Welcoming Change at the Watershed Council

As summer winds down, we’re reflecting on a beautiful season filled with community events, shared purpose, and progress throughout the watershed. With the cooler days of fall on the horizon, we’re also embracing a season of transition at the Council.

This month, we say farewell to our Stewardship Director, Caitlin Costello. Caitlin has been a dedicated leader, and her work has left a lasting impact across the watershed. We’re incredibly grateful for her passion and service - we wish her the very best in her next chapter.

Reflecting on her time at the Council, Caitlin shared:

“It has been an honor to serve as Stewardship Director at the Council. Some of my most meaningful moments here have been alongside volunteers planting thousands of native plants, supporting students as they gained hands-on workforce development experience, and watching communities come together to care for the places we all share. I’m deeply grateful to the colleagues, partners, and countless volunteers who have made this work possible. Your dedication and enthusiasm have been the heart of everything we’ve accomplished. While I’m excited for what lies ahead, I will always carry with me the joy of this work and the connections built here."

With this transition comes an exciting opportunity. We are now accepting applications for our next Stewardship Director, a key role at the heart of our mission. This person, a champion for natural spaces, community building, ecological restoration, leadership, and collaboration, will have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on our heavily urbanized watershed. Enhancing native habitats is critical to improving climate resilience, water quality, and biodiversity, and our Stewardship Director plays a vital role in advancing this work alongside nonprofits, volunteers, contractors, agencies, and other partners.

If you or someone you know is passionate about stewarding ecosystems and collaborating to build strong communities, we encourage you to apply or share this job posting. See details below for more information!

Thank you, as always, for being part of our community as we move into the fall season.

Join Our Team!

Columbia Slough Watershed Council is seeking our next Stewardship Director!

In our heavily urbanized watershed, enhancing native habitat is critical to improving climate resilience, water quality, and biodiversity. We work with public and private landowners throughout our watershed to expand and diversify native plant populations to create a healthy Columbia Slough for people, wildlife and plants alike. Our next Stewardship Director must be enthusiastic in supporting this community-based work, and have an interest in taking it further. Key skills include: ecological stewardship experience, project management, community outreach and education, grant management, and leadership. 

Applications will be accepted through end of day September 14, 2025! Learn more about the position and how to apply on our website.

Join Us for a Trash Cleanup!

Join CSWC for a cleanup at Kelley Point Park! This is a great all-ages event; however, minors must be accompanied by an adult. This beautiful 100+ acre park is located at the confluence of the Columbia Slough, Willamette River, and Columbia River.

This area offers a true refuge for wildlife (salmon, birds, turtles, coyotes, deer, and more) as well as people. If you have time after the cleanup, we recommend spending it enjoying a picnic on the sandy beach trails or taking a walk along them.