In 2006, in an ivy-riddled area of Portland’s Southwest Hills, a group called the West Willamette Restoration Partnership launched a pilot program to achieve (what seemed) a modest goal: to help 25 homeowners remove noxious weeds and restore the native habitat to their yards. The Backyard Program, as it was called, was one sliver of a much bigger effort by many, many partners to restore a 35,000-acre forested corridor that was one of this region’s most important remaining wildlife habitat. Coyote, deer, birds and beneficial insects all lived in the area, but its health was seriously threatened by invasive weeds.

The Backyard Habitat program, then as now, recognized that homeowners, whose yards adjoined—or even were a part of—this natural area had to be part of the effort to keep the native habitat healthy and thriving. In a developed area, people had to be part of the solution.

It wasn’t clear that the Backyard Habitat pilot would even work. After all, it asked participating homeowners to remove all invasive weeds and replant with native plants. Its marketing consisted of yard signs and word-of-mouth. Would they even be interested?

They weren’t just interested, they became enthusiasts. The more weeds they removed, the more native plants had space to grow. The more birds showed up to forage. Word spread. Other wanted to join from throughout the region.

In 2009, Columbia Land Trust and the Audubon Society of Portland joined forces to launch the program Portland-wide. Over ten years later, the program now has over 6,200 participants, over 20 partners and funders, and has developed deep roots in communities throughout the region.

Why the Program Matters

According to our regional government estimates, the population of the Portland-Vancouver Metro area is expected to double by 2050. Development will follow, a fact that has real consequences for the natural world, our animals and our native plant communities. Over the past decades, we have witnessed loss of native species on the landscape, countless new invasive weed infestations, alarming declines in native pollinator populations, increased urban hazards to the 209 species of migratory birds that live or fly through this region, and radically altered streams—the lifelines of many natural areas.

To date, regional protection and restoration efforts have focused most heavily on public lands, public right of way, and regulating new development. However, residential landscapes make up about 40 percent of the Portland metropolitan area. Therefore, they have a significant role to play in developing healthy habitats for people and wildlife.   People’s good gardening and maintenance efforts on their own land can prevent future introductions and the spread of invasive species and provide safe passage for wildlife, and reduce contaminated runoff into our waterways.

Program Partners

Portland Audubon, the Columbia Land Trust, and our 6200+ participants are the primary program partners. We partner with Friends of Tryon Creek to implement the program in Lake Oswego and the Watershed Alliance in Clark County.

Our Funders

 

Public Agencies, Utilities, and Other Institutions

Public agencies, utilities, and other institutions provide technical expertise (such as certification criteria review), political support, and financial support (where indicated with an asterisk): City of Beaverton*, City of Camas*, City of Cornelius, City of Gresham*, City of Hillsboro*, City of Lake Oswego*, City of Milwaukie*, City of Portland*, City of Tigard*, City of Troutdale, City of Tualatin*, City of Ridgefield, City of Vancouver*, City of Washougal*, City of West Linn*, City of Wilsonville*, Clackamas County Water Environment Services*, Clackamas Soil & Water Conservation District*, Clark County*, Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District*, Clean Water Services*, East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District*, Land Trust Alliance*, Metro*, Oak Lodge Sanitary District*, Oregon State University Master Gardeners, PGE*, Tualatin Valley Water District, Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District, and West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District*.

Community-Based Organizations

Community-based organizations, “friends of” groups, and other non-profit partners support outreach, publicity, special events and equity initiatives (listed alphabetically): APANO, Centro Cultural, Clackamas River Basin Council, Columbia Slough Watershed Council, Dharma Rain Zen Center, Friends of Baltimore Woods, Friends of Mt Tabor Park, Friends of Nadaka Nature Park, Friends of Overlook Bluff, Friends of Terwilliger, Friends of Trees, Green Lents, Gresham Natural Resources & Sustainability Committee, Habitat for Humanity, Johnson Creek Watershed Council, Land Trust Alliance*, Oregon Food Bank, North Clackamas Urban Watershed Council, Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, Sandy River Watershed Council, Sustainable Overlook, Tryon Creek Watershed Council, Verde, Xerces Society, Zenger Farm, and countless neighborhood associations.

Working Groups and Collaborations

Working groups and collaborations and ensure the BHCP is operating in alignment with regional priorities: 4 County Cooperative Weed Management Association (CWMA), Greening the Jade, Greening School Yards Task Force (Leadership Committee), Oak Prairie Working Group (outreach sub-committee lead), West Willamette Restoration Partnership, Pacific Northwest Urban Meadowscaping Initiative, and Tabor to the River.

Business Partners

Business partners provide in-kind incentives and/or technical support: Al’s Garden Center, Birds & Bees Nursery, Bosky Dell Native Nursery, Cornell Farms Native Nursery, Dennis’ 7 Dees, Echo Valley Native Nursery, Farmington Gardens, Garden Fever, Good Year Farms, Livingscape, Portland Nursery, Sauvie Island Natives, Scholl’s Valley Nursery, Sparrowhawk Native Plants, One Green World Nursery, Backyard Bird Shop, Timber Press Publishers, and 50+ landscape professionals that participated in our program-specific training and signed the MOU to be listed in our directory of landscape professionals.