President's Perch

by Cheryl Hart, President

How can it possibly be the middle of August? Our summer got off to a slow start, but it has certainly made up for that in the past few weeks. I hope that all of you have had an opportunity to enjoy getting outdoors in nature, whether at the refuge or some other location. Many studies show that there is a health benefit to spending time in nature and with the stress of what is now our daily lives, we all need to take advantage of the peace and serenity offered by nature as often as possible.

If you haven’t yet checked out the new seasonal trail/Chicken Creek restoration, you should plan to do that before that trail closes the end of September. Last week

Abbey Rhodes, lead engineer for Clean Water Services work on the Chicken Creek project took a group on a walk along the new trail and explained some of the restoration with the insight of her engineering perspective. She said that this has been one of her favorite projects because of the freedom she was given and the unknown factors involved in allowing the creek to return to its former meandering route in some places and find a new, and sometimes unexpected route in others. That and having beavers as assistant engineers on the project made for challenges and surprises along the way. Thank you, Abbey, for giving us this new understanding of the project.

Friends were honored to be invited to be a part of the Oregon Chinese Coalition Cultural

Celebration in Pioneer Square. Friends volunteers and FWS staffed a table with pelts and skulls that attracted the attention of attendees at the festival. This partnership continues to offer opportunities to work with some wonderful people who have too often been marginalized. We have so much to learn from each other and look forward to continuing this journey with them.

Please bear with us as the opening of the Visitor Center is somewhat erratic. While the trails remain open regardless, opening the Visitor Center depends on FWS Regional Office requirements related to Covid, availability of Friends volunteers to staff the center, and FWS staff to provide support. Yes, having the center open is contingent on our having adequate volunteers to staff the Center. We are still in need of Friends members to volunteer. Not a member? You can easily join. This is a great opportunity to introduce our refuge to visitors. Training is provided. Volunteering in the Visitor Center is a great way to make our tag line, “Joyfully connecting our community with the wonder of the refuge,” a reality.

And finally, please watch your inbox for an invitation to the Friends Annual Meeting on September 24. This year’s meeting will once again be virtual, due to the uncertainties around Covid, but we will try to make it both productive and interesting for you. We do have revised bylaws that need to be approved this year so your participation will be very much appreciated.

Not a member? Let your membership lapse? That’s an easy fix! Just go to         

our website and click the button on the top left to join or renew. Thank you!

I’ll see you at the refuge!

-Cheryl Hart

Focus of Friends

by Bonnie Anderson, ED

Why Do Friends Matter?

This past week a Facebook memory popped up.

Friends of the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Announce

Settlement of Lawsuit Against Grabhorn, Inc. Sherwood, Oregon— August 5, 2013 —the Friends of the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge formally announces the settlement of its lawsuit against Grabhorn, Inc., which operated Lakeside Reclamation Landfill. As part of the overall settlement structure, Howard Grabhorn and Grabhorn Inc. agreed to pay the Department of Environmental Quality $2.5 million, plus $4.5 million provided by their insurer Maryland Casualty. DEQ will hire contractors to clean up contamination from the landfill, which has been documented 45 feet below the ground and extending along roughly 1,400 feet of Tualatin River frontage. The settlement funds will also result in cleanup of the 37-acre construction waste site that closed in 2009, and provide the Friends of the Refuge and co-plaintiff Northwest Environmental Defense Center certain oversight rights for the remainder of the landfill closure plan. (See the entire press release below) 

The Friends are instrumental in the conservation, protection and stewardship of the Refuge and the river that is its lifeblood. This $7 million dollar settlement in 2013 provided the full amount that DEQ projected it would cost to execute the cleanup. It was because of the efforts of the Friends that we are all able to enjoy a healthier river today. Sarah Miller, the project clean up manager from DEQ, presented a project update to the Friends Board. You can find sight clean up information here.

Restoration Work Parties are a great way for volunteers to support and help maintain the Refuge. The Friends' Restoration Specialist Carly Hirschmann plans monthly events on the 2nd Saturday of each month. We are so excited to have these types of outside volunteer programs happening again. This past Saturday we addressed the bioswale neglect, and we removed a lot of invasive blackberries (see photo below) . There is still much more cleaning up that needs to happen- so consider joining the party next month! If you have a organization or work group that is looking for a volunteer opportunity for team building- we can set you up! There is always work to be done on the Refuge. Contact Carly about making arrangements.

Our Friends Annual Membership Meeting is September 24th via Zoom. Invitations with the Zoom link will be sent via email. We will be revising our current Friends' Bylaws and our membership will be voting on those updates at the meeting. Please read the website post about the bylaw revisions and read the suggested changes that you can find on our website.

We will also be having an increase in our membership dues effective October 1, 2022. We welcome you to renew up to a year early at the lower rate. We will host a Membership Drive Open House at Nature's Overlook on September 10th & 11th. Renew in person and enjoy 20 % off your purchase in the Store. Memberships at Wood Duck level and above can select a special gift, while supplies last.

Hope to see you out on the trails 

-Bonnie Anderson