How to create and maintain wildlife habitat on your land

a yellow spider catches a fly on top of a yellow flower

There are many things you can do to attract wildlife to your property: Want to improve wildlife habitat on your forest land?  The Woodland Fish and Wildlife publication series is for you. A variety of practical “how to” publications are written just for small forest owners in the Pacific Northwest:

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Actions you can take to reduce the impacts of climate change

two people working on a hill cutting and pulling ivy vines

Tackling climate change might seem like an impossible challenge, but it’s not too late to take positive action. There is still hope! How we use and care for the land around us can reduce dependence on greenhouse gas producing chemicals, use less water, and even sequester carbon in the soil. Consider making a few small…

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When in drought, choose native plants

Great camas in bloom with 6 petal flowers in front of green background

A native plant is indigenous to a specific location. This includes trees, flowers, grasses and other plants that are naturally found (or have existed for many years) in the area. Incorporating native plants throughout your landscape benefits local wildlife and fosters biodiversity.  Not only are native plants preferred by native birds, bees and other wildlife, they…

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How to prepare your family and home for wildfire

home in background with open green space and three trees in foreground

As summers grow longer and hotter from climate change, wildfires are burning hotter and longer and are increasingly destructive. If you live in a suburban neighborhood, near Forest Park or other large forested area, or in the more rural reaches of Multnomah County, you need to be ready for fire near your home. In 1940…

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Winner of the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award

Turtles on log in water

We are pleased to announce that the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has again awarded our District the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, this time for our fiscal year 2021-2022 budget. This is the third consecutive year that we have been awarded this honor, and reflects the commitment of our Board of Directors and staff to meeting…

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Seeking community members to join our Budget Committee

photo of oak island oak tree

West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District is a local government public service district that provides resources, education, and expertise to inspire people to actively improve air and water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and soil health. Our service territory includes Multnomah County west of the Willamette River, all of Sauvie Island including the Columbia…

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Welcome our new District Manager, Lynn Barlow

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We are very pleased to share that Lynn Barlow has joined us as our new District Manager. Lynn joins our team with over 24 years of experience in the conservation field. Her career includes 19 years acquiring, managing, and restoring public natural areas with City of Portland, and most recently, nearly four years with the…

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Welcome our 2023 Climate Change Intern

Photo of Araon next to PSU-LSAMP logo

West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District is incredibly fortunate to be hosting Araon Sierras as our second Portland State University (PSU) Institute for Sustainable Solutions (ISS) Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Climate Change Intern. During this internship, Araon will be building off the “climate lens” work completed by last year’s intern, in…

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WMSWCD Budget & Fiscal Manager Hiring Announcement-2022

text Join our Team over green maple leaves

Who We Are The West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District is a publicly funded local government (special district) conservation organization located in Portland, Oregon. Our mission is to provide resources, information, and expertise to inspire people to actively improve air and water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and soil health. We do this by…

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2023 Conservation Internships

We're hiring text over photo collage of people working in natural settings

Two positions: 1) Field Conservation Intern, and 2) GIS & Field Conservation InternLocation: 3236 S. Kelly Ave., Suite 200, Portland, Oregon 97239Period of Employment: Approximately 6 months, April 3rd – mid October, 2023 (dates somewhat flexible)Pay: $18.67/ hourWork hours: Average of 20 hours per week, two to three 8-hour days per week, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (times somewhat flexible),…

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2022 Annual Meeting

West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District logo with annual meeting text over background with fern on mossy tree trunk

(PHOTO BY PAT WELLE) Join us for our 2022 Annual Meeting! Date & Time: Tuesday, November 15, 2022 beginning at 6:00 pm Location: Lucky Lab, 1945 NW Quimby St, Portland, OR 97209 Agenda: Present annual report Present annual awards: Following the Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors will hold the November board meeting beginning at…

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On the lookout for emerald ash borer in western Multnomah County

Close-up view of emerald ash borer beetle with shiny green exoskeleton

The emerald ash borer was found in Forest Grove (Washington County, Oregon) and state officials are asking the public to learn what it looks like and to report any sightings online at the Oregon Invasive Species Council hotline. This insect is now considered the most destructive forest pest in North America and will decimate native ash stands. …

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