Our Work

The Tryon Creek Watershed Council restores, protects and enhances the ecological health and function of our unique urban watershed. With headwaters in Multnomah Village and a watershed whose streams flow through both natural (20%) and urbanized (80%) areas, Tryon Creek flows through Portland and Lake Oswego, into the Willamette River. From there, threatened fish are able to find cool water refuge in Tryon Creek.

Read the latest happenings on our Blog!

What We Do

Click here to read the Tryon Creek Watershed Council 2022-2023 Year in Review! (We suggest downloading to Adobe to view page spread view, or in web reader enable two-page view via options in upper-right corner)

TCWC 2021-2022 Year in Review

TCWC 2020-2021 Year in Review

TCWC 2019-2020 Year in Review

TCWC 2018-2019 Year in Review

We manage projects and coordinate partnerships to restore riparian native vegetation on streambanks, focusing on private properties along key wildlife corridors, neighboring green-spaces, and land adjacent to existing restoration sites. The Stone Bridge Culvert Replacement Project on Nettle Creek is an example of our work to remove fish passage barriers. We advocate for watershed health and support partners whose projects align with our mission such as the Boones Ferry Bridge and the Highway 43 Culvert projects. We monitor watershed health.

Restoration

Above: During and after a riparian restoration project – note the native ferns and vegetation along the stream bank!

The majority of TCWC projects involve restoration of riparian native vegetation on stream banks.  We focus these projects on private properties along key wildlife corridors, neighboring green-spaces, and adjacent to existing restoration sites.

From large projects with multiple landowners and environmental contractors doing on-the-ground work, to Saturday morning work parties, removing invasive species and planting native trees and shrubs helps to build a stronger ecosystem.

We work with community members, like you at weekend work parties.

Fish Passage

Above: Stone Bridge before and after replacement – note the creek plunged an average of 3 feet, making upstream habitat inaccessible to fish. After the bridge replacement and channel restoration, the creek is more accessible to fish.

We manage projects and support partners to remove fish passage barriers. Read more about fish passage here.

Volunteer Work Parties

Often on Saturday mornings, volunteer work parties are a great way for folks to get outside, students to earn service hours, businesses to represent themselves while team building, and often a fun way to spot a salamander! We regularly participate in No Ivy Day, Earth Day, and other regional annual events – our signature annual event is our Watershed Wide Event (below)!

Watershed Wide Event

Our Watershed Wide Event is the largest annual day of volunteering in the watershed. Community members start off the day getting fueled by coffee and breakfast snacks, celebrating, and then dispersing to various sites across the watershed to plant native plants and remove invasive plants.

Read about the annual Watershed Wide Event here, and mark your calendars for our 15th Annual Watershed Wide Event: Saturday, March 16th, 2024!

Watershed 101 Workshop

Tryon Creek Watershed Council provides this workshop, both indoors and hands-on, for watershed residents, who invite their neighbors, friends, and colleagues to attend. City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services funds this program.

Want to be a part of our efforts to educate watershed residents and community members? Host a Watershed 101 Workshop!

Science Talks

Pulling ivy isn’t for everyone – we host Science Talks twice annually at the Lucky Lab in Multnomah Village. We’re glad to be able to spread education through the watershed and the greater Portland area!

Recordings of some past Science Talks:

October 2020: Tryon Creek’s Fish (US Fish & Wildlife Service & City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services)June 2021: Let’s Talk About Portland’s Coyotes (Zuriel van Belle)
November 2021: Tryon Creek’s Amphibians (Char Corkran)April 2022: Let’s talk about Turtles in Tryon! (Laura Guderyahn)
November 2022: Emerald Ash Borer (Dr Christine Buhl)May 2023: Crayfish in the Creek (Kyla Schmitt)
June 2024: The Multi-Benefits of Managing for Stream Power (Nora Boylan)

We hope to see you at one of our events!