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The majority of regular FOBW constituents are retirement age, and the majority of our stewardship work involves weeding non native plants, and planting native ones, but occasionally we need to clear trash from the woodlands. This clearing of refuse often coincides with our nature gardening, as it did during a recent Saturday SOLVE work party. The beautiful spring morning of March 14th brought together Friends of Baltimore Woods, and SOLVE volunteers including seven volunteers from TE Connectivity Youth Professionals of Wilsonville, Oregon for a community restoration project in St. John’s. Working in the northern Acorn Acre and Woodpecker Point areas of Baltimore Woods, volunteers planted approximately 350 native trees and plants provided by Portland Parks & Recreation in three hours. Species included vine maple, Oregon grape, pearly everlasting, dogwood, and sword ferns. After the planting was completed, while volunteers spread mulch on the new plantings, one of the young engineers from TE Connectivity noticed a pile of numerous discarded tires, heavy wooden planks and other debris along the southern border of Acorn Acre. He kindly suggested that his young and strong team help to remove the heavy discards to N. Reno Avenue for Metro’s RID to pick up. It was a fitting last project of a productive day. Burnt drug camp trash for RID pick-up (left) — Burnt drug camp cleaned up January 14, 2026 (right) Alternatively, when clean up is focused on a burnt and abandoned homeless drug camp, and it is performed by three elderly women all over the age of 70 years old, it is indeed remarkable. On the chilly morning of January 14, Betsy Valle, Lee Dayfield and myself (Lisa Manning) used wheel barrows, gloves, and garbage grabbers to clear heavy water soaked rugs, tents, tarps, metal chairs, furniture and other cumbersome items of rubbish from the burnt ruins. The abandoned drug camp had burned to the ground in the previous November, around Thanksgiving time. Young children and teachers of Little Roots Pre-school use the Catlin Forest, less than a half block away from this old camp site, as a nature classroom every Friday. For public safety, removal of homeless occupation and waste such as drug needles, on or adjacent to the city owned natural area is essential. After the debris was removed, Josh Seekatz, a Portland Parks Ecologist, filled the site with fallen trunks and branches harvested from Acorn Acre to discourage returning campers. So many volunteers young and old help to keep the Baltimore Woods natural area healthy and beautiful!  Our stewardship work is continuous, essential and always rewarding. These work parties demonstrate the positive impact that dedicated volunteers can have when they come together to care for Portland’s natural areas. Our efforts will continue to restore the valuable natural habitats of Baltimore Woods for native wildlife and generations to come. by Lee Dayfield and Lisa Manning

The Baltimore Woods Hugelkulture bed is a small experiment in increasing the fertile area for growing native plants in the rocky and compacted soil of the Lower Meadow. It started as the germ of an idea by FOBW members, as we contemplated ways to increase plant diversity and encourage successful growth and seed production in our meadow. We were inspired by similar projects in Hugelkultur at Green Anchors, a former empty brown field site nearby.  Green Anchors is now a vibrant creative space, where many de-paved areas have been turned into thriving beds of native, decorative, medicinal and food garden plantings originally supported by Hugelkulture beds. When we last wrote about the Hugel bed in the autumn of 2025, the area, which started out exceptionally dry and rocky, had received a final layer of tree branches & logs, composted woody debris from Portland Parks, plus several bales of straw. These many layers of woody debris, straw, and dirt will break down over time, providing extra fertility and water retention for plants in this challenging environment. Finally, after several months of allowing the newest layer of materials to settle and begin their composting process, it was time to plant! We had several dozen root-plugs of narrow-leafed milkweed, a pollinator and monarch-butterfly favorite, which FOBW members and volunteers planted in rows. We then added several packages of seeds for native annuals, which were sprinkled over the surface of the bed, as most native seeds require some light in order to germinate. Among the annual seeds we planted and which bloomed this spring were the lovely pink Rosy Plectritis, blue flowered Blue-Eyed Mary, Blue-Globe Gilia, with its pom-poms of pale blue, and Winecup Clarkia, just now blooming in early June. We hope this bed will grow and nurture these natives and fill in to become a blooming oasis in years to come! In addition to these plants, we’ve also seen another new introduction to the bed. It appears that a nest of bumble bees has taken up residence in the center of the bed. The nest is occupied by our most common native bumble bee, the yellow-faced bumble (Bombus vosnesenskii). Bumble bees are colony nesters, and prefer to make their homes using holes in the ground or beneath rocks, such as abandoned rodent burrows. Fortunately, the Hugel bed had many openings and voids beneath its many layers, and we even had a temporary animal burrow in the bed for the first year after we placed its initial layers of woody debris and straw, in 2023. So when spring arrived this year, a bumble bee queen, newly awakened from winter hibernation, found her perfect home when she discovered an opening in the woody debris leading to a protected underground chamber. She set up her nest and began to lay eggs, furnishing them with pollen and nectar clumps from early blooms for when the eggs hatched into new baby bee larvae. Now, months later, there is an active colony of worker bees bringing pollen and nectar to the nest, and raising more bees to assist with the work of caring for the queen bee and the rest of the colony. Since data shows that ground-nesting bees have trouble nesting in increasingly paved-over urban environments, this nest is a sign that our habitat restoration projects are proving useful to native species! While it is fun to watch the bees enter & leave their nest, we ask that people please refrain from stepping into any of the fenced beds, as we wish to minimize disturbance and soil compaction for the plants and bugs that live in these areas. Each year brings new rewards and new challenges to the FOBW gang. We will continue our Thursday night stewardship work events throughout the summer and early fall months (if you’d like to join us, volunteers are welcome, and we meet every Thursday evening from 7pm-8pm, see our Upcoming Events calendar for meeting locations). The sights and sounds of the many animals, birds, and bugs using the meadow for shelter and forage is a key reminder of why we do this work. Our hope is to keep this area, and the extended Baltimore Woods natural area, as a viable habitat for the native plants & animals that historically have lived in the Willamette Valley. Not only will this help these species to survive in our increasingly urban environment, but it will remind folks of the natural world that sustains us all, and the beauty and richness of watching the seasons unfold in their eternal cycle of growth and renewal following the dormancy and quiet of the winter months. Long live the Hugel bed, and all of its worthy occupants!

