Read the fall 2017 issue of Our Big Backyard

photo of stonefly at Oxbow Regional Park

A stonefly hangs out on one of the many willow trees that live along the edge of the Sandy River at Oxbow Regional Park. Photo by Brittany Iredale

See nature photos taken by students who live in outer Southeast Portland.

Native evergreen plants in home landscaping

Spring is a great time to tackle removing invasive weeds before they bloom and scatter their seeds. Native plants, such as ferns and the plants in the photo, offer excellent habitat for native wildlife.

Find tips and resources to turn your backyard into winter habitat for native wildlife.

Shae Bedford sings "Anadromous," a song she wrote about salmon, at the grand opening of Metro's Farmington Paddle Launch in June 2017.

Meet Shae Bedford, a Youth Ecology Corps participant and songwriter.

Oct. 27, 2017 1:41 p.m.



        Click this image to read the fall 2017 issue of Our Big Backyard in PDF format.

No two people experience nature the same way. Different people notice different parts of the landscape – the blossoming flower, the hiding salamander, the changing light on fern fronds.

As part of a partnership between Metro and ROSE Community Development, a nonprofit that works to revitalize outer southeast Portland, a dozen youths ages 10 to 16 visited seven Metro destinations to learn about nature photography. See their photos in the fall 2017 issue of Our Big Backyard, Metro's quarterly parks and nature magazine. Through the partnership, the students learned about the ecology of the different sites compared with their communities and tracked the changes from season to season.

Find a copy of Our Big Backyard at a local public library branch, the Oregon Zoo, a Metro park, or at various community centers and senior centers. Or read individual stories online on Parks and Nature News or click the image on the right to read a PDF of the magazine.

Also in the fall magazine:

Find tips and resources for ways to turn your yard into winter habitat for native wildlife.
Meet Shae Bedford, a participant in Metro's Youth Ecology Corps who wrote a song about salmon.
Read the Lone Fir Field Guide and plan a visit to see the trees in their autumnal glory.
Learn more about the years-long process to finally reach an agreement to set aside land for future development.
Confused about which plastics to keep out of your home recycling? There's a guide for that.
Mark you calendar for Metro Free Parks Day Oct. 11, Nov. 11 and 24 and Dec. 10.
And more!

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Read individual stories or view a PDF of the magazine on Parks and Nature News