Category Archives: The Nature of Cedar Mill
Community-led PCC Nature Project Receives Grant from Metro Council
A Metro Grant is helping to improve trail accessibility, provide space for gathering and art, and support first food gardens at the Rock Creek Campus
Nature & Garden News June 2024
• Washington County Master Gardener programs
• Interested in Growing Food?
• Treekeepers of Washington County programs
• Urban Wildlife Information Network (UWIN)
• Bird Behaviors Adult Program
Garden & Nature April 2024
• Tree and Native Plant Sale
• Living with Black Bears
• Treekeepers of Washington County programs
• Washington County Master Gardener programs
• Birdathon!
• 10-Minute University
CMCC raising funds to replant trees
We were all shocked and saddened when we saw the devastation to our beautiful, forested parks, in addition to the damage to peoples’ homes and yards. Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation Department (THPRD) crews worked hard to remove hazard trees and clear trails like the one in the Bluffs Park leading to Bonny Slope Elementary.
One of our neighbors suggested that we might want to help THPRD in the replanting effort that will take place this fall. We reached out to THPRD to make sure we could do this and were given a go-ahead. Funds can be deposited to the Cedar Mill Community Club (CMCC) account at Sunset Credit Union, or you can donate here with our GoFundMe project. Funds will be held until plans are in place for renovating the natural areas.
Garden & Nature March 2024
• East Multnomah SWCD
• Friends of Trees Community Tree
Planting
• Weed Wranglin’ Webinar
• Tree & Native Plant Sale at Skyline
Grange
• Treekeepers of Washington County
programs
• Washington County Master
Gardener programs
• Bird Alliance Nature Night: For the
Love of Hummingbirds
Garden & Nature February 2024
• Forest Park History and Ecology
• Washington County Master Gardener programs
• Blueberry Care
• Treekeepers of Washington County programs
• February Tree Talk Meetup
• Be part of our on-call ivy crew!
• Tree Walk: Jenkins Estate
• Find Oregon White Oak Habitat in Washington County
• Spring Native Sale at Nature Center
• Let’s Grow Together! Webinars
• 2023 Japanese Beetle Eradication Update
Recycling News January 2024
• SHS Recycling Drive
• Holiday tree recycling
• Recycle non-working holiday lights with Recycle+
• Donate cardboard or use it in your yard
Garden News January 2024
• Wetland cleanup and planting!
• Treekeepers of Washington County programs
• Washington County Master Gardener programs
• Plant and Sip Workshop
• Cedar Mill Garden Club
• Field to Market workshops for small farmers
• Sheet mulching for weed suppression or lawn removal
• Let’s plant trees in Cedar Mill
• Climate Changes: Plant Hardiness Zone Update
• Organic Orcharding Workshop Series
Garden & Nature News December 2023
• Washington County Master Gardener programs
• Kokedama: The Art of Bonsai without a Container
• Winter Pruning workshops from HOEC
• Cedar Mill Garden Club: Monthly Meetings
• College Scholarship Available!
• Treekeepers of Washington County
• Raleigh Park Ivy Pull
• Tree Walk: Mt Calvary Cemetery
• Join the on-call Ivy Crew
• Tree Talk: What to do about trees in wind storms
Nature & Garden News November 2023
• WCMGA presents: This IS Kalapuyan Land
• Tualatin SWCD Fall Workshops
• Leave Your Leaves or Leave ’em With Us!
• Treekeepers of Washington County
• Cornell Farm’s 2023 Wreath Workshops
Garden & Nature October 2023
• Treekeepers of Washington County
• Washington County Master Gardener programs
• Tualatin SWCD Fall Workshops
• CWS 31st Annual Leaf Disposal & Food Drive
• Audubon October programs
• Tualatin SWCD Fall Workshops
• Annual Native Plant Event
• Ivy Removal at West TV Elementary
Wetlands, trees, and community participation are under new legal threat
The annual housing production goal of 36,000 additional housing units at all levels of affordability across the state represents an 80% increase over current construction trends.