Sunday May 17 was a perfect spring morning for Ronna Fujisawa’s 5th Free Plein Air Watercolor Class in the Baltimore Woods Lower Meadow. The purple/lavender patch of lupine, the yellow and rosy hues of the meadow grasses, the cloudy deep blue sky, singing songbirds, 50 shades of green…all the necessary elements were visible to inspire one to create art. About a dozen participants took advantage of this free plein air class. The beautiful purple flowers of native Riverbank lupine, Lupinus rivularis, and Large-Leaved lupine, Lupinus polyphyllus are common to Oregon in spring. They are both nitrogen fixing perennials which means their roots help to transfer nitrogen from the atmosphere into the soil year after year. Nitrogen is an important element for protein synthesis and plant growth. The showy lavender flowers provide nectar to hummingbirds, adult butterflies, bumble bees and other insect pollinators. The bushy plant attracts and supports beneficial pest eating insects and is a larval food source for native butterflies and moths. Native lupine is drought tolerant and a soil stabilizer; a perfect addition to pollinator gardens, meadowscapes and rock gardens. Lupines can thrive in full sun or part shade and are available to purchase at Sparrowhawk Native Plants during their spring and fall pop-up sales, or Sauvie Island Natives all year round. Interestingly, the lupine that grows in the lower meadow of Baltimore Woods could be Lupinus polyphyllus or a domestic hybrid. It’s true identity is still to be determined. Come for a hike in the Baltimore Woods Natural Area before the summer days get too hot. You may be inspired to bring your own binoculars, a folding chair and art supplies. There are plenty of places to linger and create. Or you may just want to sit for awhile to soak up the sounds of wind in the cottonwoods, the bird songs, the peace and beauty of this marvelous pocket of natural space in North Portland. You can find and sign up for Ronna Fujisawa’s nature based watercolor classes at Salty Water Art

When some of us Friends of Baltimore Woods old-timers think of Steven McClure, we remember him as a dyed-in-the-wool Lewis and Clark history buff.  He was always eager to engage on that topic. He generously shared his knowledge with FOBW in the form of several lengthy articles for our newsletter, then called The Woods-Worker. [2012 issues can be found in the FOBW Newsletter archives] Steven’s involvement with Friends of Baltimore Woods stemmed much from his passion for studying and writing about the Lewis and Clark Expedition in Oregon and Washington. Steven was especially interested in William Clark’s April 2, 1806 exploratory trip up the Willamette River with York, his enslaved companion, a native American guide and six other men. Baltimore Woods is adjacent to some of the events of that excursion. In August 2014, Friends of Baltimore Woods took part in the Port of Portland’s Seaport Celebration, held that year at the Terminal 4 Toyota dock.  As an FOBW member, Steven participated in our exhibit.  His presentations about Clark’s presence on the very spot where automobiles now arrived daily from overseas, no doubt added to the general public’s impression of our small group.  His uniquely engaging narrative style persuasively drew in people from the crowds attending the event and exposed the Baltimore Woods story to a wider audience. Steven’s maps and notes referenced Clark’s drawings and written accounts of the trip up the Willamette.   Some of the drawings showed water channels and other land forms as part of the bluff system which coincide with features that can still be recognized today. By studying these features, and factoring in Clark’s observations when they camped, Steven had determined the party’s campsite to be below a wooded bluff, the wooded bluff we now call York’s Overlook, on the current site of Terminal 4. Steven’s passion for history — especially for how the history of Lewis and Clark’s experience in the Pacific Northwest is told — gave us all a more expansive view of this small piece of natural history we call Baltimore Woods.  We remember him kindly. Steven McClure passed away on May 14 of this year. by Jim Barnas and Caroline Skinner

