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<br />Family Fun at the Library: Glitterary Word Festival
<br />On Saturday, April 25, the Eugene Public Library and the Young Writers
<br />Association (YWA) team up once again for the annual Glitterary Word Festival. It’s
<br />a family play day for all ages at the Downtown Library, inspired by the 2009 theme
<br />"Home." Admission is free.
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<br />The day begins at 11:00 a.m. with a “story dance” traveling around the Library,
<br />performed by choreographer, Margo Van Ummersen, and storyteller, Louisa
<br />Lindsay-Sprouse. At noon, school-age kids, and the adults with them, are invited to
<br />a writing workshop with Lawson Inada, Oregon’s Poet Laureate. Starting at 2:00
<br />p.m., kids can drop in for creative activities with writers, educators, and performers.
<br />Kids will also have the opportunity to record their writings on Elsie, KLCC Radio’s
<br />studio on wheels.
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<br />At 4:00 p.m., winners of YWA’s writing contest will read their works, then cake will
<br />be served in celebration of YWA’s 15th birthday. The Glitterary Word Festival is funded in part by Lane Arts
<br />Council with support from the City of Eugene Cultural Services Division. For more information, contact the Eugene
<br />Public Library at 682-8316 or www.eugene-or.gov/library.
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<br />Parks and Open Space Receives $150,000 for Native Plant Conservation
<br />The Parks and Open Space Division received a $150,000 Native Plant Conservation Initiative grant from the
<br />National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), to protect populations and conserve habitat of rare, threatened,
<br />and endangered plant species in the West Eugene Wetlands (WEW), including three species listed under the
<br />federal Endangered Species Act. The WEW Threatened & Endangered Plant Recovery Project will bring together
<br />the City of Eugene and WEW partner organizations to work toward recovery of
<br />these native species and their habitats by using a multi-faceted approach of on-
<br />the-ground work, planning, monitoring, and outreach.
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<br />The three federally listed plant species that occur in the WEW are the Willamette
<br />daisy, Bradshaw’s lomatium, and Kincaid’s lupine. The Kincaid’s lupine is the host
<br />plant for the federally endangered Fender’s blue butterfly, also found in the
<br />WEW. The WEW is a treasured biological resource in the community, and within
<br />the wetlands, several small, isolated populations of these species are located on
<br />lands belonging to several different entities. Each existing population is critical to
<br />the future survival of these species, and management of prairie habitats is
<br />essential for keeping the populations viable. A coordinated effort is the optimal
<br />way to achieve native species conservation goals for the ecosystem as a whole.
<br />Bradshaw’s lomatium
<br />The core knowledge of professionals in the WEW Partnership, long-standing
<br />inter-agency relationships, and well-coordinated project implementation will be an
<br />asset to this project.
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<br />The NFWF funds will be spent between April 2009, and March 2011, and will
<br />support a suite of projects to be implemented by the City of Eugene and WEW
<br />partners. The City will receive $50,000 to conduct invasive species and woody
<br />vegetation control in the WEW and $20,000 to oversee the development of a
<br />landscape-scale action plan for recovery of threatened and endangered plant
<br />species in the WEW. The Long Tom Watershed Council will receive $15,000 for
<br />prairie restoration on private land in the Long Tom watershed. The Institute for
<br />Applied Ecology will receive $30,000 to monitor rare plants and their habitats on
<br />Bradshaw’s lomatium and camas
<br />U.S. Bureau of Land Management properties, and the Willamette Resources and
<br />Educational Network will receive $30,000 for creation of a citizen science program. Each organization will provide
<br />a one-to-one match for the grant, for a total project value of $300,000. The City’s match dollars will come from
<br />existing programs focused on prairie habitat restoration, management, and native plants. Therefore, the NFWF
<br />grant funds represent revenue coming in to the City and add capacity to existing programs. For more information,
<br />contact Restoration Ecologist Emily Steel at emily.c.steel@ci.eugene.or.us or 682-4874.
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<br />Walnut Station Vision Begins to Take Form
<br />On April 27, 28, and 29, the City of Eugene will host a three-day public meeting called a “charrette” at the
<br />University of Oregon’s Erb Memorial Union Fir Room to refine the vision for the Walnut Station Mixed Use Center.
<br />This three-day public event builds on several years of planning work for Walnut Station. It will be another
<br />opportunity for the public to contribute to the development of the area through discussion and hands-on design
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<br />EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
<br />April 23, 2009
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