Riverkeeper, Youth Corps partner for conservation work

Though owned by the City of Hood River, Columbia Riverkeeper manages the easement — and has been working with community members to restore healthy habitat to the area, said Riverkeeper’s Water Quality Director Lorri Epstein.

“It’s a completely community-driven project so everything that has been done at the site has been done by community members and volunteers,” she said. “If you are familiar with the site, it’s easy to recognize that it has completely transformed in the last 5 -7 years, and all of that is thanks to our community.”

Riverkeeper uses the site as an “outdoor classroom and living laboratory,” she said, and hosts hundreds of students every year.

So it’s fitting that, on Aug. 3, members of The Next Door Inc.’s Summer Youth Employment Program — a partnership between NDI, Oregon Youth Conservation Corps and the Forest Service — met Epstein at the site as part of their work experience.

Made up of 16–19-year-olds from Hood River and Wasco counties, these youth “gain valuable work skills and training with an emphasis on outdoor education and natural resource management,” according to The Next Door’s website (nextdoorinc.org/youth-services/summer-youth-employment-program). “Most work projects are in the Columbia Gorge Scenic Area or the Mt. Hood National Forest area; all are on public land.”

It’s been six years since Riverkeeper and Youth Conservation Corps teamed up, with crews visiting Nichols Natural Area almost every year, Epstein said.

“I think the partnership just grew from a natural place of the Youth Corps looking for local projects where their participants could develop job skills and support habitat conservation and enhancement,” she said. “The Nichols Natural Area was just a natural fit. In the past crews have helped with planting, invasive weed removal, and spreading mulch to support soil development and water retention.”

Before the group started the day’s work at the site, Epstein taught them a bit about Columbia Riverkeeper and the work it does to protect the water quality of the Columbia.

“Through my explanation of the history of the site and our project there, they began to understand the role that it plays in Riverkeeper’s mission to protect and restore the water quality of the Columbia River,” she said. “They learned how Columbia Riverkeeper uses community organizing and legal action to protect and restore the Columbia River, but they also learned about concepts specific to the site such as riparian zone function and restoration; water quality and how and why we measure it; native and invasive species; the connection between salmon, temperature, and dams; and other pollution issues on the Columbia.”

This year’s crew is focusing on removing invasive blackberry and spotted knapweed.

“Every year, I am absolutely blown away by how much work these crews get done and what a difference their work makes at the site,” Epstein said. “I hope they take some pride and ownership in the transformation of this space from an abandoned industrial site into thriving riparian habitat.

“Over the years, these crews have done a lot of hard work at the site, but beyond the physical work at the site, I want students to take away an understanding of the important role of riparian habitats, and I also hope they build their own personal connection to this place and the river.”

Epstein said there are many ways interested persons can get involved in the habitat restoration going on at Nichols Natural Area, “from work parties to educational programs to snapping a couple of photos at our photo monitoring post, and I hope that anyone who is interested in getting involved feels appreciated and welcome,” she said.

For more information on helping at the site, sign up at www.columbiariverkeeper.org/stay-informed.