Rinearson Creek newsletter copy

Friends of Rinearson Creek
MAY 2013 A STUDENT NEWSLETTER
WWW.SOLVEOREGON.ORG
West Linn High School
and Gladstone High
School steward Rinearson
Creek once a month!
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Lessons learned at Rinearson Creek
By Caleb, West Linn High School
When people think about
helping the environment, they
think about buying a Prius, or
organic foods, or using solar
energy. And while those things
are helpful, it’s often the smaller
things people forget about that
have just as large an impact.
The time I’ve spent working
with SOLVE has taught me so
much about things I can do to
make the world a better place.
Getting rid of invasive species,
plating natives ones, help the
plants grow, make habitats for
the animals, watch what I do
with everyday items, etc.
Everyone often forgets it’s small
things like that that really
change things. I remember one
trip we did where we went to
the creek to plant trees and look
for macroinvertebrates and it
was shocking to see how much
damage had been done. The
banks were eroded, the land
was incredibly loose and
muddy, and the creek was
atrociously dirty. If people took
the time to just assess a place’s
situation, they would realize
that it’s not as damaged as they
might think and that they
themselves can change it for the
better if they only took the time
and effort to try.
I did that this year and it felt so
good to do it that it’s not
something I’ll forget and I will
definitely use what I learned
some time in the future.
A place so calm but
corrupted
but people like us can
fix it.
Each day we plant a ne
w
life
to help save the fish.
Pushing towards a ne
w
beginning I remind m
yself
I am a student
I am an Oregonian
I am one of hundreds
who’s
willing to make a diffe
rence.
-Gladstone High School
.
-West Linn High School
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Natural beauty is the eighth
wonder of the world
Do we under appreciate it?
Do we terrorize it?
We do nothing.
But we try
And it’s a beautiful effort
Because one day
it will thrive.
-Chrisann, West Linn High School,
Grade 12
A Green Team lesson
that will last a lifetime
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I’m surrounded by beauty.
The trickle of the stream is
a melody. In the distance I
hear birds chirping.
They sing me a song. They
sing a song in thanks. The
birds thank me and my
class for helping at
Rinearson.
-Gladstone High School
By SOLVE Green Team Program
Coordinator Meghan Ballard
Sam, a current freshman at Portland
Community College, started her
volunteer experience with SOLVE
through Green Team during the
2011-2012 school year. This year she
has returned to teach the West Linn
High School Green Team. As a Stream
Team Captain she has led Saturday
events and also even taught a birding
workshop to train SOLVE volunteers!
We at SOLVE are very lucky to have
such a wonderful volunteer rise up
through the
volunteer
training ranks to
become such an
outstanding and
inspiring
teacher for our
Green Team
program! Thank you
Sam!
- West Linn High School
Planting at Rinearson Creek is so rewarding to me. When I see my peers doing so
much good work it makes me have such a flooding sense of hope. Although we will
no longer be here the memories and rewarding feelings will stay with us always.
-Gladstone High School
-Gladstone High School
The Results
are In....
During the 2012-2013
School Year Students...
• Cleared 3400 square feet of
invasive species such as Armenian
Blackberry!
• Planted 450 native trees and
shrubs that will enhance habitat,
provide shade for the Creek, and
filter polluted stormwater.
• Installed 140 Red Osier Dogwood
and Pacific Willow cuttings that are
beginning to sprout!
• Mulched 320 native plants to
protect them from invasive plants
and drying out during the summer
I’ve always enjoyed being outside.
Before I was more
environmentally aware, I used to
go on walks and look at the plants
or listen to birds.
Working with SOLVE makes me
feel like I am really giving back to
the planet that provides us with so
much.
The process we’ve gone through
during the year of planting
natives and caring for them has
given me hope. When we all
work together, we can change
anything. When we first came
here, the park was overgrown.
Through the process of planting,
clearing, mulching, and caring,
the park is full of growing, happy
native plants that will improve the
environment. I’m proud of the
work I’ve done here, and look
forward to doing more in the
future.
By Bailey, West Linn High School
Rinearson
Rinearson is a work in progress.
Rinearson is a treasure to be
uncovered.
Rinearson is a memory full of fun.
Rinearson is better now that we all
have helped.
Rinearson will always be here.
Rinearson.
-
Gladstone High School
The Earth
When I help the earth,
I feel really good.
It is such a beautiful earth and quite
misunderstood.
If we clean up the earth everything
will be better.
Because we need the earth, So let’s
work together.
- Taija, West Linn High School
Want to get involved? Contact
Meghan at [email protected]
503-844-9571 x 323
solvgreenteam.wordpress.com