September 2023 | Columbia Slough Watershed Council News
Hello Everyone,

I hope this email finds all of you enjoying this cooler weather and rain showers and finding time to enjoy the end of summer and the start of fall with some adventures, either in our watershed or farther afield. Wherever you find yourself, I hope it is with joy and a smile on your face.

This past month of August took on a slower pace at CSWC. However, even with staff taking much-needed PTO and events canceled due to heat and high AQI, we were still able to host seven free events for the public, with another seven on the calendar for this coming month. There is much to look forward to this fall at The Council! More Community events are planned throughout the fall, Slough School starts back up at the end of September, and Stewardship Saturdays make their yearly comeback in mid-October. I also heard a rumor about a Halloween event for kiddos at Whitaker Ponds!

I am working on putting together a paddle of the entire Slough sometime in late September or early October - there will be a small fundraising component to the paddle as well ... details coming soon!

Please consider becoming a financial supporter of CSWC; whether you make a one-time donation or become a monthly supporter, every dollar donated is spent wisely and used to support all the programs at The Council!

Thank you for all that each of you do to support our Watershed.
Heather

Heather King
Executive Director
Please consider donating to CSWC, supporting the free community programming that happens throughout your watershed! 
Join Our Mindfulness Events this Fall!
Join us this fall for our Nature Connection series in partnership with Temenos Rising and Through the Trees Collective!

These events allow participants to slow down, calm the nervous system, and connect to the natural world through meditative practices. 
  • September 30 at Kelley Point Park for BIPOC Participants
  • October 8 at Columbia Children's Arboretum for Spanish Speakers (Registration coming soon to our Event Calendar)
  • October 14 at Columbia Children's Arboretum for Queer Community
  • October 22 at Columbia Children's Arboretum for BIPOC Participants
  • October 29 at Columbia Children's Arboretum and Open to All
Shop at Buffalo Exchange on Hawthorne and Donate to CSWC!
CSWC is happy to announce that we have been selected as a recipient of the Buffalo Exchange Tokens for Bags® program from July through December 2023!

You can now donate to CSWC by shopping at Buffalo Exchange on SE 37th, just off Hawthorne. Instead of a plastic bag, the Tokens for Bags® program offers every customer who purchases one “token” valued at five cents (the cost to produce a bag) to donate to one of several local charities selected by the store. The program has generated over $926,025 for hundreds of local nonprofit organizations since 1994 and has saved over 18.5 million plastic bags from landfills.
Have you volunteered with CSWC this year? Join us for our Volunteer Appreciation Party!
Thursday, September 28, 6 PM - 8 PM at Migration Brewing

We would not be the organization we are without the support of our slough-per volunteers! Join us for an evening all about you, the folks who support, encourage, and uplift our community and organization. 
All people of all ages who support our mission are welcome.
We’ll have drinks, gifts, a raffle, games and storytelling! Food is available at the brewery, and non-alcoholic beverages will be available.
New Book about the Columbia Slough Out Now!
This Rough Magic: At Home on the Columbia Slough
by Nancy Henry & Bruce Campbell


In their environmental memoir, This Rough Magic: At Home on the Columbia Slough, Nancy Henry and Bruce Campbell take possession of an old log house bordering the Buffalo Slough (a side channel of the Columbia Slough). They remodel the home, plant an organic garden, study the birds, and battle with moles, nutrias, and beavers that gnaw their trees and uproot their produce.







"Gracefully written and sharply observed, this book moves beyond suburban naturalism to a place of hope, a vision of where we might start to find our way back to some kind of balance." - Kevin Canty, award-winning author.
September Slough Science Paddle:
Aquatic Plants of the Slough
Wednesday, September 20th, from 5:30-7:30 PM at Whitaker Ponds Nature Park

This free educational speaker event will feature Alex Staunch, Natural Resource Scientist at Mosaic Ecology, for an evening on the water learning about the aquatic plant community of the Columbia Slough! Participants can reserve a seat in one of our boats, or bring their own. This event is open to all ages; however, minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Events are free and open to whoever is curious -
come learn with us!
Partner Highlight:
Through The Trees Collective
Through The Trees Collective (T3C) believes that in order to truly understand, heal, love, and expand oneself – we must acknowledge the interconnectedness between the mind/body/spirit/soul with the natural world.

