Volunteers again clean up Johnson Creek’s watershed

Published 12:00 am Friday, March 31, 2017

For those who enjoy getting dirty, volunteering with friends, and helping restore a natural resource, the morning of March 4 was their time to shine — at the 2017 Johnson Creek “Watershed-Wide” clean-up.

At all of the ten sites, from the Willamette River out through Gresham, a total of about 400 volunteers planted 7,000 trees and removed five acres of invasive species, reported Johnson Creek Watershed Council (JCWC) Volunteer Coordinator Courtney Beckel.

“It’s an important day, because the community is coming together — working with restoration science to improve water quality, enhance habitat for native species, and build a sense of community while doing it,” Beckel told THE BEE.

Also, there’s a “beautification” element, she added; trees are planted where needed.

“Other than dirty hands, the volunteers walk away today with a sense of accomplishment,” Beckel observed. “It helps them to develop a sense of place and help them create ownership of their local natural places. And, they’ll feel more of a part of the restoration that helps to invite salmon back into Johnson Creek.”

In Westmoreland Park, through which Johnson Creek tributary Crystal Springs Creek runs, some 90 people turned out to help spruce up the area recently renovated by Portland Parks & Recreation, the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

These hearty volunteers dodged rain showers as they spent the morning yanking out species and mulching existing plants.

“We’re glad to partner with JCWC here today, smiled Karl Lee of the Crystal Springs Creek Community Partnership. “Taking care of plantings is important, because Crystal Springs Creek is a very important piece of the watershed.”

At the lower end of Errol Heights Park, near the corner of S.E. 45th Avenue and Harney Street, across from Precision Castparts Structurals’ campus, the Friends of Trees organization partnered with JCWC to bring out 86 volunteers to plant trees.

By mid-morning, a sea of small colored flags marked where seedlings had been planted; but the volunteers kept on planting until all of the starts were in the ground.

Around noon, after cleaning off their tools, all of the volunteers, from all of the sites, turned their attention to a pizza party at the headquarters of the JCWC just south of Ochoco Street, near Sellwood, to celebrate their success.

To learn more about the Johnson Creek Watershed Council, visit their website: http://www.jcwc.org