Thank you, Sparrowhawk customers and volunteers! We are grateful to everyone who filled the 38 volunteer shifts at the Spring 2026 Sparrowhawk and Friends of Baltimore Woods Native Plant Sale. We also appreciate our partnership with the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s Green Leaders program. The Bird Alliance of Oregon offers a Green Leadership program for youth between the ages of 15 to 20 from the Hacienda CDC community. Hacienda CDC stands for Hacienda Community Development Corporation. It is a Latino-led, non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon, that focuses on strengthening communities and advancing the social and economic mobility of low-income and moderate-income individuals. Participants are paid monthly to participate in the program. Every week they learn about the local ecology, plants and animals of the Pacific Northwest, with the goals of becoming environmental educators and land stewards. They work as a team to listen to their neighbors and create programs especially for them. For the first time this year, FOBW is donating a portion of the plant sale proceeds, a total of $1000, to support the ongoing work of the Green Leaders. This year, our plant sale found homes for 10,000 native plants for 540 scheduled customers, plus another 40 people who attended our flash sale. Every single plant found a new home, and we met our annual fundraising goal of $4,500. Once established, these wildlife-friendly native plants require little care while providing essential food and habitat for local birds and pollinators. Remember the rule for their first three years in our gardens: “first they sleep, then they creep, then they leap!” We also held our second annual nature art sale, thanks to the generosity of FOBW members Lisa Manning, Charlie Montgomery and Nicole Wiseman. Lisa donated the sale earnings of her nature art postcards and children’s book, Falcons in the City. Charlie donated the proceeds from his hand-turned wooden bowls, and Nicole donated the income from her handmade stone earrings. The total income from the 2026 FOBW Nature Art Sale was $1,942. These sales benefit Friends of Baltimore Woods as we continue advocating for the 30-acre strip of woods and green space running along N Decatur St, between residential and industrial areas. Baltimore Woods is located between Cathedral and Pier Parks in the St Johns neighborhood. Thank you again for everyone’s hard work to make this year’s plant sale a success. Baltimore Woods is currently working to secure a forested, undeveloped 7.5 acre lot on its north end which we have christened “York’s Overlook”. It is currently privately owned, but would fill a gap in the NP Greenway Trail between Baltimore Woods and Pier Park. This trail will eventually run from downtown Portland to Kelly Point Park, at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. The York’s Overlook parcel actually has an easement alignment for the future the NP Greenway Trail to be routed through the property. If you haven’t already, please use the link below to sign the petition asking the city to preserve “York’s Overlook” as a corridor for people and wildlife: York’s Overlook petition link.

North Decatur Street between North Baltimore Avenue and North Catlin Avenue, is part of the Baltimore Woods corridor. Unfortunately, due to its location and isolation it is also a target for homeless RV camping and illegal dumping. There are only a few homes along the North end of Decatur near North Catlin Avenue, and the rest of it is has no residences and no street lights. Friends of Baltimore Woods has been actively working to improve both the camping and dumping problems. Campers and RVs have been reported regularly and evicted. Debris left at former campsites has been collected and properly disposed of.  RV parking spaces have been blocked by large tree trunk rounds and boulders donated by Arbor Pacific Tree Work.  This has deterred a lot of the dumping, but hasn’t prevented people from continuing to deposit household trash, old furniture and construction debris along the street. Material illegally left on public property can be collected by RID, a Metro agency, but that which is placed on private land becomes the responsibility of the property owner. Along Decatur there were places where trash had been thrown over the steep embankment beside the street and had accumulated 20 to 30 feet below on private property where it was very difficult and dangerous to remove. We realized that this opportunistic dumping would probably continue, so we considered ways to contain it to the street for RID collection. First, we made and installed signs that politely ask people not to throw their discards over the edge of the embankments. These signs are definitely helping. Second, we blocked the access to the edge both visibly and physically by creating barriers with native vegetation. Nootka Roses were chosen because of their size and un-inviting thorny nature. A row of these was planted along the embarkment edge in November.  Their beautiful blossoms, fragrance and rose hips will be a bonus in the years to come. We are encouraging the owner of the property below the street where the trash has accumulated to clean it up, but so far there has been no response, so we will soon amplify the encouragement by making a formal complaint to the city. Portland was recently recognized as the cleanest city in the nation and we want to sustain that reputation. A Happy Update: At the time of this Winter Newsletter publication, all the illegal dumping along N Decatur has been removed by the property owner, Howard Dietrich. The Friends of Baltimore Woods send their huge appreciation for everyone involved with this clean up effort! by Charlie Montgomery

