One of the best places in the Columbia Slough Watershed got a make-over last year. Join Columbia Slough Watershed Council, bird walk leader, Ryan Gilpin, and Portland Parks Ecologist, Laura Guderyahn for a walk around the Columbia Children’s Arboretum. The group will learn about restoration efforts at the park, spot some great birds and enjoy a diversity of trees planted throughout the years. This event is open to all people, of all ages.

What to bring: Come dressed for the weather, and pack along water, snacks, and binoculars if you’d like. Extra binoculars will be available for those that don’t have their own. *Don't have a warm/waterproof jacket? Reach out to Amanda.

Getting There: Follow directions to the intersection of NE Meadow Dr & NE Meadow Ln located on the east side of the Arboretum. From here you’ll turn onto NE Meadow Ln and look for available neighborhood parking. The group will meet at the gate at the end of Meadow Ln. Taking public transportation? Bus #11 will drop riders off at NE Middlefield & 6th Dr, 374 ft. from the west end of the Arboretum. Bus #6 drops riders off at NE Vancouver Way & Freightliner/3rd, 0.3 miles from the west entrance of the Arboretum. From the west entrance, participants can follow the paved path through the park to the east entrance.

Accessibility: The group will be on flat paved paths, and if the group is interested, some flat dirt paths as well. An ADA accessible port potty is on site.

Questions? Reach out to Amanda, at amanda.gallegos@columbiaslough.org.

Ryan Gilpin is a consulting arborist, founder of Nidus Consulting, and trip leader on bird walks throughout the Columbia Slough watershed. Ryan is chair of the Tree Care for Birds committee, has written Best Management Practices for arborists to minimize impacts to nesting birds and trains arborists to improve habitat in urban forests.