Our first year of restoration at this site resulted in significant improvements across one acre of the nine-acre natural area. This acre contained the most critical habitat: a small, perennial creek that flows into Lily Bay.
The urban world that humans create can have a range of disruptions to the surrounding natural systems. The removal of vegetation, construction of buildings, infrastructure, altered waterways, fragmented habitat, pollution, noise, and light. While we can find ways to mitigate the negative impacts and use more environmentally friendly approaches, the fact remains that our presence has an impact.
Libraries, long known for sowing ideas, are now helping the community sow seeds and build a community around seed sharing. Lake Oswego now has at least two seed libraries, one run by the Lake Oswego Public Library and the other by Friends of Tryon Creek.
While lawn can be a good choice for high traffic play areas, its benefits are limited when it comes to supporting bird, pollinator and wildlife populations. Turf-oriented landscapes, however, can be an invitation to start fresh with a blank slate.