Introducing Little Adventurers Nature Program!
Thanks to your generous Special Appeal donations at this year's Tweet of Dweams Auction, the Preserve is happy to announce "Little Adventurers," an early childhood nature program for four and five year-olds. Beginning September 24, 2007 Wetlands Education Specialist Cara Goodwin will teach weekly programs to introduce young children to the natural world and all its wonders. Children will explore the Preserve and participate in hands-on science and sensory activities incorporating words, numbers, stories, crafts, and dramatic play.
Classes will take place Monday, Wednesday, & Friday from 9:00am -11:30am. For more information, please contact Cara Goodwin at (503) 681-6417 or carag@ci.hillsboro.or.us.
In This Issue
Board Votes for Exhibit Hall Fee
Beginning August 1, 2007 Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve will be charging $2.00 per person for entrance to the Exhibit Hall. There will be no charge for Jackson Bottom members or children age nine years and under. The Nature Store, restrooms, and viewing deck will continue to be open from 10:00am to 4:00pm daily at no charge. The trails will continue to be open from dawn to dusk, free of charge.
This decision comes following a vote by the Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve Board of Directors. One of the Board's goals is to make sure everyone can enjoy the programs and resources Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve has to offer. Tom VanderPlaat, Board Chair of Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, explained that “this fee is needed to help us sustain and continue our wildlife habitat work and our unique education program offerings at the Preserve.” He noted that we are essentially “Preserving the Preserve.”
Feature Photo
This photo was taken by Volunteer Coordinator Jan Curry. These teens are some of the Summer Service Teen Group who gathered here for a group photo after planting a large area in the wetlands with camas seeds. Camas is a native plant with beautiful purple or white blossoms that once dominated wet praries in the region. The bulbs of this plant were an important food source for the Native Peoples of the Northwestern United States and Southwestern Canada.
This planting project was led by volunteer Tom Brandt as an attempt to increase the areas of camas in the Wetlands. The planting crew in the photo from the back, left to right is: Morgan Artea, Lukas Artea, Tom Brandt, Cymry Reardon, Clayton Sherrill, Collin Sherrill, Andrew Braun, Heather Lanphier, and Bug Reardon. Front: Kay Taylor, Tyler Gass
You too can be a part of this project to restore camas to our region. For a small donation, packets of Camas seeds, including planting instructions, are available in the Wetlands Nature Store.
If you would like to share your photographs of the Preserve, contact Pat Willis by email or phone at
(503) 681-6424.
Treasuring our Volunteers 
On the evening of June 14, 2007 Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve held its annual Volunteer Recognition Event at the Wetlands Education Center. Dressed in the spirit of the Pirate theme, Preserve staff and volunteers gathered to honor each other for the essential volunteer work that allows the Preserve to thrive. While many volunteers were recognized for their work over the past year, three awards were given for outstanding service:
The Allen and Florence Snyder Award for Excellence in Volunteer Service was presented to Julie Goddard for her service as an outstanding adult volunteer.
The Jackson Bottom Ruddy Duck Award for Excellence in Volunteer Service was presented to Rose Engelfried for her service as an outstanding young person.
Dave Nutt received The Jackson Bottom Bald Eagle Award for his outstanding coordination of the Bald Eagle Nest Project.
If you have time and talent that you would like to share with the Preserve, please email our volunteer coordinator, Jan Curry, or call her at 503.681.6283.
Thank You 
Why is Larry so happy? In our last Newsletter we published a Wish List, requesting several items and WOW look what happened! We received the donation of a John Deere riding mower, which has been put to good use by volunteer, Larry Martin. Larry has faithfully mowed our upland gardens for over a year, and his job is now MUCH easier. Thank you City of Hillsboro for your continued support!
We also received a push mower from Sue Graves and J. Steven Sanders, which is wonderful for those areas with a higher concentration of plants.
The education staff would like thank to Bernice Kieffer for donating the food dehydrator. We no longer have to dry owl pellets in the microwave...no, not the one we use for our food.
Thank you to Bob Terry of Fisher Farms and Clean Water Services for donating native plants to enhance our wildlife habitat, and to Tualatin Hills Nature Park for donating compost to keep them healthy.
We would also like to thank volunteer Linda Hillin for her generous donation of art supplies. The kiddos in camps are putting them to excellent use!
If you would like to make a donation to the Preserve, please contact Karen Newton at 503-681-6206. THANK YOU!
Upcoming Activities*
All activities meet at the Wetlands Education Center unless otherwise noted!
* Upcoming activities are updated regularly on our website. Please check there for the most current information.
Is there an event or activity you would like to see offered at the Preserve? Special information to be included in our newsletter? Call (503) 681-6206 to make a request or suggestion or email your input to Karen Newton.
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