Portland, OR Community Watershed Stewardship Grant Program

Type: Program

Status: Ongoing

Source File: http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/index.cfm?c=43077

Description:

Environmental Services works with Portland State University, Americorps, local watershed councils and the community to raise awareness of and to improve watershed health. We offer community project grants, educational workshops, technical assistance, watershed council organizational development and informational resources.

Our watershed stewardship grants provide up to $10,000 to schools, churches, businesses and other community organizations for projects that protect and enhance watershed health at the local level. Groups can use grant money for supplies, materials, equipment, room rentals, feasibility studies or technical assistance.

Past projects include education and monitoring, ecoroofs, stormwater features, restoration, and naturescaping.

Community Watershed Stewardship Project Types

Ecoroofs
Vegetated roof systems that replace conventional roofs and collect, filter and evaporate rainfall reduce stormwater runoff.

• Friends of Portland Community Gardens Kiosk Project
• Friends of Trees Holistic Stormwater Demonstration
• People’s Food Cooperative
• Hawthorne Youth Hostel

Stormwater Features
On-site stormwater management through “green” practices is vital to Portland’s watershed health. These projects on developed sites include anything from swales and disconnected downspouts to pervious pavers.

• St. Philip Neri Bioswale
• David Douglas High School Downspout Disconnect
• Sabin Community Playground Improvement Project

Education/ Monitoring
Innovative workshops, curricula, video, creative writing, art projects, special events, interpretive signs and data collection for watershed projects are essential to creating a community of watershed stewards.

• Zenger Farm - Wetland Education
• Open Meadow Columbia Slough Monitoring
• Willamette Riverkeeper - Clean Boater Action Guides
• Saturday Academy - North Portland Tree Stewardship

Restoration
These natural area projects focus on removing invasive plants, planting native vegetation, and ongoing site maintenance.

• Portland Community College – Restoration of Sylvania Park
• Bridlemile Creek Stewards – Albert Kelly Park Restoration
• Lents Springwater Corridor Restoration

Naturescaping
Naturescaping on community sites demonstrates the importance of landscaping with native plants.

What is Stewardship?
Watershed stewardship means working together to honor our responsibility to Portland's streams, watersheds, neighborhoods and natural areas. Only the wise actions and choices of individuals like you can give us healthy watersheds and clean rivers and streams. Though your individual actions may seem simple, when combined with the rest of the community's efforts, the results are incredible.