1. Friends of Marshall Park: had a very informative walk through the park on November 4th with Portland Parks & Rec (PP&R) staff Mart Hughes & Louise Shorr. We talked about the need for flexible, integrated strategies depending on native plant growth phase, soil moisture and extent of invasive plant infestation. The next steps for the group are to determine goals & strategy to include in the Stewardship Agreement, to be completed by early 2007. At the November MPNA meeting, the members in attendance voted to approve a letter to PP&R on behalf of the Friends of Marshall Park regarding a Master Plan for Marshall Park. Tryon Creek State Park is slated to begin one in July 2007, and it is critical that Marshall Park and other adjacent properties are concurrently planned.
2. Next work party for invasive plant removal: Saturday, December 2nd, 9am; meet at the Marshall Park picnic tables. Great for any student needing community service hours!
3. Grant proposal: Marshall Park will also submit a proposal for the Small Grants Program administered by SWNI. The proposed outreach includes a new website, survey, door knocking, potlucks and monthly Nature Walks in Marshall Park. If you would like to see a copy of the proposal, please email MarshallParkNA@yahoo.com or call 503-246-2434. If approved, there will be many opportunities for volunteers to help throughout 2007 (the grant time period), so please keep MPNA in mind!
4. Capitol Hill Elementary: MPNA voted to endorse a grant proposal by the Capitol Hill PTA to present educational workshops regarding stormwater retrofit options. Involvement of NAs and the community is desired.
5. Bylaws: Articles V-XI (postponed from September when we ran out of time) were amended. Thank you to everyone who commented on them.
6. Volunteers: We still need people to volunteer for the following committees: Land Use, Schools, Public Safety/Problem Solving, Transportation, & SW Trails. Purpose is to connect with other NAs working on similar issues. If you can attend occasional meetings, great, but even staying on top of issues via email would be helpful.
7. Email list: To receive meeting reminders and other announcements (1-2 per month), send a message to MarshallParkNA@yahoo.com.