by Rosalind Jackson
With the year drawing to a close, we’re taking a look back at the work our organization, as well as our larger community, has been doing in service of Oaks Bottom. Join us, as we reflect on some of the highs and lows of the last year.
In 2025 we held six work parties in collaboration with Portland Parks & Recreation, as well as SOLVE and the Youth Conservation Crew. Volunteers came together for a variety of activities, including planting and mulching around native plants, garbage pickup, and removal of invasive species. We’ve already got our next two work parties scheduled for February and April, and look forward to seeing some new faces!
Steering committee members John Sparks and Joshua Meyers led three nature walks (a fourth was canceled in November), with a focus on the birds and plants of Oaks Bottom. These are a great opportunity to learn about the wildlife refuge and meet members of the community. If you’re interested in joining in on one, or any of our work parties, you can sign up for our newsletter to find out about upcoming opportunities.
Volunteers tabled at Sundae in the Park, where they raised funds for Friends of Oaks Bottom (FoOB) by selling vintage “Bottom Watchers” t-shirts. They also engaged the community with educational games about native plants and animals. Committee member Aaron Campbell brought a “daddy long legs” and had the neighborhood children mesmerized with his discussion of insects, arachnids, and other creatures.
Our bloggers published 9 (now 10) blogs, covering subjects from native wildlife, to some of the challenges facing Oaks Bottom, such as harmful algae blooms, and the impending threat of emerald ash borers. You can read them all here. Additionally, John Sparks has written up a timeline of Oaks Bottom’s fascinating history, stretching all the way back to 35 million years B.P.!
Behind the scenes, FoOB has also been engaged in community advocacy efforts. Members attended several meetings in an attempt to improve the plans for Trammel Crow‘s proposed seven story building along the bluff adjacent to Oaks Bottom on Milwaukie Ave. Unfortunately, the city approved the rezoning that allows for this development, despite objections from FoOB and the Sellwood neighborhood association. Efforts have since shifted to working with the developer to ensure that bird-proof windows are installed.
With the Bird Alliance of Oregon and Urban Greenspaces Institute, FoOb submitted testimony to the city against the proposed 135.5 foot lighted drop-tower ride at Oaks Amusement Park, along with Bird Alliance of Oregon and Urban Greenspace Institute. These appeals were denied by the city, who have approved an increase in the maximum structure height from 30 feet to 135 feet for the park. While this decision is disappointing, the publicity received over the controversy has helped to spread awareness of the impacts of city lights on migrating birds.
We wrote a letter of support for Llewellyn Elementary School to receive a Nature in Neighborhoods grant from Metro, to remove their blacktop in an effort to combat overheating in classrooms. We’re happy to report that they have been awarded the grant, and we are committed to assisting them with transforming the space into a native plants garden.
This year Sellwood Community House revitalized and reopened the Shack at Sellwood Park, creating a community gathering space with free activities and equipment to check out for sports, and arts and crafts. We are happy to support this project by sponsoring one of the bricks which will pave the surrounding area.
On the digital front, we’ve made our newsletter sign-up easier to find, by relocating it to a prominent position on our front page. We’ve also been working to breathe life back into our instagram account. While we’re on the subject, we’re looking for a social media intern to help manage it, which could be a fun volunteer opportunity for a teen with an interest in wildlife. Please contact us if you or someone you know would be interested!
As we wrap up this year, we’d like to express our sincere appreciation for everyone who has come together to protect and tend to our beloved neighborhood wildlife refuge. We are constantly inspired by the community of volunteers and organizers who invest their efforts in the stewardship of this space. For all of your hard work, as well as the fun we’ve shared, we thank you, and look forward to seeing your faces in the new year!
