get involved
This is an exciting, formative time for W3 as a watershed council and the community within the geographical area we represent to develop relationships.
Please join us!
Watershed Community Conversations
Dear neighbors,
Does your vision of the future of Portland include a healthy Willamette River and its tributaries? Would you like to see your community harvest fish from our waterways, collect native berries, be wildfire- and flood-resilient, and enjoy the shade of trees during hot summer days?
If so, we have some things in common! Help us make this happen as we co-create a new watershed council to support community needs and promote healthy West Willamette watersheds. It’s an exciting and formative time and we hope you join us!
Our work will bring a watershed lens to environmental justice and restoration along the west side of the Willamette River. As we expand into this area, we have a lot to learn about what’s important to you and what good work is already underway.
We seek all neighbors impacted by environmental inequities to join us in this work. In particular, Downtown Portland faces inequitable levels of pollution and health hazards. Communities in neighborhoods across the new watershed council geography (see map) are missing out on the community-based and cross-jurisdictional forum that a nonprofit watershed council provides.
There are several ways to get involved with West Willamette Watersheds (W3), listed below. First and foremost: We are inviting you to community conversations (on Saturday, August 1, 10:30 am-12:00 pm, or Tuesday August 11, 5:30-7:00 pm) to plant the seeds for relationships, get to know and learn from each other, and shape this emerging organization together. We would like to hear about your community’s environmental priorities, understand what good work is already underway and meet those doing it, learn where our future work can align with your needs and interests, and build an organization that supports all communities across its geography.
This summer we are working to build a W3 Board composed of community members from the West Willamette Watersheds area who have skill sets, time, and/or experience to support the work of an emerging watershed-based nonprofit during this formative period as we set priorities and build a sustainable operation. Our Community Conversations will be held at the Multnomah County Central Library in downtown Portland – info below. We’ve chosen downtown because it’s close to transit.
We are offering $75 stipends because we value your time, with thanks to the Intertwine Alliance for supporting this. We have a limited number of stipends available so please RSVP here.
Location: Multnomah County Library – Community Room.
More info will be emailed to attendees upon RSVP.
Transit: Steps away from the MAX Blue, Red, and Green lines and bus lines 15, 17, 20, 35, 44, 54, 8, and the FX2.
Parking: 10th & Yamhill SmartPark garage.
Reach out to us (alexis@westwillamettewc.org, jack@westwillamettewc.org) with any questions. We sincerely hope you can join us. Bring a friend! Thank you for RSVPing!
Looking forward to connecting,
W3 Team: Alexis, Jack, & Ruth
Other ways to learn more and get involved include:
- Fill out a W3 interest form to sign up for our newsletter and share your thoughts.
- Attend our monthly community meetings on first Wednesdays, 12:00-1:00 pm, on Zoom,
- Request a meeting with you and your group to share about W3.
- Participate in our working committees around watershed planning, community building, academic workgroups, and development.
Sign up for our newsletter
Stay updated with our latest news and opportunities for involvement, plus peruse past newsletters.
Provide your input and volunteer
Our public input form is a great way to indicate your interest in participating and for us to build an understanding of our community’s interest areas as we establish different ways for people to be engaged.
Invest in this coalition
Directly support community and habitat needs assessments, community engagement, and partnership building as we get this important work underway for our watersheds.
Community Potluck!
Stay tuned for our end of summer community potluck. We’ll be sharing good food, enjoying the river, and building community together.