By Andrine de la Rocha

Hello from Andrine and Howard,

How’s your Covid-19 Staycation / Artist-in-Residence going? As you are likely aware, everything involving being close to people is cancelled, including all EarthDay events, so we’re not hosting one on April 18 after all.

Good News:It’s still okay to take a walk, either by yourself or with members of your own household, and the Grove is a very lovely place to do that! We just finished installing our last few signs (funded by Kay at Sunlan Lighting on Mississippi) around the hexagonal bench & the salmon sculpture, a couple of new species signs, and one other. Come take a look! 

As always, you’re welcome anytime to bring a trash bag/gloves and pick up any garbage you find on site. Say hi from a distance if we’re out there or on the front porch. We have a lot of time on our hands, so we will be out there weeding and grooming the plants, putting out more Mason Bees, weaving the willow dome as we are able…If you’re itching to do some real work in the Grove, email us at NativeGrovePDX@gmail.com and we can send you specific instructions with photos about what things need to be weeded, etc.

For now, we’re going to postpone our EarthDay projects to the Fall, when we will likely have a September or October clean-up, refresh & planting party. Until then, stay home, stay safe & healthy, and come take your isolation walk in the lovely Grove you’ve planted. Tell your friends and family about it too. Since we have the time to slow down, let’s enjoy the spaces near home and introduce them to our loved ones.

Meanwhile, here’s some more good news from the past month or so: 

· We were GIFTED $150 from Kay, owner of Sunlan Lighting to finish our signs for a few more plants, the bench, and our salmon sculpture in time for Earth Day. Thank you, Kay and Sunlan for your generosity and commitment to community! (Next time you’re buying light bulbs on Mississippi Ave, be sure to let her know you appreciate her support of the Grove!)

· Students at The Ivy School took time last week to process our Mason Bee straws from last summer and have delivered dozens of bee cocoons to be released soon at the ‘Let Bees Inn’ Mason bee hotel in the Grove. Just in time, as the Osoberry/Indian Plum and Red Flowering Currant begin to blossom.

· We were granted a $500 Native Plant Grant from the Bureau of Environmental Services through the Neighborhood to River Program, so we can go to Bosky Dell and buy plants to replace some that died over the winter and bolster our rain forest ground covers for the coming spring.

· SOLVE IT for Earth Day has also granted us $100 to purchase mulch and even more native plants for our Earth Day event. We’ll be getting a load of wood chips for everyone to help refresh our paths on Saturday, April 18 (postponed til Fall).

· We’re in the final stages of permitting and stewardship arrangements with PBOT, and will hopefully be ‘on the map’ sometime soon! Stay tuned!

We’re excited to share another year with you Restoring Habitat, Cultivating Education and Growing Community!