Tuesday November 11, 2025 was the final day for the Friends of Baltimore Woods (FOBW) and Portland Garden Club (PGC) to work together on the Lower Meadow Restoration Project. About 25 determined and focused women from the Portland Garden Club, joined Friends’ volunteers to plant over 1000 native bulbs into the 12 fenced beds of the Baltimore Woods Lower Meadow located just north of the North Catlin entrance to the Baltimore Woods Natural Area. Once a Toyota Parking Lot, the Lower Meadow was de-paved in 2012. Because of the challenging growing environment, the process of restoration that began 14 years ago, still continues today. All the bulbs selected for this planting were chosen for their adaptability to the full sun and the rocky soil conditions of the Lower Meadow. They included; Fool’s Onion (Tritelia hyacinthina), Harvest lily (Brodeia coronaria), Ookow (Dicholestema congestum), Cat’s ear lily (Calochortus tolmiei), and Yampah (Perideridia oregana). A considerable amount of preparation is necessary to insure successful planting parties. FOBW members Leah Passel, Liz Dally and Caroline Skinner spent several hours in the meadow the day before the planting to weed the beds and mark locations for plants.  Extra fencing was erected and repaired in areas vulnerable to rabbits from the last planting. Locations for each species to be planted were mapped and charted as a reference for the planting day. The combined botanical expertise of these three women has contributed to the launching success of this comprehensive restoration project. Betsy Valle and Barbara Quinn coordinated with Anne Marie of Portland Parks to get a big supply of mulch dropped on site, as well as the all-important port-a-potty. Jim brought scones and donuts from Marsee Bakery and Lisa brought coffee donated from Starbucks. There was a good supply of compost left over from the FOBW Hugel bed project, and it was used to amend the planting holes. Native bulbs were also planted in the Hugel bed and it was fenced for the first time. The FOBW partnership with Portland Garden Club (PGC) over the last three years has been fruitful and productive. Their habitat restoration experience has been so positive that PGC members have expressed interest in volunteering for future planting parties, and the Friends of Baltimore Woods enthusiastically welcomes the offer. The stewardship of natural habitats is perpetual. by Lisa Manning and Jim Barnas

No doubt climate change and habitat loss are the crisis of our age, but would it give you relief to know there is action you can take in your own backyard to remedy these trends? You can create a native habitat in your garden. One that uses less water and chemicals, is ecologically sustainable and attracts native insects, birds and mammals. When you plant native plants in your garden, you are supporting native insects who have co-evolved with native plants over centuries. These native insects and pollinators in turn provide food for native birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. In short, you would be creating a local healthy ecosystem pocket, in support and solidarity with the magnificent wild places remaining for wildlife to thrive across our state of Oregon. The Friends of Baltimore Woods and Sparrowhawk Spring Native Plant Sale is a perfect opportunity to begin learning about native plants, get ideas for what to plant and where to plant them in your garden. Beginning February 5, you’ll find some of this information on the Sparrowhawk website as you browse the 115 species offered for sale this 2026 season. The natives are organized by the wet, dry, shady, or sunny conditions you might find in your yard. They will be available for on-line purchase via the Sparrowhawk website the entire month of March, from 9 am on Sunday March 1 to midnight on Sunday March 29, 2026. Pick up days this year are Friday April 24 and Saturday April 25 at the St Johns Farmers Market site on the corner of North Charleston and North Central in St Johns, the same location as last year. Green Leader Partners Additionally, for the first time, FOBW is teaming up with the Green Leaders of the Bird Alliance of Oregon for this spring sale. The High School members of the Green Leaders will be assisting with managing the sale and a portion of our FOBW profits will be donated to them. The Green Leaders Program was created and established by the Bird Alliance of Oregon (Portland Audubon) in 2021. It was designed for BIPOC youth ages 15 to 20 from the Hacienda Community Development Corporation (CDC) to learn about environmental sciences, conservation careers, leadership and Pacific Northwest nature. The Hacienda CDC Program is a non-profit for the Latino community focused on advancing social and economic mobility, small business assistance and youth services support.  The Green Leader participants are paid $300 a week to participate in the after school sessions and can earn about $4,000 in summer months as outdoor education leaders for Bird Alliance of Oregon Summer Day Camps. Sparrowhawk Native Plants is committed to partnering with community organizations that support racial equality, habitat conservation and environmental justice. The Green Leaders Program is a perfect fit for this mission, especially because the Friends of Baltimore Woods previously established a working partnership with the Green Leaders in 2021. The Green Leader students have participated in yearly planting parties in the Baltimore Woods landscapes ever since. Volunteers As always FOBW relies on many volunteers to help run the sale. If you’re a returning volunteer, or want to help for the first time this year, fill out this form on SignUp Genius. 30 volunteer shifts are available. Volunteers are needed for one shift during the three days of the sale; April 23, 24 and 25. On Thursday April 23, all the plants will be delivered from the nurseries. We will need volunteers to help unload and organize all the plants and collapsable wagons and set up canopies at the St Johns Farmers Market site that day. On Friday April 24, and Saturday April 25 volunteer jobs will include keeping plants watered, greeting and assisting customers, etc.  All job responsibilities will be explained in detail on the sign-up platform. Volunteers will be able to pick up their pre-ordered plants on the days they work. Nature Art Booth When you come to pick up your plant orders on April 24 and 25, the Nature Art Booth will also be on site after its successful debut at last year’s sale. Hand crafted wooden bowls, nature inspired postcards and a children’s book about peregrine falcons will be available for purchase. We hope to see you then and we sure appreciate your support for the habitat restoration mission of Baltimore Woods, Sparrowhawk Native Plants and the Green Leaders Program.

