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Home My WebLink About5/15/14 - City Council Newsletter City of Eugene 125 East 8 Avenue, 2 Floor thnd Eugene, Oregon 97401 (541) 682-5010 (541) 682-5414 (FAX) www.eugene-or.gov EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER May 15, 2014 IN THIS EDITION A VISIT WITH ABIGAIL ADAMS AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY CONTROLLED ECOLOGICAL BURNS BRING SPRING FLOWERS GRANT FUNDS AWARDED FOR URBAN FORESTRY-CLIMATE CHANGE WORKSHOP RECREATION SERVICES KICKS OFF SUMMER PROMOTION MORE WAYS TO BENEFIT FROM NEIGHBORHOODS, USA CONFERENCE AROUND THE CITY A Visit with Abigail Adams at Eugene Public Library Get to know one of the outstanding women in American history! Enjoy “A Visit with Abigail Adams” at the Downtown Eugene Public Library on Saturday, May 24, at 3 p.m. Admission is free. Kay Huston brings to life Abigail Adams (1744-1818), often referred to as one of the founding mothers of the United States. The wife of one president and mother of another, Adams was a woman of extraordinary intellect, strong opinions, and a fierce loyalty and love for her family and for her country. Huston will appear in full period costume to share stories about Adams' life, wrapping up by answering audience questions in character. Huston is a retired educator who holds a Master’s Degree in history. Her performance is based on extensive research, including the famously numerous letters written between Abigail and John Adams. For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at www.eugene-or.gov/library or call 541-682-5450. Controlled Ecological Burns Bring Spring Flowers Last fall, the City of Eugene collaborated with the Rivers to Ridges Partnership to implement a controlled ecological burn on nearly 200 acres at Meadowlark Prairie in west Eugene. With the warmer spring weather, the rewards of this effort are bursting from the ground. Native wildflowers have responded positively to the burns and are flourishing. From the Meadowlark Prairie overlook it is easy to see camas, Oregon saxifrage, buttercup, and a host of other wildflowers. Not only are they beautiful, these increasingly rare prairies support a wide variety of wildlife, help filter storm water, and protect downstream communities from flooding. Come out and enjoy Eugene’s wetland prairies this Sunday, May 17, at the Annual Walkin’ and Rollin’ in the Wetlands event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be prizes, booths, and events on the path between Paul’s Bicycle Way of Life on West 11 Avenue, and the th Terry Street railroad bridge. Guest speakers Mayor Kitty Piercy, local dragonfly and damselfly expert Steve Gordon, and the state director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Jerry Perez, will speak beginning at 11 a.m. on the Tsanchiifin Trail. This family– fall. Meadowlark Prairie blooms after controlled burn last friendly National Kids to Parks Day event is free. For more information, contact Natural Areas Restoration Supervisor Trevor Taylor at 541-682-4888 or trevor.h.taylor@ci.eugene.or.us. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 May 15, 2014 Grant Funds Awarded for Urban Forestry-Climate Change Workshop Eugene, along with several other regional cities, was awarded a $40,000 grant by the Urban Sustainability Director’s Network for a workshop on urban forestry and climate change. The workshop is designed to bring together experts and practitioners of urban forestry, municipal sustainability and planning, and climate preparedness, to foster a regional practice of integrating climate adaptation principles into municipal urban forestry management. Some of the key questions for the workshop include:  What is the best available climate science and what are the implications for urban forests?  How can climate change considerations be effectively incorporated into urban forestry species selection, planning, monitoring, and maintenance practices?  How can public agencies and the nursery industry help each other and the public respond to the need for a changing variety and increased diversity of tree species?  How can climate change considerations be effectively incorporated into managing the urban forest for climate benefits such as urban cooling, stormwater interception, and wildlife habitats? The workshop is planned for later in 2014, and expected to produce a working list of shared priorities and next steps to address city and regional-level challenges related to climate change and urban forestry. For more information, contact Matt McRae at 541-682-5649, or Matt.A.McRae@ci.eugene.or.us. Recreation Services Kicks off Summer Promotion To promote all of the activities it’s offering this summer, the Recreation Services Division has kicked off a marketing campaign that promises to “Fill your Summer Calendar with Fun.” The 110-page Summer Recreation Guide is the biggest ever, boasting more than 150 summer camps and Fun for All, the free playground program provided every weekday at seven neighborhood parks. Other activities offered by Recreation Services this summer include more than 50 low- or no-cost family events, classes in woodworking, computers, arts, foreign languages, surfing, adventures, trips, league sports, swimming, and speed-dating for adults over 50! The promotional campaign includes television and newspaper advertisements, as well as flyers and ocial media. To see all of the activities s offered, check out the virtual Summer Recreation Guide at www.GetRec.org or pick up a paper copy at any City community center, pool or library, and start filling the summer calendar with fun! For more information, please contact Kathy Madison at 541-682-6342. More Ways to Benefit from Neighborhoods, USA Conference The National Neighborhoods, USA Conference is almost here, but don’t worry, there is still time to benefit from the great programming available. For those unable to attend the full suite of conference programming, valuable insights can be gained, as well as an opportunity to dialogue with the national and international delegates, by selecting a two-hour shift to volunteer. As a workshop volunteer, one may audit a presentation of interest, or volunteer as a tour guide and help showcase an innovative local program. To select a volunteer opportunity, contact Barbara Denlis at bdenlis@gmail.com. Additionally, there are opportunities to take part in extracurricular programming available to local community members through the screening of two informative documentaries. DreamMakers is based on the compelling work of keynote speaker Michele Hunt. This documentary about hope is intended for anyone seeking to create a better future. The very personal stories featured in this film are about struggle and triumph and the people who have the faith and courage to hold a positive vision for the future and turn that vision into reality. More information is available at www.dreammakers.org. The second film open to the general public is Growing Cities. Filmmakers Dan Susman and Andrew Monbouquette’s film about urban farming in America asks how much power the practice has to revitalize cities and change the way people eat. In their search for answers, the filmmakers take a road trip and meet the men and women who are challenging the way this country grows and distributes its food, one vacant city lot, rooftop garden, and backyard chicken coop at a time. They discover that good food isn’t the only crop these urban visionaries are harvesting. They’re producing stronger and more vibrant communities, too. More on this can be found at www.growingcitiesmovie.com. Both of these inspiring films will be screened at the Eugene Hilton on May 22, at 7:30 p.m. Admission is only $5 at the door. For additional information, please contact EugeneNUSA2014@ci.eugene.or.us. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 May 15, 2014