Sauvie Island

In honor of Earth Day / Month, WMSWCD is partnering with Hands-on-Portland, Portland Audubon and Oregon State Parks to host an invasive weed removal event at Wapato State Access Area on Sauvie Island on Saturday, April 24 from 9 - noon. Nasty weeds such as garlic mustard, English ivy, shiny geranium and Herb Robert have moved into this special 180 acre natural area. Volunteers will help pull them and remove woody invaders such as Himalaya blackberry and Scot's Broom. Volunteers are encouraged to bring work gloves and shovels. Additional tools and refreshments will be provided.

WMSWCD is collaborating with Jane Hartline, Sauvie landowner and WMSWCD board member, on native plant restoration along her stretch of the Gilbert River, which primarily serves as an irrigation/ drainage canal, but also as habitat for turtles, salamanders and other wildlife. The Sauvie Island Drainage Improvement Company manages the river/canal on behalf of Sauvie landowners and occasionally needs access to maintain them. Staff is helping SIDIC develop a plan that would allow native plant restoration and maintenance for reliable irrigation water and drainage. The goal is to improve water quality, wildlife habitat and maintain or improve the integrity of the canals for agriculture on the Island. For more information, contact Scott Gall at scott@wmswcd.org.

Healthy Streams is a new WMSWCD program that provides funding and technical assistance to landowners for streamside restoration to improve water quality and wildlife habitat. Current target areas include canals and ditches on Sauvie Island and Rock and Abbey creeks in the West Hills. The objective on Sauvie Island agricultural land is to reduce invasive plant species and tillage that occurs directly adjacent to waterways which may contribute to erosion and sedimentation. WMSWCD will pay to install non-invasive herbaceous buffers in their place. The objective along Rock and Abbey Creeks is to provide funding and technical support to increase the amount native riparian buffers. Approximately $35,000 was dedicated for this purpose in 2009-2010. For more information, contact Kammy Kern-Korot at kammy@wmswcd.org.