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spirit of “Take Pride in America,” a national partnership established by the U.S. Department of the Interior that aims to engage, support and recognize volunteers who work to improve public parks, forests, grasslands, wildlife refuges, cultural and historical sites, local playgrounds and other recreation areas. Early in 2004 members of the First United Methodist Church’s Creation Care Committee contacted the Eugene Stream Team about adopting a wetland site. They took their adoption of a natural area more seriously than most, taking the time to tour several potential sites and evaluate them carefully. Access and proximity to water were important considerations. The “Riparian Redeemers” at plant nursery last winter group chose Stewart Woods and Grimes Pond, land that is owned by the BLM and managed by the City of Eugene under the West Eugene Wetlands partnership. Stream Team conducted two well-attended tours of the site. Information and ideas were free flowing about the ecology and needs of the site. “Our purpose for adopting this site is to experience a deep sense of place within the natural world and come to understand our intimate connection with it,” says Patty Hine, chair of the church’s “Riparian Redeemers.” “It is work that enlightens and delights the worker, while caring for a beloved place in our community.” Their work parties began in the ash grove, known as a gallery forest, just over a year ago and have occurred nearly every month since then. Working in all kinds of weather, they tackled the thorny job of removing blackberries and thistles, followed by the planting of small forbs and bulbs along the path that transects the forest. In between their work parties at the ash grove, they took up hammers and drills to build raised beds at the new Native Plant Nursery in Alton Baker Park. Last winter, cuttings were taken from Stewart Woods for propagation at the nursery, and seeds were planted for small understory flowers. The group invited Kathleen Dean Moore, a nature writer and professor of philosophy at Oregon State University, to join them for an inspirational gathering of meditation, poetry and song in the woods at twilight. his summer, in order to explore and appreciate other types of wetlands, the group took a tour of the Nature Conservancy’s land at Willow Creek led by Stream Team and the Audubon Society. “The work the First United Methodist Church is doing is a real contribution to the West Eugene Wetlands and we can’t thank them enough for their level of commitment and the sweat equity they have already invested,” says Stream Team Coordinator Lorna Baldwin. For more information, contact Baldwin at 682-4850. THIS WEEK NEXT WEEK 08/30 T 5:00pm KP Mayor’s One-on-One Market of Choice (Franklin Blvd.) COUNCIL BREAK - AUGUST 11 - SEPTEMBER 11 UPCOMING September------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 09/05 M Labor Day Holiday - City Offices Closed 09/08 Th 5:30pm BB,AO Police Commission McNutt Room EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 5 August 30, 2005