Sunday May 18, 2025 was the 45th anniversary of the eruption of Mt St Helens, and the 4th Free Plein Air Watercolor Class offered by the Friends of Baltimore Woods (FOBW).  All the classes in the past have been staged in the Upper Meadow of Baltimore Woods. This class was staged in the cool and shady woods of Catlin Forest near the Lower Meadow. Amazingly, it is remarkable to note that the Lower Meadow was once the site of a Toyota Parking Lot. The parking lot was de-paved in 2012 by FOBW, Metro and Depave. It is now the site of a FOBW & Portland Garden Club Meadow Habitat Restoration Project and accordingly a home to native birds and wild bunnies. (You can read about the latest meadow flora and fauna metamorphosis in Leah’s “Spring 2025 Nature News” article.) The adjoining Catlin Forest is also a weekly outdoor classroom for local Little Roots pre-school students. Our returning treasured watercolor instructor, Ronna Fujisawa, gave skillful demonstrations of watercolor mixing, color palette selection and other nature painting tips in her characteristically relaxed and encouraging demeanor.  In Ronna’s words….“Painting is a connection to my natural environment and a discovery of what is real through the act of painting. Watercolor, oil, and mixed media painting is…..how I react to life….I began watercolor painting in 2011 when I was living in Hawaii…..I love painting in the plein air and letting my creativity flow surrounded by nature.” A total of about 15 students participated and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to creatively capture the landscape magic of the woods and meadow with brush and paints on paper. It is hoped the free classes help to introduce more people to the stewardship mission and restorative beauty of Baltimore Woods. Ronna Fujisawa, saltywaterart.com, specializes in landscape and wild bird watercolor classes, and has a Masters of Fine Arts Degree from the Pacific Northwest College of Art.  She teaches summer art classes for Catlin Gable students, and regularly offers watercolor classes for the Oregon Bird Alliance, formally known as the Portland Audubon Society. Our partnership with Ronna has been entirely gratifying and mutually beneficial. We hope she continues to collaborate with FOBW to teach Plein Air Watercolor Classes for Baltimore Woods in the future.

  Friends of Baltimore Woods thanks everyone who supported our annual sale & fundraiser with Sparrowhawk Native Plants, including customers and, most especially, volunteers. This year’s plant sale offered more than 110 native species from their website, Sparrowhawknativeplants.com. On-line ordering began on March 2nd. Thanks to a community of native plant enthusiasts, we quickly filled up all of our available sale slots. Plant pickups took place in St Johns on a balmy April 18th and 19th. A generous portion of the sale’s proceeds went to Friends of Baltimore Woods for our ongoing work on restoration and plant propagation. Here’s a message from Nikkie West and Tracy Cozine, Sparrowhawk proprietors—the ones in the bright pink aprons: Another annual spring native plant sale knocked it out of the park! Thanks in large part to YOU, Friends of Baltimore Woods, and your stellar crew of volunteers, this weekend’s native plant sale was nothing but happy customers and community connection. We honestly can only recall positive things about the weekend. It’s especially wonderful to see so many of your folks coming back year after year, a testament to your ability to build those authentic lasting relationships. All in all, 538 habitat gardeners picked up 11,165 native plants and seed packs! These plants and seeds will go forth and naturally do the important work of supporting pollinators, birds and other wildlife, while fighting for climate resiliency. Thank you, FOBW, and thank you, NATIVE PLANTS!

