Program areas at Tualatin Riverkeepers
River experiences - in order to connect the residents of the watershed to the river itself, so they will learn about and value the river and thus be inspired to engage in protecting and restoring it, Tualatin Riverkeepers provides free or low-cost paddling outings, many with a guided naturalist, theme, or stewardship component. Through our public rentals of nonmotorized watercraft (canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards), we also provide affordable access to the river for individuals, families, and small groups. In 2020, primarily in response to covid, we instituted a contact-free online reservation and waiver collection system, as well as gear cleaning and sanitation protocols, which provided safe outdoor recreation opportunities and nature experiences for a record number of local residents.
Community engagement - adult and youth place-based stewardship learning events are a key strategy for educating watershed residents about the characteristics, biota, habitats, benefits of, and challenges for the river. In 2021, our youth summer nature camps were provided online and free of charge, again allowing us to reach a record number of students, and we updated our website, e-newsletter, and social media presence to deliver more virtual content to our members, in light of the cancellation of all in-person stewardship events.
Advocacy - reviewing development proposals and land management practices to ensure that both water quantity and water quality continue to provide safe drinking water and recreation opportunities, as well as habitat for native riparian species, has been the primary "watchdog" activity of Tualatin Riverkeepers since its inception more than 30 years ago. In 2021, we increased the number of law student interns (from lewis & clark law school, in the northeast corner of the watershed) to help monitor and assess dozens of proposed wetlands filling or modification permit applications, as well as a handful of large-scale land use planning processes at the state, county, and city level. Engaging volunteer scientific experts allowed us to provide quality written and virtual input and achieve important protections for watershed health.