WEEK 6: LOCAL, NATURE-HOODS – TRAILS ARE FOR EVERYONE

December 13th at 9AM:

Nature guide Family-Friendly Virtual Variety Show

Join a special troupe of nature guides for a family-friendly virtual variety show on December 13th at 9AM. Learn from these authors how hiking can open up a world of outdoor adventures – each special guest will have different activities & stories to share. Here’s how to get access to this virtual event: 

• A suggested minimum donation of $20 = Virtual Event RSVP

• A $30 ticket = Virtual Event RSVP + a copy of the book of your choice + a TKO membership

• A $100 ticket = Virtual Event RSVP + a 4-book basket + a TKO membership

No matter which of the tickets you choose, our authors have made it possible for proceeds to go to TKO. A special thanks to one of our featured authors, outgoing TKO Board President Paul Gerald. Not only has he volunteered as TKO board member & volunteer, he has personally pledged to match each ticket sold up to $5,000 this week – doubling each dollar you donate to TKO!

Can’t give $$ but still want to attend this event? Email natalie.ferraro@trailkeepersoforegon.org for a no-cost registration.

Trails are for everyone – support local, nature-hoods.

Access to outdoor experiences is a right that everyone should have. While many find that connections to nature are just out their back door or a simple drive to a familiar trailhead, TKO recognizes that some people experience challenges in accessing nature, for a variety of reasons including personal safety. We also recognize that we are not the first stewards of these lands and trails. At the start of every TKO event, we recognize and give thanks to the Indigenous peoples and their descendants who cared for these special places long before those original stewards were forced to cede their lands to the United States. We acknowledge the privilege we have that allows us easy access and we seek to be a part of the solution to build safe and welcoming trails for all.

Oxbow Regional Park is the flagship of Portland’s Metro Parks & Nature system and a great place for people to begin their outdoor experiences. In 2017, we began building a relationship with Metro staff at Oxbow and offer community members ways to give back. And our work expands to many local, nature-hoods that bridge green spaces to our urban centers – adding value to the quality of life we seek to enjoy in Oregon. TKO volunteers have come together on a variety of projects with Metro Parks & Nature, in the future we are going to be lifting even more with a number of new park developments. Your support builds a community engagement that will see that the value of these places is met with a vested interest in their care.

BY THE NUMBERS:

LOCAL PARKS

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OXBOW REGIONAL PARK

ACCESSING STEWARDSHIP IN LOCAL, NATURE-HOODS

TKO has been a nonprofit for just over 12 years. We are Portland-based and we strive to make all of our participants feel safe and welcome and to build stewardship skills within each and every person who comes to volunteer. Metro Parks & Nature recognizes the value-added when community members are not just park users, but park stewards. With strong relationships to precede us, stewardship growth can only happen through recruiting and training more people, become a Legacy Builder today to help us continue to grow.

Join the Legacy

TKO FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENTS

TRAILS ARE FOR EVERYONE

…and so is giving back, no matter your age! In 2018, through an effort of a husband/wife TKO Crew Leader team, TKO began hosting family-friendly trail parties. We adapted our mindset and the structure and expectations for the day to make this experience something that any parent and kiddo could enjoy. Getting outside, getting grubby, and giving back to trails is the best way we know to teach and learn how to recognize the value of these special places! We hope you’ll join us in building a legacy of stewardship in local parks across Oregon.

Latest News

Trail Ambassadors are getting ready to launch!

By Loren Payne

Spring is quickly approaching! That means before we know it, Trailkeepers of Oregon will be kicking off another Trail Ambassador season. Through partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon State Parks, the Mt. Hood – Columbia River Gorge Tourism Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, and Friends of the Columbia River Gorge, Trail Ambassadors will take to trails beginning April 22nd to engage with trail users across the state. We are always looking to grow our team – if you’ve been looking to give back to the trails you love, we want you on board!

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Family Friendly Events are Back!

An adult holds a fern while a child uses lopper to cut it at the base.

Join TKO on the last Sunday of each month to learn all about trail stewardship!

By Natalie Ferraro

Trailkeepers is excited to once again be offering Family Friendly trail parties for 2023. These events are a chance for kids of all ages to learn some of the basics of trail stewardship, spend quality time with family and friends outdoors, and learn the value of taking care of a place they love. We think our Family Friendly trail parties are some of the best fun you can have on a Sunday, but you don’t have to take our world for it. We asked TKO volunteer Jon and his son Liam to share why they love volunteering with TKO. […]

Safety, Fun, Service – becoming a TKO Crew Leader

A close up of two faces. One person wears a blue jacket and a yellow hat, the other wears a yellow jacket and an orange hat. They both have dirt on their faces and are smiling.

Being a Crew Leader with TKO is rewarding work and comes with a fun and supportive community that can’t wait to welcome you!

by Elaine Keavney and Loren Payne

So you’ve earned your green hat, and are getting “hooked” on trail stewardship.  As you get to know your crew leaders, do you find yourself wondering whether leading a crew would be something you would enjoy? Read on for some information about leading crews, and what you need to do if you would like to become a TKO crew leader!

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