With Earth Day coming up on Monday, volunteers are pitching in on special projects to help Metro care for its 16,000 acres of natural areas and parks across the region – and it’s not too late to get involved.
On Tuesday, 26 third and fourth graders from Forest Grove Community School planted native wildflowers at a Metro-protected natural area that serves as an outdoor classroom and frequent volunteer site. During their sunny, two-hour expedition, the group infused the natural area with nearly 500 tarweed, blue-eyed grass and Oregon grape plants. The tarweed had come full circle: In January, first and second graders from the school planted them at Metro’s Native Plant Center. Now, the plants were big enough to go out into the natural area in time for Earth Day.
Feel inspired by these young volunteers? You can sign up to help with an Earth Day project from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday at Metro’s Newell Creek Canyon natural area near Oregon City. Volunteers will enhance a wetland on the western side of the canyon by planting native trees and shrubs and removing trash and debris. This project is part of a broader partnership that brings together Metro, Oregon City, the Greater Oregon City Watershed Council, the Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District and SOLVE to restore water quality and fish habitat in the canyon.