I-205 Multi-Use Path volunteer portrait: Columbia Slough Watershed Council

By Shelli Romero, ODOT

Nathaniel Talbot, stewardship coordinator for the Columbia Slough Watershed Council, joined volunteers from across the Portland metro region last month for a tree planting along the I-205 Multi-Use Path just south of Holman Hill, between the East Airport Way area and the Parkrose neighborhood.

The Columbia Slough Watershed Council is a nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging community members in active education and restoration of the Columbia Slough. The slough runs from the headwaters at Fairview Lake to the Willamette River, paralleling the Columbia River for 18 miles. The Columbia Slough area is the most heavily industrial and populated watershed in the entire state, and it harbors a huge amount of habitat for wildlife.

Talbot began his work with the Columbia Slough Watershed Council as an AmeriCorps member. During his AmeriCorps service time, he worked on restoration projects involving private landowners as well as projects involving public lands targeted for restoration efforts. In addition, he did restoration work with Friends of Trees on the weekends and was involved in monitoring slough waters.

His previous experience with Friends of Trees prepared him for the I-205 Multi-Use Path planting. Talbot also brought 10 active council volunteers to help out.

“We saw Friends of Trees had a planting along the I-205 Multi-Use Path along the slough and we decided to team up and bring out volunteers,” Talbot explained.

All of the volunteers involved in the planting along the slough had the opportunity to learn about the collaborative effort among ODOT, Friends of Trees and Metro to green the I-205 corridor.

“I think it’s great,” Talbot said. “Restoration typically works on a small scale, and it’s great to team up with larger agencies to put together funding and make public land available to do this work. It’s the most impactful and effective way to make restoration happen on a large scale.”

With funding from Metro’s Nature in Neighborhoods Capital Grants program, ODOT and Friends of Trees (with support from volunteers) will add thousands of trees and shrubs to ODOT property along the I-205 Multi-Use Path over a three-year period. The project is part of ODOT’s overall vision to make significant improvements to the 16.5-mile path used by commuters, neighbors, residents, bicyclists, pedestrians and transit users.

Check out these upcoming plantings along the I-205 Multi-Use Path on February 12 (Powell North), March 19 (Lents Lane), April 2 (Johnson Creek Boulevard), April 9 (Dean Creek Hill, Clackamas), and April 23 (Salmon Street). People of all ages, backgrounds and abilities are invited to join us.

–Romero is Public Policy & Community Affairs Manager, ODOT-Region I.