Nature & Gardens August 2023
• Treekeepers presents: Sanctuary of the Firs Tree Walk
• Join the Cedar Mill Garden Club
• Grow Together! Families in the Garden
• Online Organic Gardening Class
Community News July 2023
• Bethany Village Summer Concert Series
• Street Tree Inventories
• Cooper Mountain Nature Walk
• The Student Stop Summer Day Camps
• Reach for the Stars Fundraiser
• Sylvan Heights Nature Trail Work Parties
• Ten Tiny Dances
• Beaverton Night Market at The Round
• Sunset HS Marching Band Can & Bottle Drive
• Caregiving resources for seniors and families
• Hackers Hipsters and Hustlers Summer Camp 2023
• The “Just One More Story” Little Free Library
• At the Reser in July
• Chalk Art Festival in Hillsboro
• Viva Village July events
• Arbor Cascadian Neighborhood Yard Sale
CPO 1 News June 2023
• June meeting
• Dale Street Development
• Washington County and the State SNR Abatement Order
• Future of the CPO system
• Development Proposals
• CPO 1 May 2023 Meeting Notes
• Westside Multimodal Improvements Study
• Volunteering at BSD Schools, and District Update
Protecting Agricultural Viability in Washington County
As Oregonians, we are lucky to have agriculture deeply seeded in our economy and cultural heritage. The Willamette Valley is one of the most diverse agricultural regions on earth due to its rich, fertile soils and ample rainfall. Washington County is among the top-producing agricultural counties in the state and home to thousands of acres of farms, farming families, and farm-related businesses.
April 2023 Development News
• Life Time Fitness & Work opening soon
• Wetland work on THPRD’s Laidlaw property
Garden News April 2023
• Japanese Beetle Eradication update
• Another harmful pest on our doorstep
• Master Gardener programs
• Gardenfest Plant Sale
• SWCD hosts spring workshops and events
• Weed Watchers
• Soil School
Community News April 2023
• K9 Trials
• Arbor Month Family Friendly Tree Walk
• Trees for Cooler Schools
• Neighborhood Ready! Disaster Scenario Game
• Washington County Forum
• What you get when you call 988
• A Time for Families Weekly Forum
• WCSO Community Academy
• Curtains up! A sampling of April events at the Reser
• Young women: Explore a career as a firefighter at Portland Metro Fire Camp
• TVF&R invites local scouts to register for Scouts Day!
• Viva Village April events
• Cedar Mill Scouts Troop 207
• Ask WCSO: How can I protect myself from mail theft?
• Reser Gallery shows
CPO News March 2023
• March meeting: road projects, recycling
• Hybrid CPO meetings?
• Development news
• West Union gas station
• February meeting notes
• Central Beaverton Neighborhood Association Committee Meeting
Garden News March 2023
• Learn more about Cedar Mill soils
• Soil School
• Tree and native plant sale at Skyline Grange
• TSWCD workshops
• WCMGA offers March gardening events
• Oregon Garden Calendar for March
• Free native garden plan
Wapato Lake Welcome Ceremony
Wapato Lake in Gaston was a major winter home for the Atfálati band of Kalapuya Indians, the first people in the Tualatin Valley. Colonist farmers attempted to drain it and grow crops there in the early 20th century but after repeated floods, the land went to the US Fish & Wildlife Service. It became a National Wildlife Refuge and opened to the public last October.
Community News March 2023
• Mean Girls the Musical
• The Big One? How to Become Earthquake Safe in Your Home”
• Dance Around the World!
• Holy Week events at CUMC
• Friends of Trees Cedar Mill volunteer tree planting
• Garage Sale at Skyline Grange
• Beaverton Symphony Orchestra presents Spring concert:
• Tree Walk: Learn to identify local trees
• Bonny Slope Auction & Gala
• Join Cedar Mill Scouts Troop 207
• Beaverton Community Band presents: “Remembrance, Gratitude, & Honor”
• Viva Village March events
• NW Dance Project presents Common Ground
• Ask WCSO: How do I know if it’s safe to leave my child home alone?
• Getting geared up for PE with BEF
• STEP classes added to 4-H Washington County offerings
• Cash for old wood stoves!
