2013 Education Report for Supporters June 2014

LOWER COLUMBIA ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAM The 2012-13 school year was a great success thanks to many partners, supporters and volunteers. Estuary Partnership educators engaged over 3,600 students in classroom lessons, service learning projects and on-river field trips. Building off of concepts learned in the classroom, students explored local natural areas and engaged in hands-on ac vi es that improved their local environment. Estuary Partnership educators worked with students from across our service area, from Corbe , Oregon in the Columbia River Gorge, to Ilwaco, Washington near the Pacific Ocean, leading a regional effort to connect youth to the lower Columbia River in meaningful ways. 2012-13 Program Highlights Rainwater from the roof of Southeast Portland school will soak into a new swale instead of draining to the city sewer, helping to support cleaner rivers. This year the Estuary Partnership completed its most recent schoolyard stormwater project at Hosford Middle School, where in addi on to swale construc on, the project included educa on in the classroom and in the field, where 75 students from three classrooms worked to plant hardy na ve plants adapted to periodic flooding and drought. The Estuary Partnership will con nue to work with students over the next several years to maintain the swale. Hosford teachers will also use the swale for science instruc on and experiments. Project partners include Hosford Middle School and Portland Public Schools. Supporters of the project include City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services, East Multnomah Soil and Water Conserva on District and New Seasons Market.