At the 2025 FOBW Sparrowhawk Native Plant Sale, I shared a covered table space with Lisa Manning apart from the Sparrowhawk canopies. I offered my hand-turned wooden bowls, plates, and lidded boxes for sale. I made them mostly on my lathe from cherry, oak and maple woods. Lisa sold her self-illustrated children’s book, Falcons in the City, and colorful nature-inspired postcards. I started with offering about four to five dozen things for sale, mostly wooden bowls of various sizes. This was my first exposure of my handmade items to the general public, so I was a little nervous about the reception they might have. All the items were donated to FOBW, so all revenue of the wooden items, books and postcard sales went to the group. The FOBW plant sale is a convenient free venue for me to find homes for things I enjoy making and so the fund-raiser is a win-win. At the end of the native plant sale, I had only one bowl left. The Nature Art Sale profits came to a total of $1,590.00 (Wooden Items $1,087.00, Books $204.00, Cards $136.00) for the two days, plus $163 in cash, all donated to FOBW. All in all, I feel like the effort was very successful. I’m personally pleased by the public’s reception of my work and also that I can help FOBW. We are both very grateful to Sparrowhawk and the FOBW members who allowed this to happen and helped make it successful through their work to publicize it. Charlie, especially appreciates the support and assistance of his wife Melda. Lisa especially appreciates the support of the art sale customers. FOBW members hope to offer more Nature Art at the Native Plant Sale next spring. by Charlie Montgomery FOBW volunteer & Lisa Manning FOBW Treasurer

As of early June, it’s still spring in Northwest Oregon, and despite the sudden dryness and the frequency of hot days in May, bees and other pollinators are buzzing flowers, birds are nesting and raising their newly fledged young, and we are grateful for the abundance of life in our yards & natural areas. In the Baltimore Woods Meadows, the grasses are growing taller and beginning to form seeds. After our extensive re-seeding efforts of the last two years in the Lower Meadow, this meadow is looking much more lush than it has in years past. We hope to increase the presence of native grasses and lessen the onslaught from the introduced grass varieties such as velvet grass and reed canary grass, among others. Native grasses in Willamette Valley meadows are almost exclusively “bunch grasses” that grow in a clumping form, which means that other native plants can grow in their vicinity without competing for soil, light, and space. Non-native species are often lawn-type grasses, which spread vigorously by underground rhizomes, and can form an impenetrable mat which smothers native plants. A field of non-native grasses may look like a lush meadow, but the diversity of plants and invertebrates will be greatly reduced in such an environment, for not only do weedy grasses out-compete native plants, but bare soil patches, which many insects and other invertebrates need to form their tunnels for homes for themselves and their eggs, are vastly reduced by these spreading grasses. In the world of flowering plants, we have thriving colonies of several native species, including Meadow Checkermallow, Douglas Aster, Goldenrod, Lupine, and Phacelia.  Our efforts to introduce other Willamette Valley natives to increase the diversity of plant species is being sorely tested by munching rabbits, but our fenced beds in the lower meadow, near the North Catlin Street entrance, have allowed some of these species, to flourish and flower, among them Springgold, a species of yellow-flowered lomatium; narrow-leafed milkweed, with its showy heads of pink flowers; and from the lilly family, Ookow (purple blooms), Fool’s onion (white), and Harvest Brodiaea (vivid violet). Several of our flowering plants, such as Camas, Tarweed, and Brodiaea, in addition to our emblematic tree species, the Oregon White Oak, have cultural significance as food sources for many of the local Tribes of the Willamette Valley. The work we are doing aims to not only protect and maintain these few precious acres of open land, but also to foster high-quality and diverse habitat that mirrors how the Willamette Valley once looked before it was developed by European settlers. We are rewarded in this work in so many ways: by the songs of our native birds, among them white-crowned sparrows, goldfinches, spotted towhees and song sparrows in the meadows, and downy woodpeckers, red breasted sapsuckers, common yellowthroats, Bewicks wrens, chickadees, cedar waxwings, white breasted nuthatches, and warbling vireos in the woodlands. Additionally, a balm for the naturalist’s soul, is the abundance of bees, beetles, and butterflies sipping nectar and provisioning their own young with the richness of resources provided in this small, but thriving natural area in our small corner of North Portland. (A brief reminder to dog owners: We know that many people enjoy walking their dogs in our natural area, and your canine friends are welcome! But please do keep the dogs on a leash, and stay on the trails, so that wildlife can go about the business of living & raising young without frequent disturbance from playful dogs. Thanks to the many thoughtful folks who always do this!)