• Lovegood offers first Spring Break Camp & Summer Camps
• Sunset HS Marching Band Bottle & Can Drive
• The Constitution: Fulfilling Democracy’s Promise? – The Constitution, Democracy and Representation
Street Tree Inventory: get involved!
Treekeepers of Washington County has begun to inventory street trees in urban unincorporated Washington County. Street trees are those that grow in the public right-of-way, in boulevard medians, and along streets without sidewalks and curbs.
The Nature of Cedar Mill
• Wetland Cleanup at Cedar Mill
• WashCo quarantine to slow the emerald ash borer
• Treekeepers of Washington County events
• Newts on the move
Garden News January 2023
• Hot Peppers! From Seed to Salsa
• Solve Pest & Weed Problems
• 10-Minute University: pruning!
Habitat protections take another hit
Rapid development in Washington County has taken a toll on the large, mature trees that have made it such an inviting place to live.
A recent application in Cedar Mill was submitted and approved by the County. This 15-home, four-acre development is in a protected Significant Natural Resource area (SNR).
Garden News December 2022
• It’s ivy pulling season!
• WCMGA presents three classes in December
• Leaves: Bring ‘em or leave ‘em
• 10-Minute University offers videos and more
Soils of Oregon by local author
Cedar Mill resident Dean Moberg co-authored a book, The Soils of Oregon, which was published this year as part of a series describing soils around the world. Moberg is a director on the board of the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District (currently up for re-election) and is one of seven co-authors of the book.
Garden News November 2022
• Make your community pollinator friendly
• Growing the Good Stuff: from Sweet Potatoes to Bitter Melons
• Education Garden gets certified
Community News November 2022
• A concert in honor of BSO Conductor Travis Hatton
• Beaverton Community Band Fall Concert
• SHS Bottle & Can Drive
• Volunteer for the Wetlands Conservancy cleanup in Cedar Mill
• Treekeepers’ Fall Color photo contest deadline extended
• NW Restart presents NW Creations Night Market
• County offers in-home vaccinations
• Family Caregiver Conference
• Chess4Girls PDX!
• MAX Blue Line disruption
• November Viva Village events
• Cedar Mill Scouts meet weekly
• Prevent flooding during the rainy season
• Tualatin Valley Creates networking event
• Put a Lid on Cooking Fires
Beavers: nature’s firefighters!
Smokey the Bear may be famous as the animal who helps prevent forest fires, but North American beavers, Castor canadensis, are much better at fire prevention.
Under the spreading hickory tree
You can enjoy the large, spreading shade of a special tree, a Shellbark Hickory (Carya laciniosa), right here in Cedar Mill, at the John Quincy Adams Young House park.
Garden news September 2022
• Cedar Mill Garden Club is active again!
• How Climate Change is Affecting Trees in Oregon
• Managing Soils in the Garden
• Success with Pacific Northwest Native Plants
• Naturescaping workshops
An ash tree’s worst nightmare
The emerald ash borer (EAB) beetle (Agrilus planipennis) is being called the most destructive forest pest in North America, and that’s saying something when you consider the devastation caused by other pests such as gypsy moths and bark beetles.
It falls over lava! The geology of Cedar Mill Falls
Cedar Mill Falls is the only waterfall in eastern Washington County, and one of the only urban-area falls in Oregon.
Ash trees cool the water for fish
Ash trees provide more than just wood for baseball bats. Oregon ash trees (Fraxinus latifolia) are particularly suited to soggy soils and give back by shading streams for fish.
Bend like a willow
Willows are ecological heroes when it comes to providing habitat and support for wildlife year round. They help reestablish vegetation, especially along riverbanks and flooded or burned areas. And they are a vital source of food for all kinds of wildlife, in particular as a host plant for many, many types of caterpillars. You may not be the biggest fan of caterpillars, but birds are.
Area wetlands gain a footing again—with help
It’s no accident that Oregon is named “The Beaver State.” Beaver-created wetlands historically laced this entire region. Often called “nurseries of life,” wetlands provide important habitat for thousands of species of plants and animals.
