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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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Looking for a Fun way to support the Friends?
Join us for on Monday the 21st at Langer's in Sherwood, Oregon.
A Special Thank You to Langer's for their Support of the Friends and the Tualatin River NWRC
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President's Perch
by Cheryl Hart, President
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As the Friend’s and Federal fiscal year gets started and the calendar year closes, there is a lot of planning going on for both FWS Service Staff and the Friends Board. I have a background in strategic planning and have often heard people express frustration with the time devoted to planning. While it is true that planning takes time and may not be the most exciting activity for an organization, not planning wastes time and resources. Often, I think, not wanting to plan is a reaction to the fear of change that we all experience. But, in the words of that great philosopher, Yogi Berra, “If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.”
With tight resources and limited funding for both FWS and Friends, it is critical that we carefully focus on the most important tasks and remember that hope is not a strategy! FWS is doing that by creating their Annual Work plans for each area such as Biology/Restoration and Visitor Services, two areas in which Friends are often engaged. The Friend’s Board is fleshing out a plan for the next two to three years based on the Pillars and Foundation that we identified during our board retreat earlier this fall. Board member Michael Boreing has accepted the responsibility of stewarding this process for the board. Thank you, Michael.
I believe that one of the most important aspects of all this planning here at Tualatin River NWRC is that we plan together. Friends staff and board members are included in the discussions around the development of the FWS work plans and Service Staff participated in the planning process for the Friends. This strong relationship between our two organization makes the best use of every resource and helps to ensure that we are all moving in the same direction.
As I work with Friends and Service site groups across the country as one of the FWS Friends Partnership Mentors, I am always struck by how unique our partnership here is and I am grateful for the care and nurturing of that partnership from both the Service and the Friends.
So, as we aspire to goals that will stretch us to make our refuge the very best it can be and a welcoming place for everyone, I will leave you with one of my favorite scenes from Disney’s Alice in Wonderland. Alice is lost and comes upon the Cheshire Cat, and she asks,
"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.
"I don't much care where--" said Alice.
"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.
"--so long as I get SOMEWHERE," Alice added as an explanation.
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat.
With the careful and thoughtful planning, we are doing, we will not only know where we want to get to but how we are going to get there.
See you on the refuge!
-Cheryl Hart
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Focus on Friends
by Bonnie Anderson, ED
| As a nonprofit, the Friends rely on the support of our members and donors to supplement our work that is not covered by grants and other income. These past years during the pandemic, the Friends have continued to make great strides in improving refuge access, providing community programing and supporting extensive restoration efforts at the Complex. As the year is coming to an end, we are needing your financial support to continue the work that we do. The Friends' support is vital for the Refuge and the USFWS staff, as we all work together in the common mission of connecting the community with the Complex. |  | |
Starting now and through #GivingTuesday, November 29th, we are offering special incentives for donations to the Friends to help us reach our goal of $5,000. This beautiful photo above, of the Refuge with Mt. Hood in the distance was taken by Bjorn Fredrickson. He has generously donated the use of this image to help the Friends raise funds.
- The first 10 donations of $300 or above will receive an 11x14 metal print of Bjorn Frederickson's Refuge image.
- The first 15 donations between $200-299 will receive a wooden box with the TRNWR logo engraved on the front
- The first 20 donations between $100-199 will receive a TRNWR coffee mug.
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Donations can be made on our website and on our Facebook page starting today through November 29th to qualify for the incentives. If you donate on our Facebook page please let us know by posting a comment and encouraging others to join you in supporting the Friends. Check the Friends' Facebook page for updates on incentives. All donors will be notified by December 1st and all incentive must be picked up in person at the Nature's Overlo by January 13, 2023. The value of your incentive gift will be noted with your donation thank you letter.
Looking for another way to support the Friends? Join us for our bowling fundraiser on Monday at Langer's. See details below
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Hope to see you out on the trails--- and the lanes !
-Bonnie Anderson
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FRIENDS LOVE GIFTS
As we approach the end of the year, please keep in mind that the Friends is a qualified charitable organization, and your donations help fund and sustain our programs. The FTRNWR, a 501(c)(3) organization, has established a brokerage account to receive donations of marketable securities like stocks, mutual funds, ETF’s, and bonds. For a quick overview of how you might maximize the benefits of your charitable gifts, take a look here:
https://www.edwardjones.com/us-en/market-news-insights/guidance-perspective/four-tips-charitable-giving
The Friends’ account is held at the local Edward Jones office of Chuck Britton (his office is right next to the Refuge!)
Please contact their office if you need transfer information, or have questions on charitable gifting strategies that will meet your goals:
20015 SW Pacific Highway
Suite 203
Sherwood, OR 97140
(503) 625-4934
chuck.britton@edwardjones.com
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Christmas Bird Count
Stepped in the tradition of education & protection, the Friends of Tualatin River National Wildlife Complex are excited to host the annual return of the Christmas Bird Count, December 17,2022.
Multiple teams of 5 people each will go to locations on or near the Refuge.
Teams may go to TRNWC locations that are typically not open to the public while some of our teams will go to nearby natural areas to record the birds observed. You do not have to be an “expert” birder, but only willing to work with your team to identify as many birds as possible. Bring your binoculars/scopes and bird books. We can provide binoculars if needed. Birding with others is an excellent way to improve your birding skills.
Teams will meet at Shari's in Sherwood for breakfast and instructions at 6:30am, and will split up into teams to survey different portions of the Refuge and surrounding areas. This is an all-day event in mid-December dress accordingly, terrain is uneven and will probably be wet and slippery. Event will occur regardless of weather, unless conditions are hazardous.
