Education

Continuous community learning and engagement is a core value of the Watershed Group, which has provided nearly 30 years of educational presentations and learning opportunities for the local community and networking forums to foster cooperation and stewardship among landowners, irrigation districts, tribes, and government agencies. These efforts have promoted local solutions to endangered species and natural resource concerns and initiated over 100 collaborative restoration and enhancement projects. Individual Watershed Group partners also conduct or collaborate on additional watershed science and environmental education projects.

Educational activities implemented by Watershed Group staff and partners include:

• Monthly Watershed Group meeting presentations on watershed conditions, status of species, and project results.
• Assisting Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs with their “Salmon Days” education program
• Partnering with OSU Extension Master Naturalist program to teach students about the natural history, ecology, and natural resource management practices of the rivers and tributaries of the Columbia Gorge.
• Quarterly E-news and Annual Reports
• Activities to engage the urban community (e.g., installation of storm drain markers, urban water conservation)
• “Field Series” classes on watershed natural history
• Indian Creek Stewards work parties

Watershed Group Presentations

The Watershed Group convenes most months for business meetings and a presentation. Presentations cover a range of topics related to watershed conditions, status of species, local wildlife, and restoration project results. Recent presentation topics include an overview of the Underwood In-Lieu Restoration Site from Yakama Fisheries staff and “Debris Flows from Mount Hood: Past, Present and Future”. An overview of past presentations can be found in the meeting minutes found on the “Resources” page. All individuals, groups, or agencies interested in Hood River natural resources are encouraged to attend meetings. The Watershed Group prioritizes respect for ideas and open communication between all members and visitors.

Master Naturalist

The OSU Extension Master Naturalist Program enhances a sense of place and increases knowledge about and connection to the natural environment for all Oregonians. The program provides transformative, science-based, experiential learning in outdoor settings, and it encourages service that protects and supports ecosystems and community wellbeing in Oregon. The Watershed Group, with several other local partners, teaches the “Rivers and Tributaries” field day as part of the Columbia Gorge ecoregion field course. The ecoregion field courses are held at various locations around Oregon and provide a deeper understanding and appreciation for the ecologically distinct areas that make Oregon unique.

The Field Series

Through the Field Series, an annual set of classes led by natural resource professionals, the Watershed Group works to educate community members about stewardship efforts and natural processes in the Watershed. Past class topics and tours have included geology of the Watershed, steelhead fishing, forestry, trips to Mt. Hood glaciers, and more. The Field Series is currently on hiatus, but will hopefully return in 2021.

Storm Drain Marker Education Project

Thanks to the generous support of the Hess Family Environmental Fund and six volunteers, 42 storm drain markers were installed in the neighborhoods near Horizon Christian School. The goal of placing the storm drain markers is to enhance water quality in the Watershed by elevating public recognition of the impact of dumping materials such as waste oil, pesticides, solvents, antifreeze, and other other items in storm drains and storm water retention facilities. All of the storm drains where markers have been placed connect to Indian Creek in the lower Hood River Watershed, which then drains into the mainstem Hood River. Each site was marked on a storm drain map that will be kept by the Watershed Group to document this and all future storm drain marker locations.