Grandmother Madrone
The Pacific madrone (arbutus menziesii), a Pacific coast native, is like a stubborn grandmother who refuses to be moved from her run-down old farmhouse to a fancy new condo where she can be lovingly cared for by those who love her. She prefers rocky soils and arid areas often in the middle of a dense Doug fir stand, or an inhospitable roadside bank rather than a well-tended and watered garden spot.
Garden News February 2022
• Now’s the time to edit your garden!
• Early season vegetables
• More OSU Extension and Master Gardener programs
• Tree and native plant sale at Skyline Grange
• Native plant sales and more
Red alders – already dreaming of spring
The leaves have fallen, and the woods seem quiet. We tend to cozy up in our homes, and most deciduous trees are dormant too. Their energy lies deep in their roots, as they seem to wait patiently for warmer weather. Not the alders. You may have noticed that they are already sporting catkins.
Japanese Beetle update
After another successful year conducting our Japanese Beetle Eradication project, it’s our pleasure to share with you how our 2021 season went.
Douglas firs: they’re for more than Christmas
Care to bet on the types of trees Cedar Millers are strapping to the roofs of their cars this holiday season? Chances are pretty good that they’re Douglas firs, the most popular for Christmas trees in the United States since the 1920s. They are beloved for their soft needles and sweet scent.
Garden News November 2021
• Beneficial insects: what they are and how to attract them to your garden?
• Weed watcher alert: English Holly
• Workshops for all levels: Make your yard an eco-haven!
Mighty oaks
Has a towering tree standing alone caught your eye? It’s likely to be an Oregon White Oak, Quercus garryana, the only oak native to this part of Oregon. Some of these slow-growing oaks may live to be 500 years old and can eventually command a space over 100 feet tall and sixty feet wide, with roots growing far beyond the boundaries of its massive branches.
1021-Dev’t News: West Union gas station; Peterkort annexation
• West Union gas station plans being reviewed by WashCo
• Peterkort annexing remaining property into Beaverton
Garden News October 2021
• Beware of toxic pesticides!
• Master Gardeners: Adapting Your Garden and Landscape for Climate Change
Love trees? Be a Treekeeper!
It’s easy to appreciate trees when they are in the glory of their fall colors, but at Treekeepers of Washington County we celebrate trees all year around. Besides being beautiful, trees provide environmental, economic, and social benefits—including fighting climate change—by absorbing carbon dioxide and airborne pollutants, storing the carbon, and emitting pure oxygen.
Park News October 2021
• Commonwealth Lake Park improvements need your support
• THPRD hosts their fourth Talking Walls event
• Work parties
• High honors for THPRD’s visioning process
Community News September 2021
• Cedar Hills Ready! “Ready-Set-Go! Family Emergency Plan Workshop”
• Bethany Village Oktoberfest
• It’s “Steptember!”
• I Am My Story Live
• WashCo Forum resumes
• Viva Village September Calendar
• TVF&R will never forget 9-11 and embraces emergency response changes 20 years later
• Ask WSCO: What is Elder Safe?
• Tualatin Valley Creates in-person networking event for emerging artists
• Sunset HS marching band can & bottle drive
• Beaverton Welcoming Week is September 10-19
• Inside WashCo Radio
• DAVS Seeking Passionate Volunteers
• ACMA PTO Fundraising at Red Robin
Japanese Beetle eradication update
The Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) is a serious invasive insect pest that threatens Oregon and the western United States. The largest infestation of Japanese beetles ever found in the state was detected in 2016 around Cedar Mill, Bonny Slope, Oak Hills, and Bethany.
Garden News September 2021
• Time to plant shrubs and trees
• THPRD Fall Native Plant Sale by pre-order only
• Be on the lookout for emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis)
Plant “umbrellas” to fight pests!
We can help now and in the future to control damaging insects by planting pollinating plants that attract beneficial insects like the Tachinid fly.
THPRD News June 2021
• THPRD News
• Walk with Me—Cedar Mill
• Volunteering at THPRD
• Celebrate National Trails Day at Tualatin Hills Nature Park
• Community Garden Work Party at Cedar Hills Park
• RISE Youth Leadership Program is Now a Year-Round Opportunity!
