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The STREAM~N Team is live!
We had our first gatherings of STREAM~N Team participants at the Environmental Learning Center (ELC) at Clackamas Community College on June 7 and July 5, 2025, and on Mt. Scott in Happy Valley on July 12!
On June 7th, our teens joined other volunteers and worked on trail maintenance and habitat restoration by removing blackberry, holly, shiny geranium, and other aggressive species that compete with native plants. Another group created interactive environmental education materials with the ELC’s awesome team, including Dr. Heidi Blackwell, Director and her family.
On July 5th, the Team took on the challenge of improving the ELC’s rain garden. We removed invasive weeds to help increase native plant and wildlife biodiversity and improve how the garden collects and filters pollutants from runoff and rainwater. Thanks to everyone who came out to improve wildlife habitat, water quality, and the experience of ELC visitors!
On July 12 we enjoyed a tour and work party at Mt. Scott Headwaters Center for Built Environments in Happy Valley. It is a project of Rivers of Life Center (RLC) and Founder Jerry Herrmann, who also founded the ELC 50 years ago while he was a student at CCC. We learned about the natural and Indigenous history of the site and sampled steelhead cooked by an Indigenous expert (also named Jerry) using traditional cedar-smoked methods. We saw how they have been restoring the site and were able to help by adding mulch and straw around the many native and fruiting plants they have been adding to the site, as well as other trail maintenance work. RLC has also been adding berms to channel runoff for habitat and keep it away from nearby dwellings that had been flooding during seasonal storms. After a delicious lunch from Tamale Boy we gathered in the forest for team-building fun and planning of future projects.
Our next scheduled events are below. Check back for more events that will be scheduled soon. 🙂
- Fri., July 18, 2025: Tour and service-learning work party at the new Canyon’s Edge STREAM~N Center from 10:00 am – noon. The brand-new project is in development on bare land at 600 Alden St., Oregon City. It is at the edge of Newell Creek Canyon, a biodiversity hotspot and one of the largest intact forests in the Portland metro region, with salmon, trout, lamprey, 150 species of birds, 18 species of amphibians, beaver, and more!
- July 19: Bonus Stewardship Saturday work party at the John Inskeep Environmental Learning Center at CCC, 10:00 – noon, followed by lunch and STREAM~N Team gathering from noon – 2:00 pm. Address:
- Tues., July 29, 2:15 pm: Tour of CCC, starting in the lobby of Holden Industrial Technology Center (ITC). Explore their great facilities/programs for Wildland Fire Management, Water and Environmental Technology, Electrician and Solar Technician pathways, Landscape Management, Horticulture, and more. We’ll close with a short STREAM~N Team gathering and plan to wrap up by 4:45.
- Fri., August 1: Tour of TimberLab (1601 NE Columbia Blvd, Portland, OR 97211), the holistic mass timber design, engineering and construction company that built the spectacular new 9-acre roof at Portland International Airport. Check back for the time, likely 10:30 am, with an optional pickup in Oregon City (likely the ELC) about 45 minutes before that.
- August 2: Stewardship Saturday work party at the (ELC) at CCC, 10:00 – noon, followed by lunch and STREAM~N Team gathering from noon – 2:00 pm
- Sat., Aug. 16, 2025: Service-learning work party at the Canyon’s Edge STREAM~N Center from 10:00 am – noon: 600 Alden St., Oregon City.
- Fri., August 22: Tour and service-learning at Port Blakely Tree Farms and riparian restoration site from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm: 31644 S Grimm Rd, Molalla, OR 97038; We will help restore fish habitat with live willow staking along the river and planning for upstream riparian restoration using diverse native plants.
- Wed., August 26: Tour and service-learning at Wildwood Recreation Site, 65670 US-26, Welches, OR 97067 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.
- Tentative: Fri., Aug 29 (or another late summer date): Salmon Hatchery Tour with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
- Fun option: Sat., Aug 30: Star Party at the ELC/CCC with Rose City Astronomers, 7:30 pm – midnight; Learn from astronomers at the ELC starting at 7:30 p.m. in Lakeside Hall, followed by viewing on the Athletic Fields across from the ELC. Rose City Astronomers volunteers will be sharing views of the night sky through their telescopes. Bring chairs, binoculars and blankets. If the skies are cloudy, be sure to check the Rose City Astronomers website for cancellation notices.