To volunteer at Baltimore Woods, you just need a bit of grit, sturdy boots, and a rain parka because the first instructions are about safety. Watch out for sharp rocks and boulders, divots, dips, and dells. In November, 15 Portland Garden Club (PGC) members met the challenge. The transformation of the Lower Meadow of Baltimore Woods from an urban cemented wasteland to a natural habitat filled with native species and welcoming to raptors, critters, and hikers began about 22 years ago with a committed group of residents, that includes current active board members Jim Barnas, Barbara Quinn and Betsy Valle. Our Portland Garden Club (PGC) Conservation/PAA committee through the Garden Club of America’s (GCA’s) Partners for Plants Program is in the second year of working with The Friends of Baltimore Woods to continue this effort. Luckily for us, our FOBW partners, along with Portland Parks, does all the soil prep and auguring. The plants, bulbs, and seeds are high priority species native to the Willamette Valley ecoregion and suitable to the dry, rocky soil. Seeds and bulbs were propagated during winter months by both FOBW and the PGC. Liz Dally, who’s been FOBW’s coordinator with the Portland Garden Club (and whose tireless cataloging of seeds and plant material rivals that of the early botanists in the New World!), kept charts of the plants put into the ground that day.  They include:  Narrow-leaf Milkweed; Lomatium ‘Spring Gold’; Pine Bluegrass; Blue Bunch Wheatgrass; Blue Wild Rye; June Grass; Harvest Lily; and Dichelostemma congestum (Ookow).  Plant material was grown from seed by our two groups. Additionally, Ivy Stovall, Nursery Director for Rewild Portland, gifted us a number of plants from Rewild’s Greenhouse at Green Anchors, on the Willamette River just below the meadow.  FOBW rented space at the greenhouse last year to propagate most of the plants for the meadow. To cap off the PGC/FOBW collaborative meadow-ing party, Leah Passell and Caroline Skinner rounded up metal rabbit fence materials — and rounded up volunteers to install it! —  in order to keep the meadow’s furry plant nibblers out of the newly-planted beds.   Last year’s green plastic fencing seemed not specific enough to deter the critters. The recent signs of coyotes patrolling the trail through the Lower Meadow indicate the fences may be the least of Flopsy and Mopsy’s worries. By Marion Davis, PGC member and Jim Barnas, FOBW board

It is with heavy hearts, that the environmental protection community of Portland received the unexpected news of the passing of conservation legend, Bob Sallinger, in late October 2024. It may not be well known that Bob Sallinger has played an essential role in advocating for North Portland’s rich natural habitats and wildlife. In his role as conservation director of Audubon, now the Oregon Bird Alliance, he spent years working alongside residents on the Superfund cleanup that affects the lower 11 miles of North Portland’s Willamette River. He attended an untold number of meetings, events, hearings, and stakeholder discussions with us in the five years before the final EPA Record of Decision. He helped leverage an enormous community response to the plan. It was a boundless commitment and one he carried into the present even as the cleanup is finally underway. The first time I saw Sallinger in action was in 2007-8 while observing meetings for the North Reach River Plan where the fate of North Portland’s lower Willamette River was being decided. Of course large corporate industry was well represented. Other stakeholders included the city agencies, and Audubon. They were all seated around a table trying to come to some kind of agreement. Sallinger was outnumbered but vociferous in the face of very vocal industry reluctance to agree to what they saw as “limitations.” He was smart and well-prepared. In fact, he seemed to thrive in the fraught juxtapositions of power, industry and nature. To help inform the North Reach River Plan’s Natural Resource Inventory, Sallinger actually walked the entire east side Willamette River shoreline. Ground truthing was typical of his style and dedication. Besides the River Plan and Superfund, around 2007 he helped the Friends of Baltimore Woods, a collection of rag tag North Portland neighbors, by writing an email letter advocating for the preservation of the native oak corridor. It was enough to convince potential agency partners to see us as more than neighborhood yahoos and begin to grasp the potential in its preservation. It was what finally enabled funding for acquisition and restoration of what we now know as Baltimore Natural Area. But the most intense work he did in our sector was his crusade to preserve West Hayden Island for wildlife when the Port of Portland had it earmarked for a development as a terminal. He fought the Port’s annexation tenaciously, and for years. Curtis Robinhold, executive director of the Port said, “He was smart. He usually knew more than you did. And he was relentless in getting to the right answer,” according to a recent Steve Duin column in the Oregonian. That is why at this time, some FOBW board members think it is appropriate to support Mike Houck’s resolution to honor Bob Sallinger by petitioning Metro to consider Mike’s following request; “I’m asking you to do something substantial. If you truly treasure Bob’s legacy I ask that you move expeditiously to bring West Hayden Island into Metro’s system of parks, trails and natural areas. No one has done more than Bob to make that possible. Protection of West Hayden Island is one of Bob’s singular achievements. The most appropriate and meaningful way to honor his legacy would be to protect it in perpetuity.”

Some visitors to Baltimore Woods Natural Area might be surprised to see the recent addition of wire fencing around nearly one dozen planting beds in the lower meadow area, near the entrance at N Catlin Ave. These beds were planted with a variety of native plant species in the fall of 2023 and again recently in fall 2024. The restoration project for this area has the goal of increasing plant diversity in the meadow habitat, so we’ve added over a dozen species of native grasses and flowering forbs to these beds, as well as throughout the grassy landscape. However, we have noticed an issue arising with the new plants in the meadow – namely, many plants are getting severely clipped or even eaten to the ground by herbivores. After looking at the copious amounts of scat spread throughout the meadow, we have determined that the most likely and damaging culprits are rabbits, probably the eastern cottontail rabbit, a common wild species in the Portland area. These rabbits, while wild, are a non-native species that is comfortable living in close proximity to humans. In order to preserve the plantings, we have resorted to the addition of wire rabbit fencing around the beds. Our hope is that the fenced beds will allow our new plant species to thrive, flower, and set seeds, eventually filling in the beds and propagating themselves further, as they disperse that seed through wind, birds, and other natural methods. Compared to the green plastic fencing installed then later dismantled last year, it is hoped that the wire fencing does not detract from the enjoyment of a stroll through the meadow. We wanted our neighbors to understand why the fencing was installed, and how it furthers our goals to increase the plant diversity, which in turn will create needed habitat, forage, and beauty for pollinators, birds, mammals and humans!