• THPRD is Now Hiring!
• Updated Face Covering Guidance at THPRD
Gardening News April 2021
• OSU and Master Gardener classes for April
• Spring 2021 Weed Watchers Workshop
Park News April 2021
• Celebrate spring through volunteering in your parks
• Workgroup to evaluate District Affiliates
• Summer Camp Jobs & More
• THPRD Summer Schedule Online April 12
Community News April 2021
• Cedar Hills Ready! “What’s cooking? Food storage & prep for a disaster”
• Finding Your Primary Police Responder
• SHS Climate Change Club Recycling Drive!
• Washington County Public Affairs Forum
• State of the County 2021
• Inside WashCo Radio
• Beaverton Symphony Orchestra Spring Strings Concert
• Washington County Parks’ Earth Month Art Contest
• Rachel Carson Action Project on Recycling
• Viva Village
• Washington County Kids offers tips and tools for parents/guardians of children K-8
• SAMBA Cans and Bottles Drive
• STS Foundation is looking for volunteer hosts
• Writers’ Mill Zoom meeting
• Washington County Wood Stove Exchange’s (WSE) old stove turn in event
• Oregon libraries offer civics online workshops for adults
• Washington County April Earth Month Events
• The Immigrant Story
• ACMA Fundraising
• iNaturalist Offers Opportunities for Community Science
• TVF&R Hiring Paramedics & Firefighters to Join its Ranks
Continuing the “Beetle Battle”
The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) is continuing its multi-year effort to eradicate the Japanese beetle, an invasive and destructive insect pest in your neighborhood in 2021. Thanks to your support and cooperation, we have had success in reducing the Japanese beetle populations in Oregon, but more efforts are required.
Go Beavs!
This article pertains not to OSU sports teams, but instead to North America’s largest rodent, a common resident of Cedar Mill and Oregon’s state animal. The American beaver (Castor canadensis) was trapped almost to extinction across America by the 1800s, due largely to demand for beaver pelts.
Gardening News March 2021
• Cedar Mill Community Garden plots available
• Register now for Soil School Sessions
• Skyline Grange Native Plant Sale
Wildlife in Our Parks
A tree frog croaks in the distance. A banana slug slithers on the ground beside you. You can hear songbirds singing and see a freshly chewed tree stump, evidence of beaver. These are just some of the wildlife sightings you might experience while walking through Jordan Woods Natural Area.
Japanese Beetle eradication update
In 2016, a number of highly destructive and invasive insects were discovered in a few locations in Cedar Mill. The Japanese Beetle has devastated agriculture and home gardens in the East and Midwest, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) wanted to get ahead of the infestation before the same thing happened here.
Saving what’s left—efforts to protect the remaining natural areas and wildlife habitats in Washington County
As Significant Natural Resources (SNRs) and wildlife habitats in Washington County diminish, community members have become more vocal in trying to protect what is remaining. This article is just a brief overview of some of the activities presently in progress in Washington County.
Gardening News August 2020
Gardening with Pacific Northwest Native Plants: An Ecological Approach
OSU Extension has the information you need!
Master Gardener demonstration gardens
CPO News July 2020
CPO July meeting
Changes proposed for County Charter would remove “Ordinance Season” and change how Commissioners are paid
Leadership changes at county
ODA continues multi-year effort to eradicate Japanese beetle
The Japanese beetle is an invasive insect that has been causing large-scale destruction to garden plants and agricultural crops in the Eastern and Midwestern United States. If this beetle establishes in Oregon, it would be a serious threat to our thriving nursery, turf grass, and specialty crop industries.
Soil Building: an investment in your garden
In the midst of these unprecedented times, Oregonians are finding themselves with little to do at home other than watching television or using their phones. Some people have been thinking about vegetable gardening. It’s a great time to get started, and learning the principles and methods of soil building will help you have success…
Getting your dose of nature
While being stuck at home is a current necessity for the health and well-being of our community, it can be extremely stressful and boring for many people. Nature lovers everywhere who are now forced to stay inside are restless and getting creative in how they feed their passion…