A Wrap-up pot luck at the Refuge at 4 PM will be provided by the Friends of the Refuge to thank you for volunteering.
Current Volunteer Service Agreement required. Register on-line at
https://friendsoftualatinrefuge.org/event-5032054
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Behind the Sign Walk for Friends
Friends Members are invited to join USFWS Biologist Curt Mykut and Friends' ED Bonnie Anderson on an overview tour of Rock Creek. The tour is scheduled for December 3rd at 9 AM. We will meet at the Visitor Center and carpool over to the unit. The tour will include a question and answer discussion that may take place back at the refuge, depending on the weather. Please register for the walk here. Members may register to bring one additional guest.
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Habitat Restoration Update
By Carly Hirschmann
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We have had a very busy restoration season so far this fall! We held our final blackberry clearing with a youth group of around 40 from the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, as well as a few of our regular volunteers. This took place along the year-round trail, just before entering the riparian forest. Not only did these volunteers improve the site of the trail for Refuge for visitors, they increased access for wildlife to the Tualatin River and saved many trees crucial to riparian forest habitat.
After our series of blackberry removal work parties, we moved on to our plantings. I tilled an area of the Refuge referred to as “Harvey’s Hayfield” in preparation for a large order of camas, Oregon sunshine, Oregon yampah, and an assortment of native rushes and sedges from Scholls Valley Native Nursery. Tilling the field will make both bulb placement and seeding easier in this area, which had been taken over by invasive species such as cocklebur and pennyroyal. I also submitted a successful grant proposal to One Tree Planted in order to offset the cost of trees and woody shrubs that will be planted on the sloping hillside adjacent to this project area. Finally, I have been working to submit subsequent reports for our last two volunteer events that were sponsored by One Tree Planted. We were able to buy snacks, refreshments, and an assortment of thorn resistant gloves for all ages with these funds.
The Refuge celebrated Indigenous Peoples' Day with a group of 20 volunteers from Unitus Credit Union, who planted over 3500 bulbs in 3 hours! I gave them a brief history of the Refuge and project area, as well as the historical cultural significance of camas to Indigenous populations of the area. I have already been contacted by a few volunteers who would like to return with their families or other service groups that they are a part of for future events.
On October 20th, 7 USFWS employees from the migratory birds program joined me in planting more camas bulbs as a part of their two-day annual field meeting. Although the day ended up being half-birding and half-planting, mostly due to some heavy smoke cover, it was an awesome way to make a connection with folks from the Regional Office who may not be very familiar with our Refuge. I plan on posting our upcoming events to their community service site as well as planning another field day opportunity for other Region 1 USFWS employees.
I am coordinating two plantings in partnership with Friends of Trees out at Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge! For the first, I gave an introduction to the group about the Friends as well as the history of Wapato Lake. We avoided the rain and it ended up being a very pleasant day out on the Refuge. Hopefully the ground will be softer and more amenable to planting for our next event, allowing us to go at a faster pace. Our next event with Friends of Trees takes place tomorrow, November 12th.
We have also been working with our partners from I’m Hooked to have two different school groups visit us on November 18th for a planting event which will include an environmental education component. Students will receive a gift bag that includes a seed mixture to take home with them as well as a TRNWR pocket Naturalist notebook from our Friends store, purchased through grant funds.
In other news, the biology team has been hustling to finish up mowing of all of our units before they become waterlogged, however the influx of water has led to the arrival of wintering waterfowl! Our waterfowl surveys have started up again at both Refuges and will continue through Mid-March.
I have been meeting regularly with Ash Creek Forest Management and am very excited about a new internship work program where they bring trainees out to the Refuge and teach them how to plant, weed, and perform other restoration maintenance tasks. This includes students and members of partner groups such as the Blueprint Foundation. They will be coming out to the Refuge on a weekly basis throughout the winter months, so you may see some orange helmets and vests out in the wetlands!
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Volunteer!
We need volunteers for our Give Back Planting Event on November 19th! Our plantings are a great family friendly activity that allow you to enjoy areas of the Refuge that are closed to the general public. We have a lot of plants to get into our Harvey's Hayfield project area, which will be restored to a camas prairie! You can register here for this event: Event Registration
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We continue to welcome donations of gently used nature related books for our Natures Overlook store. Thank you to everyone that has reached out about donating.
If you have nature related gently used books that you would like to donate to the Friends, please contact Bonnie about making donation arrangements.
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Volunteer at the Visitor Center and Friends' Nature Store
We are looking to train Friends' volunteers to greet the public, answer questions about the Refuge, and sell merchandise in the store. If you enjoy the Refuge and like talking with people, this may be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you!
No specific experience is necessary; training will be provided. To work in the store, you must be a member of the Friends of the Refuge, and we ask that you commit to working at least two three-hour shifts per month. For more information or to apply to volunteer, contact Natalie Balkam, FWS Park Ranger, at tualatinriver@fws.gov or 503-625-5944.
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This Week at Interior
Nov 4, 2022
This Week: Interior marks the beginning of Native American Heritage Month; the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law helps support a $45 million investment in Tribal communities to address the impacts of climate change; the state of Utah's largest and most comprehensive federal water resource development project celebrates 30 years; more than $122 million is now available to eligible states and Tribes to address legacy pollution on abandoned mine lands; the Bureau of Land Management does its part to get all Americans access to fast internet service; the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management finalizes two Wind Energy Areas in the Gulf of Mexico; and we're celebrating National Bison Day with 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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