TRK is fortunate to have the opportunity to restore habitat throughout the Tualatin watershed working with many communities along the way! Volunteers are at the heart of these projects and it would not be possible to make an impact without them. Please click below to learn how you can get involved.
Held 48 habitat restoration volunteer events culminating in 2705 volunteer hours
Engaged 995 total volunteers in our projects including 332 youth volunteers
Served 15 project sites throughout the Tualatin River watershed
Planted 7500 native plants
Habitat “restoration” (sometimes just called “restoration” or “stewardship”) refers to taking care of the land in a way that can sustain its health both now and in the future for the benefit of plants, animals, air, soil, water, people, and the land itself.
The need for restoration stems from a lack of care and active exploitation of the land over many generations. The Indigenous land management practices of the Atfalati first peoples sustained healthy ecosystems within the Tualatin River watershed for many thousands of years. The removal of the Atfalati from their ancestral lands, combined with modern land management practices, led to the degradation of wildlife habitat, water quality, and soil health within the Tualatin River watershed over a roughly 200+ year period.
At its core, restoration needs to holistically incorporate all aspects of the land into a project as each is dependent on the others (soil, water, plants, air, animals and people). It can be difficult for a project to check every one of these boxes, but the good news is that action in one area can still create positive benefits in the others!
Clean drinking water for our community!
Some communities in Washington County rely on the Tualatin River for drinking water. Although water from the river receives filtration before it reaches people’s homes, it is still susceptible to pollution from roadways, agriculture, litter, and other sources
Plants help filter out pollutants and cool water!
When stormwater is filtered by plants, many harmful pollutants are naturally broken down in the soil and are no longer harmful.
Caring for native plant communities along streams (or adding large trees to streamside habitats) creates shade over the water which helps sustain cooler temperatures over the summer, and can be especially important for species that rely on cool water for their survival, including salmon. Healthy aquatic life supports other life along various parts of the food chain!
Helping trees live longer, healthier lives!
Removing invasive weeds from forests (whether that forest has 1000s of trees or just a few trees) ensures that trees have the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives. Weeds like English ivy (Hedera helix) and Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) put additional stress on trees making them more likely to die or fall prematurely.
Healthy trees help keep people and wildlife healthy too!
Healthy tree canopy cools air and water, removes pollution from the air, provides habitat for wildlife, and recreation and gathering opportunities for people.
Restoration creates areas of connection!
Restoration often focuses on making enhancements for the benefit of plants and animals, but it also increases access and connection for people by improving trails and recreation areas and removing overgrown weeds.
Native plants have cultural significance to many people!
Many native plants have cultural significance as sources of food, medicine, making, or ceremony (some invasive plants have positive human uses too!). Sustaining healthy native plant populations is vital for our health, and for some, it isn’t just a choice, but a way of life
Wildlife relies on native plants!
When we care for native plant communities, we care for the birds and insects that rely on them as well. Supporting healthy bird and insect populations maintains a balance from any one species becoming too well established (like too many mosquitos!). It also sets the foundation for the lower end of the food chain, supporting other forms of life (like fish, larger birds, predators, and people) big and small
Over 90% of 10,000 native insects in the Portland metro area rely exclusively on native plants for food and homes*
96% of terrestrial birds (birds that spend most of their life on the ground) raise their young exclusively on native insects*
*Source: Backyard Habitat Program
Cultivating healthy ecosystems addresses climate change now and in the future!
Healthy ecosystems (especially forests) are one of the greatest allies we have against climate change by capturing and storing large amounts of carbon and cooling air and water temperatures. But these ecosystems need to be well cared for in order to sustain long term health and reach their full potential. Habitat restoration lays the foundations for new ecosystems that can be our ally against climate change decades from now. Even more importantly, caring for ecosystems that are already well established allows us to directly address climate change both now and later!
