Portland Current
2008 May 3
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Eastside Democratic Club
May 6, 12pm Noon - 2pm
3535 NE 15th Ave. at Fremont (bus lines 8 and 33)
1) Portland City Council candidates: position 1 and 2 (all candidates will be in attendance)
2) Democrats for US Senate: Candy Neville, plus representatives for Jeff Merkley and Steve Novick
More info, contact Sonja Harju 503 287-1576
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Multnomah County Socialist Party
May 18, 1pm-3pm
Belmont Library, 1038 S.E. 39th Avenue
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Garlic Mustard Removal
Bad News: In 2007 Garlic Mustard arrived with a vengeance to the neighborhoods of Skyline Ridge Neighbors (SRN) and Forest Park Neighborhood Association (FPNA). Miles and miles of roadside were found infested, with some adjacent embankments and properties also infested.
Good News: Pro-actively, Skyline Ridge Neighbors (SRN) and Forest Park Neighborhood Association (FPNA) had been on the lookout for this highly invasive weed. When spotted here in 2007, local residents were called to help and by doing so, they started the process of controlling GM before it becomes impossibly well established! (Don’t you wish we did this with ivy 30 years ago!)
Bad News: Garlic Mustard is a member of the exclusive club, Oregon’s Noxious Weed List. This relatively new exotic arrival is a major threat to our local woodland habitat. Too bad it has such a misleading name which sounds like a wonderful culinary herb instead of a ruthless, highly prolific, horrific, malevolent plant.
Good News: Garlic Mustard is a biennial, meaning the plant lives for only 2 years.
Bad News: In its second year of life, a garlic mustard plant can produce thousands of seeds before it dies.
Good News: In 2007, thanks to you and 51 other neighbors as part of local a grassroots effort, 8,220 pounds of second year garlic mustard plants growing in the Skyline area west of Burnside were pulled and destroyed. This was a joint effort of the residents of SRN) and FPNA. The cost of proper disposal was generously paid for by West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District. Also, Clean Water Services provided assistance to requesting landowners.
Bad News: We did not pull first year plants last year, thus those plants now have matured into second year plants capable of producing thousands of seeds this spring. Also not all seed-producing second year plants could be pulled last year and they went to seed.
Good news: For the second year, SRN, FPNA, and Skyline Grange will work together to tackle GM. West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District (WMSWCD) will reimburse the costs of informational signs, garlic mustard disposal, and heavy duty plastic bag (up to $700). Now we just need you and a bunch of other volunteers out there pulling plants.
Bad News: The spring emergence of Garlic Mustard is now 5-8” tall and very thick in spots. Dang plant! We will need to work vigilantly for 5 years, locating and pulling GM plants before it spreads deep into our woods and establishes itself in difficult terrain. If we are not vigilant, the problem will become impossible. So it is time to start pulling!
Good News:
· We have a pool of experienced, knowledgeable volunteers (yes, we are talking about you, if you helped last year). You can identify GM, you can pull, you can talk to and recruit neighbors, and you can give us information about this year’s infestation compared to last year’s “crop”.
· SRN, FPNA and Skyline Grange are organized. Read Directions below. The bag disposal site at the Grange opens on Tues., Apr. 22.
· Informational signs will be placed along the roadsides identifying GM to increase public awareness and to encourage participation.
· WMSWCD and Clean Water Services will work with landowners wanting assistance.
· During the SOLV Clean-up on April 19, FPNA will devote some energy to pulling GM.
· Skyline Grange will have a display of Garlic Mustard at its Tree & Native Plant Sale on April 25-26.
· This is a good reason for neighbors to work together for a common cause, i.e., the health of our woodlands and the survival of our woodland wildflowers. Our trilliums, wild ginger, and other native woodland plants thank you.
Bad News: Sen had hand surgery and will need volunteers to help this year with loading bags into the utility trailer and unloading them at Metro Transfer Station periodically.
How To Hand-Pull Garlic Mustard
Volunteer Information for West Skyline Garlic Mustard Project 2008
When: Start hand-pulling plants in April and until just before the Garlic Mustard seed pods release seeds (about mid June)
Where: Target area of this Project is land within the Skyline Ridge Neighbors (SRN) and Forest Park Neighborhood Association (FPNA) boundaries, including Skyline Blvd. (Burnside to Rocky Point Rd.) and its arterial roads within Multnomah County and properties.
How To Hand Pull Garlic Mustard:
It is simple to volunteer for this Project and our native wildflowers and woodlands will thank you. Garlic Mustard is easy to hand-pull, but follow these directions closely.
1. There is no scheduled work party. Work when you can, at the times convenient for you. We appreciate any help.
2. Wear washable clothing & footwear. Wear gloves ideally.
3. Use large, heavy duty plastic bags to put plants in (available at Skyline Grange).
4.
5. Gently tug plant at its base until the main root loosens from the soil & the entire plant pulls out. (Take care to remove the entire root system because new plants can sprout from root fragments.)
6. Place plant immediately into plastic bag.
7.
8. When the bag is almost full, squeeze the extra air out & tightly secure the bag closed. Don’t overfill bags!
9.
10. Treat Garlic Mustard like a terribly infectious disease by being super cautious not to spread the plant or its seeds to other locations. Follow these pre-cautions:
a. If there is a hole in the plastic bag, secure it with duct tape. (Duct tape is available at Skyline Grange). Don’t overfill the bags.
b. If there is a gap in the closure of the bag, duct tape it completely shut.
c. Place only garlic mustard plants in these bags.
d. Do not just leave pulled plants on the ground. After pulling, plants are capable putting its dying energy into seed production and may be able to produce viable seeds in their primordial last effort to reproduce.
e.
11. Take bags to Skyline Grange and place them by the sign saying “Garlic Mustard Disposal Site.” Grange is located at 11275 NW Skyline Blvd. (0.1 miles west of Newberry or 1.6 miles east of Cornelius Pass Rd.). Bring starting Tues., Apr. 22.
12.
13. Fill out the important “Garlic Mustard Collection Data Form” (at Grange in box next to GM sign). This form indicates number of hours you worked, site from which you pulled the plants and hours you worked. This information is important for our report to WMSWCD, for mapping the invasion of GM, and to make future management plans. Your name will not be included in our report.
14.
15. Take precautions not to contaminate the Grange’s property with GM seeds.
16.
17. After pulling GM, go directly home to wash your clothing & to thoroughly clean your footwear so you do not spread seeds anywhere else.
18.
19. Get your family, neighbors and friends involved and informed.
20. Check your work site every week to pull any new plants.
Coordinators & Questions:
· Sen Speroff (503-621-3331 or sensperoff@hotmail.com) for Skyline Ridge Neighbors
· Karen Smith (503-285-0207 or karen9248@comcast.net) for Forest Park Neighborhood Association
Alison Wallisch
Neighborhood Clean Up Program Coordinator
Neighbors West-Northwest
2257 NW Raleigh
Portland, OR 97210
503-823-4265
alison@nwnw.org
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Oregon Socialist for Winter-Spring 2008
http://www.thesocialistparty.org/spo/pub/2008+winter-spring.pdf
(I do not have a current membership list and will not be mailing these out.)
Mayor Potter Proposes Final Budget
City Considers "After the Fact" Tax for Business License Fees
http://www.portlandonline.com/oni/?c=29385&a=195349
Weigh in on future cellular & wireless antenna sites in your neighborhood! If you haven't yet taken this survey, please do so. You can shape the future! Take this survey to help decide where to site new cellular and wireless antennas in your neighborhood!
http://www.portlandonline.com/cable/index.cfm?c=47051