. |  | |
Additionally, we say a massive thank you to our amazingly supportive partners at Langer's Entertainment. Our Make A Difference Monday Bowling Event raised $1,028.75 for the Friends! Another exciting update is that Langer's is on board for our 2nd Brews for the Birds event in August. Thank you to all of the friends that came out to support us. The Rotary Club of Sherwood has also generously donated $1,000 for multiple projects the Friends are working on. Thank you for your continued support.
Check out the Friends' calendar if you are looking for ways to get involved at the Refuge- there is a lot to choose from!
Here is to another amazing year for the Friends and for the Refuge Complex!
-Bonnie
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Policy Advisor for Metro District 3- Eduardo Ramos, Habitat Restoration Specialist for Friends- Bella Padgett, Deputy Refuge Manager -Eva Kristofik, Metro Councilor District 3- Gerritt Rosenthal, President of the Friends-Cheryl Hart, Executive Director of the Friends- Bonnie Anderson, Refuge Manager- Rebecca Gomez Chuck, | |
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Visit from Metro
by Bonnie Anderson
On November 29, 2023, the Friends welcomed a visit by Gerritt Rosenthal, Metro District 3 Councilor and Eduardo Ramos, Policy Advisor for the District. I first met Eduardo at the 2022 el Tigre event, and we have been working on getting Councilor Rosenthal out to the Refuge to learn about the Chicken Creek restoration and other projects we support in District 3. We look forward to a continued relationship with the Councilor Rosenthal and his staff.
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Welcome new board members!
We are delighted to have new members on the board. Get to know them!
Eric Holmstrom
Virginia and I had been planning our move to Newberg, Oregon for years. In Pennsylvania I had been volunteering at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and was looking for an opportunity to serve in our new home for a place and organization whose values and mission I could share. And of course, I found the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge and the Friends. Exploring and walking the refuge, including Wapato Lake, came first, and becoming a Friend followed shortly thereafter.
Being a part of the Friends board will allow me to support the work of the Refuge and its dedicated staff. It will also allow me to give back to our community the gift of an even stronger and more vital refuge. I bring to the board extensive experiences in non-profit leadership and service in a variety of organizations and settings, governmental, military, medical, faith-based, and volunteer. I am looking forward with anticipation to my time of service with the board.
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Izzy Sigrist
I am very excited to be serving on the Friends board. Conservation, sustainability, and access to education & nature are my passions that drive everything I do. The Friends and the Refuge staff do a phenomenal job encompassing all these ideals and making them a reality. Plus, the work they do supports my favorite animal: the beaver!
Prior to being on the Friends board, I served on the board of Oregon Green Schools. I'm hopeful that my statewide education connections can bring conservation knowledge and fun in the outdoors to all residents of Oregon; even those who can't visit us.
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Christmas Bird Count Report
By Bella Padgett
Christmas came early at the Refuge! Thanks to all who joined us for a beautiful day of birding and community building at this year’s Christmas Bird Count!
The data collected during the TRNWR CBC will become part of a dataset that spans 124 years, and covers North, Central, and South America, as well as some pacific islands and atolls. A dataset this robust has tremendous value to researchers, managers, and all those concerned with our feathered friends. CBC data has been used in many studies to better understand our avifauna and how they are faring in our changing world.
48 volunteers and staff members set out across our 15 mile radius circle, counting and identifying 10,574 individual birds belonging to 89 species throughout the day. Wetlands were scoured, forests scoped, and urban areas inspected. We were rewarded for our efforts with the best weather we have ever had at a TRNWR CBC, as well as plenty of birds! Some notable sightings included 20+ Western meadowlarks at one site, a common goldeneye, and Northern pygmy owl on the same route and, of course, 3,324 European starlings.
If you are looking for opportunities to get involved with citizen science at the refuge, consider jumping into some waders and joining us for our amphibian egg mass surveys! Our training will be held January 27th, and surveys will kick off in early February. Check the events calendar for more info and to register!
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Pull on some chest waders and join us for our annual Amphibian Egg Mass Surveys! In the months of February and March, volunteers descend on our wetlands and search for native amphibian egg masses. These surveys help us understand more about our amphibian populations, the success of our wetland restoration efforts, and the health of our habitats!
Surveys will take place on Wednesdays and Fridays. No prior experience is necessary, but volunteers must attend a training session before surveying.
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Want to give recycled Christmas trees a new life as fish habitat? Join Friends of the Refuge and Trout Unlimited in placing Christmas trees donated by Cornell Farms in the National Wildlife Refuge’s restored Chicken Creek!
Woody debris in streams provides food and shelter for salmon, lamprey, trout, and other native species. Trees also help diversify stream habitat, slow flows, and decrease water temperatures. By volunteering with us you will give Chicken Creek and its residents a helping hand!
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Behind the Sign Walk, by Bonnie Anderson
Thank you to Refuge Biologist Curt Mykut for leading another informative "Behind the Sign" Walk. On a very cold December 9th, Curt and I took a group on a tour of the prescribed burn area of the main. Curt also included several other stops along the way to give updates on plans for the Refuge. These walks are a great way to learn more about plans for the Refuge Complex. Look for notices of these walks in the Friends' newsletter. We look forward to inviting these participants back in the Spring (when it is a little warmer and drier) to see the result of the burn and plantings in this area.
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Calling All Photographers
By Phyllis Millan
Let’s share the beauty of TRNWR and other wild places through your pictures. Submit via email to FriendsPhoto@FriendsOfTualatinRefuge.org
Include your name, where the picture was taken and any pertinent information.
Photo credit Spencer Giles
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Learning Opportunities With Our Partner at Clackamas Community College Environmental Learning Center
Free Wildlife & Water Friendly Garden Series
Who: Anyone interested in home gardening for wildlife and water quality
When: Thursdays, January 25-March 7, 2024
Time: Noon - 1 p.m. (PST)
Where: Zoom (virtual)
Cost: FREE
Each week, experts will share their experience, stories, and best practices. There will be plenty of time for discussion, so come prepared with your garden questions!
Sessions are stand-alone, so sign up for the classes that are of interest to you!
- Jan. 25: Connecting the Pieces of Our Urban Ecosystems
- Feb. 1: The Remarkable Wild Bees of Oregon
- Feb. 8: Garden Smart for the Changing Climate
- Feb. 15: Friend or Foe? Identifying Invasive Plants in Our Backyards
- Feb. 22: Companion Planting for Clean Water
- Feb. 29: Plants & Fungal Networks
- Mar. 7: What Trees Should I Plant?
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This Week at Interior | January 12, 2024
In New Hampshire, Secretary Haaland launched a new salt marsh keystone initiative for coastal restoration and resilience; Acting Deputy Secretary Daniel-Davis announces new allocations from the President’s Investing in America agenda to help protect communities from the risk of catastrophic wildfires; a nearly $80 million investment for the state of Texas will continue work plugging, capping and reclaiming orphaned oil and gas wells; Interior marks National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day; there's a new $1.5 million investment to support the restoration of bison populations and grassland ecosystems in Tribal communities; BOEM announces a public comment period for a proposed Central Atlantic wind lease area; and a red fox copes with winter cold in our social media Picture of the Week!
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Friends of the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Complex
19255 SW Pacific Hwy Sherwood, Oregon 97140
503.625.5944 x 15227
www.FriendsofTualatinRefuge.org
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