- September 6: Stewardship Saturday work party at the (ELC) at CCC, 10:00 – noon, followed by lunch and STREAM~N Team gathering from noon – 2:00 pm
- Sat., September 13: Hopkins Demonstration Forest service-learning, sustainable forestry, and sawmill education in Oregon City.
- Sat., October 25: “Pick or Treat” fun educational/service event with Oregon City Parks Foundation, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Rivers of Life Center, and other partners. Check out the best views of Willamette Falls from the VFW and Promenade in Oregon City: 104 Tumwater Dr., likely 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. Stay tuned for more details!
Delilah and Sorelle pose with Rachel from the ELC and a particulary pesky root ball.
Preston gets ready to hand off the spinning Buzz Ring to Jonah and Kite during our trip to Mt. Scott Headwaters Center for Built Environments.
Angel, Manwell, and Gavin chill for a moment after loading the truck.
Maythe, Quinn, and Jemma get crafty creating spinners with hidden details to teach kids about trees and other native plants.
Quaid and Zachary share their observations of Oregon grape in a “Botany Blitz” activity.
Jerry Herrmann, Jordan Strange, and Xander provided valuable safetry training during our visit to Mt. Scott.
The group enjoys learning along the ELC’s beautiful wetlands and trails.
Delilah and Sorelle clear out trouble maker plants from around reeds and sedges in the ELC’s beautiful rain garden.
Thistle and other pesky plants are no match for Manwell, Delilah, and fun tools like STREAM~N Team’s new Pullerbear 
.
Preston standing at the entrance to the Mt. Scott site where a huge pile of mulch once stood.
Manwell vs. invasive Himalayan (Armenian) blackberry
Holly is no match for Manwell and a pick mattock!
Ariana clears out some thimbleberry that was taking over part of the ELC’s rain garden. Even beautiful native plants need to be balanced out sometimes.
Bryce takes a peace break from working as a biodiversity warrior for native plants and wildlife.
Angel powers out a patch of blackberry and other weeds.
Angel, Manwell, and Bryce carry out a load of invasive plants for disposal so they can’t resprout.
Wesley standing in an area on Mt. Scott where invasive Himalayan blackberry had been trying to take over.
Natalia and Bre keep trails open and safe by removing thorny Himalayan blackberry and other pesky plants.
Derek, Zac, and Spencer get a good workout spreading mulch around young native plants to control retain moisture and control weeds.
Quinn and Quaid bringing new life to the ELC’s rain garden.
Sorelle, Delilah, Kite, and Wesley team up for trail maintenance at Mt. Scott Headwaters Center for Built Environments in Happy Valley.
Zachary uses a pick mattock to clear out space for more biodiversity in the ELC’s rain garden.
Kite provides community service with a smile in the ELC’s rain garden.
Passing around Indigenous artifacts while learning about the fascinating natural and human history of Mt. Scott from expert Jerry Herrmann.
Ariana and Mason tell us about cleaning up a massive discovery of trash in the Sandy River delta. Thankfully, they only found a small amount at the ELC! However, there were literally tons of peach pits and other waste that had to be removed from the site over the ELC’s 50-year history, part of it’s legacy as an old industrial site for Smucker’s (The JM Smucker Co.).
The July 5 group feeling good after the workout in nature. And we feel so much gratitude to all these good folks who were able to join on the holiday weekend to help clean our water, enhance biodiversity, and more in the ELC’s rain garden. From left to right (back row): Jacob, Rachel, Quaid, Jemma, Quinn, Kite, Mason, Ariana, Sorelle, Delilah, Manwell and (front row): Derek, Eric, Zachary and Rick. Not pictured: Krista
A selfy attempt after the Mt. Scott work party on July 12: Rick, Sorelle, Delilah, Krista, Jonah, Preston, Zach, Derek, and Wesley (or at least his right arm :).