Volunteer

Month after month, volunteers make the work of the Johnson Creek Watershed Council possible. Whether it's through planting trees and removing invasive species, reviewing land use applications, planning watershed events, attending meetings or advising on restoration projects, volunteers are the heart of the Johnson Creek Watershed Council.

If you have a particular area of interest that you would like to work in, special skills to share, or a specific field of knowledge, just let us know. Contact Amy Lodholz our Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator at (503) 652-7477 or and find out how you can help!

My Day as a Restoration Volunteer

"I have been attending work parties along Johnson Creek fairly regularly for the last three years. I have met many fine people in the process and I am doing something very real to help the environment in and around my neighborhood. Everybody should do it a few times.

Besides the exercise and good company, the best aspect for me is seeing the changes I have helped to make over just the few years I have been helping out. While it may take a lot longer for the plantings we do to mature and thrive without our care, when I return to a site after a few seasons absence, I can already see the change. That is cool beans." - Restoration Volunteer Russ Stoll

"For many years I have worked for a large company and the satisfaction that used to come with the job is long gone as the corporate culture has robbed us of any accomplishments or satisfaction in this work environment. Now I can spend a few hours with a group of likeminded people who enjoy beautifying the environment and who can see a result from the hours of work put in to it. We might start with a weedy patch of junk and in just a few hours end up with a thing of beauty.

I approach this work as an opportunity to exercise as well. I enjoy tearing into large mounds of blackberry bushes or acres of ivy. It can be as difficult as you want it or as easy as pie. The results are quickly apparent and the workout is good.

It is nice to ride my bike past these locations we have worked and see nature return to these areas and to see the plants and trees that we have planted actually surviving and growing! Even though I have only been doing this off and on for the last couple of years I have a slight feeling of accomplishment when I read that the salmon are returning to Johnson Creek. There have been many more doing this before me for quite some time and it is so enjoyable and rewarding that I intend to make a habit of it for the remainder of my life. It is nice to have that feeling of accomplishment again.

So, get off your duff and get out and get some exercise, meet some really nice people, help make our earth beautiful again and get more of those salmon swimming up our streams!" - Restoration Volunteer Dan Olberding

"It is a humble sight, the newly-planted tree: just a leafless gray stem standing not very tall at all. You could shove any old stick into the ground and get the same visual effect. Yet somehow, I never find myself wondering why I bothered to do this, or why I shambled out of bed on a Saturday morning to work in the dirt and the cold. Because the mornings (once I am awake) truly are beautiful, the work keeps me warm, and the weather is most often surprisingly kind. Looking at the swath of humble gray stems we have planted this morning, thinking of the new life waiting within each, I am nothing but glad to have risen early for this.

Fast-forward to the spring and summer, and I do not have to think of that waiting new life anymore. It is done waiting and it is right there in front of me: the Oregon ash feeding finches and wood ducks with its seeds, the pink swamp roses offering pollen to bees and nectar to hummingbirds...the list goes on. One winter morning, my neighbors and I put a bunch of skinny gray sticks into the ground, and now I watch them bursting into color, scent, and crucial food and habitat for Johnson Creek wildlife. And that is, to say the least, a good feeling.

And hey, the free doughnuts did not hurt either." - Restoration Volunteer Steve Smith.

Either individually, with friends, co-workers or family joining the Johnson Creek Watershed Council at a restoration event is a great way to volunteer. No skills or additional commitments necessary to help.

Depending on the time of year, volunteers will join Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator Amy Lodholz at several different sites to remove invasive species, mulch, or plant native trees and shrubs.

Restoration events are typically 2 to 3 hours in length with group's size ranging from 15 to 50 volunteers. All tools, gloves and equipment are provided. We also have rain gear and rubber boots to borrow if you need them.

Please check the calendar to view upcoming restoration events or email Amy Lodholz at amy@jcwc.org.

The Outreach Task Force is a small, elite group of JCWC volunteers who attend community events and fairs on behalf of the Council throughout the year.

They attend a one hour training session to learn some basics about the Johnson Creek Watershed and after that they are contacted when outreach opportunities arise that JCWC staff are unable to cover. These events include annual festivals like Festival of the Birds, Sundae in the Park, farmer's markets, Welcome the Rain, etc.

The Council tries to take advantage of every opportunity available in the Watershed to reach the community to share its educational materials. With the support of the Outreach Task Force we're able to attend well over 20 events each year. If you would like to schedule an orientation for you to join the Outreach Task Force, please contact Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator Amy Lodholz at amy@jcwc.org.

The Land Use Committee oversees the land use issues related to the creek. They monitor developing areas and support growth that will cause the least negative impact to the creek. No prior knowledge necessary to join this group, but regular attendance is expected. The Committee meets on the 4th Tuesday of every month from 6:00 to 8:30pm. Contact Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator Amy Lodholz at amy@jcwc.org for information on where this month's meeting will be held.

Starting in January 2011, the JCWC formed a volunteer Event Committee. This group meets monthly to carefully plan this year's series of free community engagement events called Johnson Creek Days - held in September. Regular attendance is expected and committee members volunteer for various tasks at each meeting keeping them busy for an additional 2 to 4 hours each month. To find out when the next Event Committee meeting will be held, please contact Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator Amy Lodholz at amy@jcwc.org.

A JCWC internship is a great opportunity for volunteers who might be looking for college credit, additional work skills, or a long term volunteer opportunity. We offer internships throughout the year. A JCWC internship is typically 40 to 80 hours in length, and is completed over about 10 weeks. Depending on which JCWC staff member you work with, tasks will include research, grant writing, restoration, outreach, communications, data entry, event assistance, and various other tasks that may arise. Please contact Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator Amy Lodholz at amy@jcwc.org to find out what current projects JCWC could use your help with.