The REI Co-op believes that a life outdoors is a life well lived. REI wants to make it easy for you and your friends to get outside and enjoy trails and nature near you, so REI has donated a COMPLETE CAMPING SET for one lucky donor to win this week ONLY.
The camping set includes everything (really, everything!) you need to get outside and get camping. This prize retails for $896.90, but you can get entered to win for a donation of only $200 or more. Check out below for the full details!
There’s more than one way to win! Volunteer at any of our events this week (11/29 – 12/5) and you’ll also be entered to win!
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 many people experience challenges in accessing nature for a variety of reasons including a lack of resources and concerns for personal safety. We seek to be a part of the solution to build safe and welcoming trails for all.
Chehalem Ridge Nature Park is one of several new efforts by Metro Parks and Nature to provide new and accessible nature experiences close to the urban hub of Portland. TKO volunteers have been a part of the trail planning process since the beginning, contributing many hours of time and work in helping to plan the new trails at this beautiful soon-to-be-opened park. 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.
With its close proximity to the urban hub of Portland, the work TKO has been doing to bring Chehalem Ridge to life has provided a perfect opportunity to expand on the traditional trail work experience. In 2021 we offered several shared-identity trail parties exclusively for women, and for volunteers from the LGBTQ+ community. These events have proved first hand that intentionally creating space for shared community encourages volunteers who might not otherwise have felt comfortable signing up to finally join in the fun!
We are able to offer these types of events because donors like you believe that trails and the life changing experiences they provide should be accessible to everyone who wants them. Help Oregon’s trail legacy be one that everyone can enjoy by donating today!
The scope of the project at Chehalem Ridge has involved every facet of trail work that there is. From planning and design, log removal, cutting in new trail, ensuring the trails meet accessibility guidelines and putting in all the finishing touches. This project has provided us with a learning laboratory for several Trailkeeper University training events in 2021, including Intro to Rigging, New Trail Flagging, and even a crosscut saw felling class.
Even though the park is opening to the public soon, TKO has committed to supporting this wonderful site by continuing to engage volunteer on stewardship projects. Our goal is not just to build these new trails, but to make sure that they stay open and accessible for many more years to come. You can help us keep the legacy of this and other trails in Oregon going strong by donating today.
Throughout 2023 TKO has been lucky to participate in some outstanding trail projects in the Willamette and Umpqua River Valleys. These projects, critical to maintaining and reopening trails, allowed volunteers to grow their trail construction skills in some of Oregon’s most beautiful natural areas!
Have you caught the “saw bug” yet? Join TKO on a logout and you just might! This draw to saw work, the itch to feel the saw interact with wood as you cut, captivates many a trail crew member after just one day pulling saw. Saw work is a critical aspect of trail stewardship, and it’s this feeling that TKO has worked to inspire in emerging sawyers across Oregon.
Smith Rock State Park is an outdoor recreation haven for hikers, climbers, mountain bikers, and beyond. Due to high visitation and the unique, fragile nature of the ecosystem, it is critical that the 12 trails throughout the park are well maintained. We at TKO feel very lucky to have served this special place throughout 2023, and we’re gearing up for another year!
Trailkeepers of Oregon
P.O. Box 14814
Portland, OR 97293
(971) 206-4351