In early 2013, thanks to a North Portland Neighborhood Services Grant, the Friends of Baltimore Woods (FOBW) acquired a tricycle, with the aspiration of having a human-powered way of transporting tools and supplies to and from work parties. FOBW members designed and built a cargo box to fit the trike, with the Baltimore Woods logo adorning each side of the box.  The trike made appearances at our plant sales, at several of our book sales, and even in the St. Johns Parade! But after a few years of use, it became apparent that our unique human-powered means of transport wasn’t able to meet the demands of real-world habitat-restoration work.  Sadly, the tricycle was spending more time in storage than out on the trail. In November, Friends of Baltimore Woods decided to donate its tricycle to Community Cycling Center, the local non-profit dedicated to spreading bicycle culture and making bicycles available to young people who otherwise couldn’t own one.  They repair donated bikes, teach bicycling and bike repair and sponsor community events to help popularize the benefits of cycling. The Community Cycling Center mission “to help build a vibrant community where people of all backgrounds use bicycles to stay healthy and connected” contains elements we can apply to our own Baltimore Woods Natural Area: “vibrancy,” “health” and “connection”. Qualities such as “vibrancy” and “health” are certainly, broadly speaking, goals to work toward when restoring and maintaining a natural area. But those same qualities could also be looked at as qualities we are receiving each time we engage in making the goals a reality; qualities imparted to us as gifts from the Woods itself. Don’t we actually become healthier, more vibrant beings when we’re in nature, especially as we engage in the activities of caring for nature? And, of course, big goals that require many hands are easier to reach by “staying connected”. It’s thanks to the coordinated efforts of our FOBW members and partners that the goal of health and vitality for new and established native plants is possible. Friends of Baltimore Woods will continue to foster the quality of good connections by continuing to advocate for completion of the North Portland Greenway Trail through the Baltimore Woods corridor — the Greenway Trail as officially adopted in the City of Portland’s River Plan/North Reach. The Trail, in the end, will be the connection that enables more and more people to experience our common inheritance in all it’s beauty and urban fragility: native wildlife.  We applaud Community Cycling Center for working to make that experience possible for more people. And, who knows — maybe some of those people will someday be powering a newer, bigger, badass FOBW cargo trike!

February is a great time for spring garden planning. Adding more native plants to your garden naturally supports native wildlife while creating resiliency to climate change! This spring the Friends of Baltimore Woods and Sparrowhawk Native Plant Sale pick-up days will be Friday April 18 and Saturday April 19. The native plant ordering and purchasing will begin at 9am on Sunday March 2, and run until Sunday March 30 at midnight. Beginning Tuesday February 4th, the Sparrowhawk website will list the approximately 115 native plants offered for the sale this year, including their images, sizes, prices and helpful propagation tips. The Sparrowhawk website is a great resource for successfully designing and growing native plant garden landscapes, plus the sooner you order the better the selection. The FOBW Sparrowhawk Native Plant Sale is the first one of this 2025 Spring season, so you can pick up your plants and begin your gardening projects earlier. This is our only annual fund raiser, and your dollars will directly support all recurring stewardship activities in Baltimore Woods. The Plant Sale will return to the St John’s Farmer’s Market Parking Lot location at 8260 N Central Street in St Johns, this spring. Additionally, at the plant pick-up on April 18 and 19, nature inspired art will be for sale! Dedicated FOBW volunteer, Charlie Montgomery, will sell his hand-turned maple, cherry and walnut wooden bowls. FOBW board member Lisa Manning will sell signed copies of her Falcons in the City children’s book and nature postcards. All profits will be donated to FOBW. As always FOBW relies on many volunteers to help run the sale. If you’re a returning volunteer, or want to help for the first time this year, look on our upcoming Events Calendar for the volunteer sign up links beginning March 2nd. Volunteers are needed for one shift during the three days of the sale; April 17 to 19. On Thursday April 17, all the plants will be delivered from the nurseries and organized for pick-up on Friday April 18, and Saturday April 19. Volunteer jobs include helping to unload and organize plants, set up canopies, unload wheelbarrows and collapsable wagons, greeting and assisting customers, etc. Volunteers will be able to pick up their pre-ordered plants on the days they work.