With autumn rains and cool weather, it must mean it is planting season!
Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership leads volunteer plantings across many sites throughout the Lower Columbia River valley, in Washington & Oregon
One of the biggest impacts across the Lower Columbia Nature Network partners’ work, is supporting the restoration of natural habitat. This work reduces impacts of stormwater flow, supports healthier rivers, increases biodiversity for wildlife and creates really fun volunteer opportunities for students, families and community.
We want to highlight the many partners that provide lots of ways for YOU to get involved in creating a healthier Lower Columbia through stewardship! Read below for many highlights for our Network Partners and the special projects they have going:
Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership:
“Join Your Community in Restoring Habitat for Water Quality, Wildlife, and People!” LCEP has year round opportunities for individuals and groups to join with others in volunteering, enjoying the outdoors, and making a difference in the lower Columbia river region.
Some of the recent & upcoming planting projects include:
Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge in Washougal reconnected 965 acres of Columbia River floodplain after generations separated by a levee, reduced flood risk from Gibbons Creek, improved habitat for fish and wildlife, and created new trails for recreation at the Refuge. Maintenance of the more than half a million trees and shrubs and 14,000 pounds of native seeds will be on-going.
Marble Kerr Park along Campen Creek - Restoring the natural area with invasive removal, new bridge and native plantings has revitalized this park.
East Fork Lewis River Reconnection Project - Beginning in 2016, The Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership worked with Clark County, LCFRB, landowners, state and local governments, environmental nonprofits, community organizations, and the Cowlitz Indian Tribe to develop a plan to reconnect the river to its floodplain and recreate the East Fork Lewis River that existed prior to gravel mining and other floodplain development. Resetting this highly disturbed stretch of river to its natural state not only benefits salmon, steelhead, and lamprey, it makes the homes and businesses adjacent to the river more resilient to flooding and erosion and boosts the local economy.
Dig it, Plant it, Do it Again! Volunteer Plantings - The Salmon Creek Regional Greenway has been a destination for student and family plantings for several years. Review their volunteer calendar for more upcoming dates.
City of Vancouver’s Naturespaces program
Naturespaces brings the community together to help restore and enhance select sites within the Vancouver parks system with a focus on preserving and expanding native habitat. Naturespaces volunteers participate in in impactful, satisfying and fun hands-on activities that support the natural environment including:
Identifying and inventorying native and invasive plants
Pruning native plants and trees
Amending soils with compost and mulch
Removing invasive English ivy and other unwanted plants
Planting or rehoming new native and beneficial plants
Creating habitat features for pollinators - Like at the recently planted Oakbrook Community Park!
Visit their web page for upcoming planting events, as well as other stewardship activities and educational workshops.
City of Vancouver’s Urban Forestry and Friends of Trees
Planting trees is so beneficial for our entire community by reducing summer heat, shading communities, cleaning the air, soaking up rain water and creating healthy habitat. The Urban Forestry Program aims to maximize the environmental, social and economic benefits that trees provide to those who live, work and visit Vancouver. They focus on preserving, managing and enhancing existing trees and other vegetation while also promoting the reforestation of the urban area. Studying existing trees and impacts to our city-wide urban forest, the COV UF team, works towards creating a healthy urban tree canopy for all communities. Upcoming forestry work includes plantings and workshops, including in partnership with the Friends of Trees. Here are some opportunities:
Tree plantings at local schools - COV UF team members have worked with teachers and students to plant on their campuses. New trees are thriving across Vancouver including Illahee ES, Frontier MS & Pioneer ES, Fruit Valley ES, Hough ES, VITA ES, Flex Academy and more. Upcoming plantings with students includes Fort Vancouver HS this fall. Reach out to your local schools for more planting locations this winter.
Friends of Trees neighborhood plantings - If you haven’t volunteered for a Friends of Trees planting, you are missing out on a fun day. Low cost trees are planted throughout neighborhoods with trained crew leaders, neighbors and community, usually followed by a potluck. Here are some upcoming planting dates:
November 15 - 8:45am – 1pm: Central-South Vancouver neighborhood planting (Vancouver, WA), Immanuel Lutheran Church, 8310 MacArthur Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98664
December 13 - 8:45am – 1pm: Central-North Vancouver neighborhood planting (Vancouver, WA), Unitarian Universalist Church of Vancouver, 4505 E 18th St, Vancouver, WA 98661
January 24, 2026 - 8:45am – 1pm: SE Vancouver neighborhood planting (Vancouver, WA), C-Tran Fisher's Landing Transit Center, SE 162nd Ave, Vancouver, WA 98683
February 28, 2026 - 8:45am – 1pm: West Vancouver neighborhood planting (Vancouver, WA), Location TBD
Clark County Public Works Parks & Nature
Clark County Parks & Nature manages hundreds of acres of parks, trails and open spaces for community recreational enjoyment. Upcoming park development projects are just one example of stewardship volunteer planting projects.
Curtin Creek Community Park - as part of the Metropolitan Park District program, this park has been in the planning for many years and is now ready to get planting. Join the volunteer team on Saturday, November 15, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.🌱🌲 Branch out at this volunteering event to leaf your mark on the new park that is expected to open in spring 2026. All materials will be provided. For more information and to sign up, visit bit.ly/trees1115.
CCD works collaboratively with the residents of southwest Washington to conserve and manage our natural resources through education and voluntary conservation practices. They provide free and non-regulatory natural resource expertise and financial assistance, tailored to our local community and landscape.
Riverside Planting Event - November 17th, 9 am - 12 pm, Riverside Seventh-day Adventist Church, 463 N Shepherd Rd, Washougal, WA 98671. Help us with a streamside restoration project! We will be planting native trees and shrubs at this family-friendly event. At this event, volunteers will plant native trees and shrubs at the Riverside Christian School as part of a streamside restoration effort. Registration is required HERE.
LCSG host work parties at all of their elementary and middle school gardens throughout the Longview and Kelso school districts. Check out their community event calendar and consider support stewardship plantings, garden clean ups and more!
