'Riparian Redeemers' Join Stream Team to 'Take Pride in America'

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I August 19, 2005 CONTACT: Lorna Baldwin, Stream Team Coordinator, 682-4850, or 913-1292 (cell) From Public Information Section, 682-5523 or 954-2938 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE `Riparian Redeemers' Join Stream Team to `Take Pride in America' On Saturday, August 20, Eugene Stream Team and the First United Methodist Church Creation Care Committee's "Riparian Redeemers" will team up for a "Take Pride in America" event by removing invasive species from a gallery forest in the West Eugene Wetlands. The event begins at 9 a.m. near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Wallis Street in west Eugene. Mayor Kitty Piercy will join the group to thank them for their continued hard work, which embodies the spirit of "Take Pride in America," a national partnership established by the U.S. Department of the Interior to engage, support and recognize volunteers who work to improve public parks, forests, grasslands, wildlife refuges, cultural and historical sites, local playgrounds and other recreation areas. Early in 2004 members of the First United Methodist Church contacted the Eugene Stream Team about adopting a wetland site. The group chose Stewart Woods and Grimes Pond, land that is owned by the BLM and managed by the City of Eugene under the West Eugene Wetlands partnership. "Our purpose for adopting this site is to experience a deep sense of place within the natural world and come to understand our intimate connection with it," says Patty Hine, chair of the church's "Riparian Redeemers.° "It is work that enlightens and delights the worker, while caring for a beloved place in our community." Their work parties began in the ash grove, known as a gallery forest, just over a year ago and have occurred nearly every month since then. Working in all kinds of weather, they j tackled the thorny job of removing blackberries and thistles, followed by the planting of small forbs and bulbs along the path that transects the forest. In between their work parties at the ash grove, they took up hammers and drills to build raised beds at the new Native Plant Nursery in Alton Baker Park. Last winter, cuttings were ~ taken from Stewart Woods for propagation at the nursery, and seeds were planted for small understory flowers. The group invited Kathleen Dean Moore, a nature writer and professor of philosophy at Oregon State University, to join them for an inspirational gathering of meditation, poetry and song in the woods at twilight. "The work the First United Methodist Church is doing is a real contribution to the West Eugene Wetlands and we can't thank them enough for their level of commitment and the sweat j equity they have already invested," says Stream Team Coordinator Lorna Baldwin. i j Note to editors: Directions to event at 5th and Wallis: Seneca Road to 1St Avenue, go west on 1St Avenue several blocks to Wallis Street, turn left (south) on Wallis to the end of the streetat 5th Avenue. Public Works • Administration • City of Eugene • 858 Pearl Street • Eugene, OR 97401 Phone: (541) 682-5262 • FAX: (541) 682-6826 • www.ci.eugene.or.us