HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/29/15 - 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
October 29, 2015
IN THIS EDITION
HAVE FUN AND HELP THE NEIGHBORS AT EWEB’S RUN TO STAY WARM
CITY OF EUGENE’S NATURAL AREAS PROGRAM RECEIVES ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP AWARD
AROUND THE CITY
Have Fun and Help the Neighbors at EWEB’s Run to Stay Warm
Registration is now open for Eugene Water & Electric Board’s (EWEB) Run to Stay Warm race, on Sunday, Nov. 22. This
family-friendly event welcomes all levels, from novice runners and walkers to elite athletes. The annual event benefits the
Customer Care Program, which helps income-eligible EWEB customers stay warm through the
winter with financial assistance towards their electric bills. To-date, Run to Stay Warm has
raised almost $160,000 for Customer Care.
Last year, a record 1,259 people registered for the half-marathon, 5K and 10K races. The
various courses, following the flat bike paths along the Willamette River, begin and end at the
River Edge Plaza adjacent to EWEB headquarters, allowing participants to explore Steve
Prefontaine's old stomping grounds while helping a worthy cause. Kids can get in on the fun
and run the free 400 meter dash led by Sluggo, the Eugene Emeralds mascot.
An after-party will be held at the Tap and Growler, where prizes will be awarded to the top
three overall male and female finishers, and to age-division winners in each race. Those who
want to help out, but are not early-morning runners, can make a "Sleep in to Stay Warm"
donation by calling 541-685-7000, and feel free to hit the snooze button on Sunday morning.
One-time donations on a monthly EWEB bill are always an option.
Online registration and additional race information is available at eweb.org/runtostaywarm.
City of Eugene’s Natural Areas Program Receives Environmental Leadership Award
The Natural Areas Program within the City’s Parks and Open Space Division has been honored with the Environmental
Leadership Award by the Oregon Recreation and Parks Association (ORPA). The program is being recognized for its
successful efforts in regional collaboration,
acquisition of important natural areas, high quality
habitat restoration projects, and for sharing best
management practices with other park and natural
area professionals across Oregon.
As a member of the Rivers to Ridges (R2R)
Partnership, Natural Areas Program staff collaborate
on an on-going basis with staff and many other park
and natural area organizations in the greater Eugene-
Springfield area. Through this on-going partnership,
the City has been able to not only improve its own
projects, but also help partner organizations improve
their projects. In the past five years, the natural areas
program has implemented large-acreage restoration
Fall foliage at Delta Ponds ()
photo by Vern Rogers
projects at the following City natural areas: Delta
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
October 29, 2015
Ponds, South Eugene Meadows, Wild Iris Ridge, and Coyote Prairie. These sites include a variety of habitats, from
Willamette River side-channel to oak woodland and oak savanna, to wet prairie. With these projects, the City protects and
restores fish and wildlife habitat and other ecological functions, while also providing places for people to connect with
nature.
The Natural Areas Program staff also share information on how to successfully plan and implement restoration projects
with professionals across the state. For example, staff regularly host half-day workshops to share knowledge, and they
have also published a variety of guides and journal articles. One such guide is Practical Guidelines for Wetland Prairie
Restoration in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, which distills 10 years of research and lessons learned in the Willamette
Valley region. The restoration guide was developed by the City of Eugene, Lane Council of Governments, and the Institute
for Applied Ecology to share how-to recommendations with wetland restoration practitioners and promote effective
wetland conservation.
A team of staff from POS will receive the award in Portland on Nov. 2,during the annual ORPA conference. As a
requirement to receive the award, Parks and Open Space produced a video (https://vimeo.com/142417166) about the
Natural Areas Program.
For more information, please contact Natural Areas and Urban Forestry Manager Eric Wold at 541-682-4842.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
October 29, 2015