Greetings!

We've had a busy and rewarding month at the Council. October featured the last few paddles of the year, beautiful birding, a trash cleanup, and our first two Stewardship Saturdays of the season. Community members and our partner organizations continue to amaze us, and we are grateful for their dedication to making the Slough a better place.

As November begins, a new staff member joins our team: Yoko Silk steps into the Stewardship Director role, and we are so excited to have her. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome!

We invite you to join us this month for a bird walk at Blue Lake and for Slough Science on Climate Resilience at Level Beer. We hope to see you out there!

Finally, we are excited to announce our upcoming fundraising campaign, For the Love of the Slough. Launching on November 15th, we aim to raise $25,000 to support another year of free programs in restoration, education, and community events. Read more below and stay tuned!

A Warm Welcome to our New Stewardship Director, Yoko Silk!

Yoko (she/her) comes from Portland Parks and Recreation, where she has been helping people of all ages care for natural areas and parks in the Columbia Slough Watershed for the past 11 years. Recognizing the intersections of environmental, social, and racial justice, Yoko is deeply committed to creating opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to access and engage with nature in meaningful ways. She feels especially dedicated to the Columbia Slough and is excited to deepen her relationship with the land, people, and partner organizations who share a similar passion for this highly urbanized yet ecologically important watershed.

We are so excited to have Yoko bring her skills to the Council and look forward to seeing her impact on the Slough!

Launching Soon: For the Love of the Slough

Starting November 15th, anyone who donates to CSWC will be entered for a chance to win awesome raffle prizes from over 20 local businesses.

Depending on how much you give throughout the campaign, you will be eligible for different prize tiers. Keep an eye out for email and social media updates, and here is a sneak peek at our business partners!

Slough Bingo is on December 11th at Double Mountain's Overlook Taproom from 6-8 PM!

Also part of our campaign is this fun night of bingo and prize packages, with an average value of $250! Tickets are $15 and cover your first bingo card. You can buy additional bingo cards at 1 for $5 or 3 for $10. Seats are limited, so get your tickets now.

Community Spotlight

The Council may not be hosting a stewardship event this month, but you can still help improve the watershed!

Join long time Slough volunteer, Paul Taylor, for a planting event in partnership with SOLVE! They'll be removing blackberry and spreading mulch on Saturday, November 7, at a site just down the street from Whitaker Ponds!