Volunteers turned out in record numbers for the Portland Backyard Collective! Over 300 participants from Conservation Alliance business members Columbia, KEEN, Icebreaker, Merrell, REI, and The North Face worked together across seven sites on a variety of stewardship projects at Sellwood Park, Tryon Creek State Park, Willow Creek, Springwater Trail and Forest Park.
Event partners The Forest Park Conservancy provided leadership for three of the work sites where volunteers removed invasive ivy plants. Renee Myers, Stewardship Director of The Forest Park Conservancy spoke of the positive impacts of volunteer boots on the ground "Without the support of the outdoor industry in Portland, we simply could not fulfill our mission!"
Once projects were completed, Backyard Collective volunteers returned by bus and carpool to Wallace Park for lunch on the lawn, some frisbee action and a Volunteer Fair with Conservation Alliance Grantees and non profit organizations including Save Our Wild Salmon, Oregon Wild, Wild Salmon Center, SOLV and North Coast State Forest Coalition.
"It was a great day at the Backyard Collective," said Jonathan Jehlen, of Oregon Wild. "Seeing the conservation values held by the people at Conservation Alliance member companies is both inspiring and demonstrates the groundswell of support for protecting the places we all care about. Oregon Wild was honored to be part of it all."
Beyond the satisfaction of actively improving area parks, Portland volunteers returned to the office with raffle items, tote bags and gear generously donated by Icebreaker, Merrell, Columbia, REI, The North Face, Stanley a brand of PMI and other Conservation Alliance member businesses.
Thanks again to everyone who came out for a terrific show of force!