Spring Partner Events & Classes

Many of our partners are offering great classes, events, or resources this spring. Check our their websites and event pages for more details.


Restoring Nature: What People of Faith Can Do to Heal the Earth

Douglas Tallamy, author of gardening books such as Bringing Nature Home and Nature’s Best Hope, will be hosting a talk Wednesday, March 23. Two Metro-area churches are hosting Dr. Tallamy’s talk, in which Dr. Tallamy will discuss the current crisis and what people and their faith communities can do in response.

If you can’t join for the webinar on March 23, you can still register and they will send you a link to a recording that you can watch later.

This webinar is co-hosted by the United Church of Christ and the the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).


Trillium Festival

For 42 years, Tryon Creek has celebrated the return of the Trillium, an early season perennial native to our local forests. This beautiful white flower awakens each year in late February and early March, and slowly turns to a reddish-purple by the end of April or early May, making it a wonderful beginning to the spring wildflower season.

Saturday, April 2nd – Trillium Festival, 10:00am – 4:00pm

ACTIVITIES:

  • Plant Sale with Bosky Dell Natives.
  • Educational resources to help create a healthy habitat in your very own yard.
  • Interactive educational stations for the whole family.
  • Guided and self-led Hikes focusing on native plants.
  • Variety of informational displays on watershed education, Backyard Habitat, homeowner wildfire prevention, and living botanical tabletop gardens.

Learn more on Friends of Tryon Creek’s website. Trillium Festival is hosted by Friends of Tryon Creek

Trillium Festival at Tryon Creek State Natural Area on April 1, 2017. Photo © Tim LaBarge 2017

Soil School 2022

Soil School will explore emerging soil knowledge which turns out to be not-so-new. Soil experts will share their knowledge and be available to answer questions in a series of soil-related webinars across the month of April — all free!

  • Live sessions will be on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in April at 6:00pm.
    Register for each virtual session that interests you by following the unique link found in the presentation descriptions on the registration page.

Not able to attend live? Sessions will be available to watch later on Tualatin SWCD’s YouTube channel.

Soil School is co-hosted by West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District and Tualatin Soil & Water Conservation District.


Getting to Know our Native Plants

The Watershed Alliance and Toree Hiebert will present about the importance of native plants, how to find and identify them, and how to use them in landscaping in place of ornamental plants.

  • Tuesday, April 12, 6:00 – 7:00pm
    Hosted on-line via Zoom. Register here.

Event hosted by the Watershed Alliance of Southwest Washington.


A Park Nature Park

April showers bring pretty flowers.. and weeds!

Help Portland Parks & Recreation get the new nature patch at A Park established by thinning out the weedy stuff to give all the young native plants some growing room.

  • What: hand weeding
  • When: Thursday, April 21st from 10am-noon
  • Where: A Park (SW 21st Avenue and Capitol Hill Road)

Please RSVP to attend: https://forms.gle/8hwti8DWZ3SCDLuB9


Earth Day Circus in the Grove

The Boise Eliot Native Grove is hosting their 5th “Earth Day in the Grove” work party and celebration on April 23rd.

They’ll be hosting a morning work party (10:30am-12pm) & an afternoon celebration with Prismagic Circus (1-3pm). Help them refresh their paths with wood chips, remove garbage, trim back hedges, re-weave the willow dome, set up hoses for watering, and tidy up the Mason “bee hotel.”

They recommend you bring work boots, work gloves, face masks, and a personal water bottle. Prepare to get down into the dirt, shovel up and haul wood chips, dig up weeds, clean up garbage, & work with native plants. Then after your hard work, enjoy aerial arts, juggling, magic and charm from Prismagic Circus company (starting at 1pm).

https://www.nativegrovepdx.org/


Gardening for Wildlife

Participants will learn how to create wildlife-friendly spaces in their own yard or community area by incorporating native plants and wildlife habitat components. Both sessions will be held virtually via Zoom.

  • Wednesday, April 27th – Naturescaping Basics, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
    Get an overview of naturescaping design techniques. View examples of gardens designed with native plants. Learn how to map your own yard. Click here to register.
  • Wednesday, May 11th – Plan Your Garden with the Experts, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
    Find out how to manage stormwater, lawns, roots, and pollinators. Discover local certification programs. Bonus after class session – get a personalized design consultation on your garden plan. Click here to register.

Co-hosted by Clackamas Soil & Water Conservation District, Clackamas River Basin Council, National Wildlife Federation, and the Backyard Habitat Certification Program.


Meet the Mason Bees.. and some of their closet friends

Adults and children are invited to join the Washington County Master Gardeners as they celebrate the emergence of the 2021 mason bees. Learn about the Blue Orchard Mason Bees and other Oregon native bees – their life cycle, habitat needs and more! Live displays and hands-on activities for all ages.

  • Saturday, May 14th, 1:00 – 4:00pm
    WCMGA Education Garden at PCC Rock Creek
    17705 NW Springville Rd, Portland, OR 97229
    Learn more on their website.

Event hosted by Washington County Master Gardeners Association and Oregon State University Extension.

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