• Join the Cedar Mill Garden Club
• Treekeepers of Washington County programs
• Washington County Master Gardener Association events
• Conservation internships available
• Young Birder’s Guide
• Houseplant swap
• Home orchard classes

Join the Cedar Mill Garden Club

Third Wednesday of the month, 10 am-12 pm, contact organizer for location, first meeting free and $20 annual dues after

The Cedar Mill Garden Club is a small group of friendly people who love gardening. Come join us for gardening discussions, outings to local gardens and nurseries, luncheons, lectures and more! Anyone with an interest in gardening is welcome. Come learn with us or share your expertise. Member of District, State & National Federation of Garden Clubs. If you are interested, please contact Club President Cathy Ramsey at 503-866-4222 or through email at cathyramsey308@gmail.com. 

Treekeepers of Washington County programs

We work to protect and advocate for trees in urban unincorporated Washington County. Don’t miss our upcoming events! All of them are free. Visit the Treekeepers website to learn more.

Hyland Woods Tree Walk

Sunday, January 26, 1-3 pm, exact location after registration, registration form, free

Join us as we walk through the Hyland Woods Natural area, a quiet 30-acre forested park near the intersection of SW Murray Blvd. and SW Hart Road. We will be discussing how to identify trees in winter and noticing the changes the plants are already making as they prepare for spring. We’ll be walking a one-mile loop on soft-surface trails that wind through a mature Douglas fir forest and an Oregon ash swale. We will also see alder, big-leaf maples, madrone, and an understory that includes beaked hazelnut, snowberries and ferns.

Join Our On-call Ivy Crew

October through March, registration form, free

​​English ivy hangs on through winter at a time trees are particularly vulnerable, as the invasive vines keep growing while trees are dormant. The excess weight can increase risks for trees during winter storms. Help us save trees by removing ivy and other invasive plants that threaten them. ​Weather makes it hard to schedule events, so please sign up and we’ll notify you when there is a good weather window so we can schedule an ivy pulling event. And if you know of a location where trees are suffering from ivy, you can notify us on this Ivy Hotline form.

Start the New Year right by safeguarding your part of our urban forest

Whether the trees in your care are in your yard, in a public space, or in pots on your balcony we welcome you to sign our Treekeepers Pledge to protect trees! There are four steps: do your best to keep your trees, use best practices for tree care, hire a trusted arborist to help make the best decisions for your trees, and spread the word about the many benefits of trees.

One way to inspire others to care about trees is by displaying one of our beautiful new Tree-Friendly Habitat signs. This durable 10″ x 10″ sign is designed for outdoor use. Join our growing group of tree protectors! You can learn more about the program at the Tree-Friendly Habitat website or visit the pledge page to sign it.

Washington County Master Gardener Association events

There are ample opportunities to advance your gardening knowledge and skills right here in Washington County. OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers and the Washington County Master Gardener Association (WCMGA) offer a lineup of classes, lectures and family friendly events year round. All events and details can be found on the WCMGA events calendar.  

Mason Bees 101

Saturday, January 25, 10 am-12 pm, PCC Rock Creek Campus, Building 4 (Room 103 and 104), 17705 NW Springville Rd., Portland, no registration required, free

We invite you to this free public class that addresses the identification and natural history of the mason bee. The class will be led by Ron Spendal, OSU Extension MG Volunteer. Attendees will gain a solid understanding of the characteristics and activities of mason bees and why they are one of the earliest and best pollinators in our area. Ron Spendal is an OSU Master Gardener who has been researching and educating on mason bees for over 15 years. He operates educational mason bee displays across Washington County, Oregon and runs highly sought-after courses on mason bee management through the Washington County Master Gardener Association. Please visit the event page for more information. 

Soil: what is it and how it works

Tuesday, January 7, 7-8 pm, Zoom, free, pre-registration required

Join us and Oregon State University Soil Science Instructor James Cassidy for a free webinar. It’s ALL about soil! Most people have only a vague idea of what soil is and how it works. You will learn more than you ever thought possible from this webinar—the reason you are alive, what nutrients are, how soil stores water and nutrients—just to name a few. James Cassidy, Senior Instructor, Soil Science & Sustainable Agriculture, Oregon State University, will lead us on a journey to discover the fundamentals that all humans on the planet should know. James is the founder and faculty advisor for the OSU Organic Growers Club, OSU’s Student Farm. The student farm project has over 300 student volunteers. The farm is largely self-supported through produce sales and cultivates over 50 different fruit and vegetable crops. It is beginning its 25th season. Please visit the event page for registration. 

Blueberry Care

Saturday, February 8, 10 am-12 pm, PCC Rock Creek Bldg 7, room 105, 17705 NW Springville, Free, registration not required

Blueberries are easy and fun to grow. Join the OSU Extension Washington County Master Gardeners (WCMGA) for this in-person class to learn about planting, fertilizing, plant selection, and care for blueberries, including pruning techniques.

Bring your own hand pruners and garden gloves for some hands-on opportunity to prune. Learn more here. Class will start indoors followed by a short walk outdoors to the PCC Rock Creek Learning Garden. Dress accordingly.

Conservation internships available

West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District is hiring two interns for our April-October season. The positions are Field Conservation Intern and GIS & Field Conservation intern. Interns will get mentorship and training from experienced professionals, hands-on field experience, opportunities to learn more about natural resource conservation, and a chance to contribute to projects in diverse environments.

Pay is $20.38/hour, for approximately 20 hours per week. Applicants must be 18+ at the time of the internship. Deadline to apply is January 13, 5 pm. Learn more and apply here. Please email hiring@wmswcd.org with questions. 

The West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District is a publicly funded special district whose mission is to provide resources, information, and expertise to inspire people to actively improve air and water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and soil health. We partner with many organizations and individuals, including residents and private landowners to accomplish our mission in our service area. Our services include assisting land-managers with invasive weed management, wildlife habitat and stream restoration, financial assistance for conservation projects and community partners, establishing school and community gardens, workshops, and conservation planning for healthy forests, farms, streams, and soil.

Young Birder’s Guide

The Young Birder’s Guide to Oregon is now live on Apple Books! Written, photographed, and published by Kate Ancheta, a student in the Beaverton School District, this guide features our local Commonwealth Lake Park and several other favorite nearby wildlife attractions. This guide will teach you how to interpret field guides, use binoculars, and to accurately and thoroughly describe birds and their behaviors. Visit Apple Books  to see more.

Houseplant swap

Sunday, January 19, 4-5 pm, Cornell Farm, 8212 SW Barnes Rd., free

Cornell Farm’s Winter Houseplant Swap is coming! Join us for an afternoon of plants and community. Whether you’re making room for new additions from the holidays or sharing the bounty of your propagations, bring your extra houseplants and take home a brand new addition to your urban jungle. Everyone is welcome to this free event, so bring a friend! Learn more and checkout our other Houseplant Month workshops coming up in January.

Home orchard classes

The Home Orchard Education Center (HOEC) offers a variety of workshops for fruit growers in January and February. From grapes and kiwis to apples and pears, the programs are scheduled to happen right when it’s time to perform the tasks. Sign up to receive their newsletter for future offerings.