Love Your Watershed

Partner Event: Native Plant Sales at your local Soil & Water Conservation District

Benton Soil & Water Conservation District

Date: September 24 & 25
Time: Saturday @ 10am - 6pm, Sunday @ 10am - 5pm
Place: Central Park, Corvallis (650 NW Monroe Ave, Corvallis, OR 97333)

Benton SWCD's 2022 Fall Native Bulb and Seed Sale will take place in-person only at the Corvallis Fall Festival. You can purchase bags of bulbs and packets of seeds in limited quantities on a first-come, first-served basis. See the available bulbs and seeds here!

Polk Soil & Water Conservation District

Date: October 14 & 15
Time: Friday @ 9am - 4pm, Saturday @ 9am - 12:30pm
Place: Delbert Hunter Arboretum (631 SW Park St., Dallas, OR 97338)

Pre-order catalog of bulbs and perennials is posted at https://www.polkswcd.com/plant-sale.html. There are also some native plant seeds available for purchase now on this webpage. Questions? please feel free to contact Morgan Neil at morgan.neil@polkswcd.com.

Sips 'n' Science: Kalapuyans of the Central Willamette Valley, History and Culture

Speaker: David Lewis, PhD

Date: Tuesday, October 18
Time: 6:30 - 8:00pm
via Zoom Webinar

The presentation will address various Kalapuyan tribes and bands of the central valley. We will look at their original culture, how they stewarded their lands and the adjustments they had to make when settlers arrived. WE will dive into the removal process, treaties, encampments and payments, and the likely understandings of the Kalapuyans, and work by Indian agents to remove them all to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation. Finally we will address their context on the reservation for the first 20 years. Click here for more details and to register!

Fall Sips 'n' Science schedule coming soon!

Dates: October through December - stay tuned for more details!
Time: 6:00 - 8:00pm
Places: To be determined!

We are building an exciting line-up of pub talks for this fall and winter, including Kalapuya history with Dr. David Lewis and local paleo-ecology with Aubrey Cloud! Some talks will be held in-person at some of our favorite local establishments, while others will be offered via Zoom webinar. Stay tuned for more details, coming soon

LSNA Self-Guided Walking Tour

Date & time are your choice!
Place: Luckiamute State Natural Area - North Unit

Head to Luckiamute State Natural Area (LSNA) for a self-guided walking tour around the North Unit loop trail. The tour includes six waypoints, where you are encouraged to stop and learn more about LSNA and its ecological and cultural importance. A brochure that includes a trail map and markers for each of the six waypoints is available at the LWC office, or you can print and download a copy for yourself! Click here for more details and to download a brochure!

Traditional Ecological Knowledge Video Series

This two-part video series was produced in partnership with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde (CTGR), Polk Soil & Water Conservation District and the LWC, with additional funding support by Benton Soil & Water Conservation District and Willamette Habitat Restoration Fund. This series focuses on teaching private landowners how they incorporate Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and partner with CTGR in maintaining oak habitat on their land.The first video begins by defining TEK and its importance to landscape restoration, and describing the cultural significance of many native plant species. The second video explains how landowners can incorporate the principles of TEK into their own land management strategies, and features the story of a Polk County landowner who is managing her cattle ranch to protect Oregon white oak and other native plants important to the Tribes. Click here to view video series!

Virtual Workshop: Planning and Planting Your Native Garden

In this virtual workshop, you will learn how to identify your soil types and pick the best native plants for your yard and garden! You’ll also hear about some of our favorite natives, why they are beneficial, and how to maximize your chance of a successful native plant landscaping project! Click here to access our Native Plant Resources page, which contains all the links, slides and information referred to in this workshop.

Virtual Sips 'n' Science Pub Talk Recordings

Although we miss being able to gather together in person during our 2020 - 2021 Sips 'n' Science series, we are excited to be able to offer you full-length recordings of our virtual pub talks! We invite you to grab a brew, glass of wine, cup of tea or whatever your beverage of choice might be, and click on each of the recording links below for a virtual Sips 'n' Science experience!

What Birds Reveal About Floodplain Function
Speaker: Dr. Joan Hagar (aired on October 13, 2020)

The Power of Partnership: 20 Years of Restoration with the LWC
Speakers: Kristen Larson & Jean-Paul Zagarola (January 28, 2021)

Forest Management at Starker Forests
Speaker: Jennifer Beathe (November 16, 2021)

Climate Change & Assisted Migration: Who's calling the shots?
Speaker: George Kral (aired on November 18, 2020)

Tribal Lands Management
Speaker: Lindsay McClary (March 31, 2021)

Virtual Plant ID Walk & Learn

We are excited to announce that you are now able to participate in a virtual Plant ID Walk & Learn from your living room! In this video, Jody Einerson and Brad Withrow-Robinson from Oregon State University Extension Office show you how to identify several native woodland trees, shrubs and herbacious plants commonly found in our watershed. A big thank you goes to Willamette Habitat Restoration fund for providing the funding for this video production!

Thank you to our generous Love Your Watershed sponsors and partners for your support in helping us achieve our goal of connecting our communities to their watershed!

Donate to the Love Your Watershed Program!

**COVID-19 Update**

In order to comply with the latest federal and CDC recommendations and recent state requirements, we are canceling or postponing all of our April indoor and outdoor events. We hope to reschedule some of them for later in the year, and will continue to update our event calendar in the coming weeks. Please click here for a message from LWC Executive Director, Kristen Larson.

Be a Community Scientist!

Date: Any day!
Time: Anytime!
Place: Your home, yard or (once social distancing restricitions are lifted) your community!

Now is a great time to get involved in gathering data and observations of the natural world from your own backyard! The data you collect will contribute to a greater understanding of our natural world. Learn more by clicking here.

Photo: Miriam Haugen, 2018

Get to Know Your Watershed

Date: Any day!
Time: Anytime!
Place: Your internet-enabled computer, laptop or mobile device

The first step to protecting the health of your rivers, lands and communities is knowing which watershed you are a part of, and how your community fits into the bigger picture. Click here to learn how to identify your watershed.

Stay tuned for updates about our events and rescheduling information, coming soon!

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