T3C uses various nature-based tools and modalities to assist clients in their journey toward healing, self-enlightenment, and balance. We offer community engagement sessions (outdoor excursions, walks, hikes, etc.), facilitation of wellness programming for private businesses, rootworking tools (herbs, teas, salves, and other products), and 1-on-1 Wellness Mentoring/Coaching.

Join our collaborative evening paddle event on September 7! Additional details are available below, and keep an eye out for more events in the fall!
Do you own a local business and want to make a difference for CSWC?
CSWC is one of 200+ Portland-based nonprofits taking part in this year's Willamette Week's Give!Guide at the end of this year. CSWC would love to work with local businesses to help us reach our goal of raising at least $25,000!

Become a Give!Guide Business partner by:
  • Donating gift cards from your business!
  • Providing a matching donation for CSWC's end-of-the-year fundraising campaign!
Sponsorship is another way local businesses can support the CSWC.

Enjoy lots of perks, including volunteer opportunities for your staff, a direct link on our website, being highlighted on our social media, newsletter, and more!

All proceeds from our business partnerships directly benefit the programs and work at CSWC! Find out more information on the CSWC Giving Page.
September Events Lineup
We have lots of fun events this September, including Sunset on the Slough, many BIPOC-focused paddle events, Slough Science, and more! Register and find out more information about CSWC events on our website.

Thursday, September 7th, 5 - 7:30AM
Join Through the Trees Collective and CSWC for an on-water cleanup event for BIPOC individuals looking to give back to their community. Participants can bring their own boat, or reserve a seat in one of ours. This event is for BIPOC-identifying people 14 and older; minors must be accompanied by an adult. 

Sunday, September 10, 2023, 11 AM - 1:30 PM
Join the Slavic Community Center and the Columbia Slough Watershed Council (CSWC) for a paddle at Whitaker Ponds Nature Park in NE Portland! This is an all ages event; minors must be accompanied by an adult. Participants are welcome to bring their own boat, or reserve a seat in one of ours! This event is exclusively for Slavic community members. Ukrainian and Russian interpretation will be available throughout the event.

Wednesday, September 13th, 3 - 5PM
Are you part of a partner organization that does collaborative events with us, or are interested in becoming a partner? Please join us for an in-person discussion of partnerships and collaborations for the next year and beyond! 

Saturday, September 16, 8AM - 10AM
Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of birds as we embark on a memorable journey through a local birding trail. This unique event is designed to celebrate the diverse birding community and provide an inclusive space for BIPOC individuals to connect with nature and each other.

Saturday, September 16, 9AM - 12PM
Join CSWC, SOLVE, Portland General Electric and Gresham Public Schools for a day of stewardship at a budding environmental education space at Clear Creek Middle School. We will be removing English ivy and Himalayan blackberry to support native plants at this educational space for CCMS ecology students.

Wednesday, September 20, 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
This free educational speaker event will feature Alex Staunch, Natural Resource Scientist at Mosaic Ecology, for an evening on the water learning about the aquatic plant community of the Columbia Slough! Participants can reserve a seat in one of our boats, or bring their own. This event is open to all ages; minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Thursday, September 21, 5 PM - 7 PM
Join CSWC for a free sunset paddle on the Slough. Participants can reserve a seat in one of our boats, or bring their own. This event is open to all ages; minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Saturday, September 23, 10 AM - 12 PM
Join us for a morning of canoeing at Whitaker Ponds Nature Park in NE Portland! All equipment, canoes, paddles, life vests (PFDS), dry bags, snacks, and cold drinks will be provided at no charge. This event is exclusively for BIPOC community members.

Monday, September 25, 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Our meetings are open to the public! Join us this month to get involved with the Council’s behind-the-scenes operations. This meeting will be held virtually over Zoom.

Thursday, September 28, 6 PM - 8 PM
CSWC would not be the organization it is without the support of our slough-per volunteers! Join us on Thursday, September 28, at Migration Brewing for an evening all about you, the folks who support, encourage, and uplift our community and organization. All people, of all ages who support our mission are welcome.

Saturday, September 30, 10 AM - 12:30 PM
Step into the enchanting embrace of nature through The Trees Collective's “Nature Immersion Adventure Series”! This session features an unforgettable journey into the heart of Kelley Point Park. Join us on a guided hike through this breathtaking wilderness, where towering trees whisper secrets of the past, and time slows down to let you connect deeply with the natural world. This workshop series is reserved specifically for BIPOC individuals.
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