We Can Be the Change – Join Us!

As we face the greatest catastrophe to befall the natural world, we are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it. The Landscape profession is pivotal in the fight against the changing climate and diminishing biodiversity, it is now our moment to enact change!” 
Landscape Institute
Food Justice – Gardening – Gleaning

 

Supporting people is the first step in building resilient communities:

  • Growing Gardens – A Portland-based nonprofit that supports communities to grow their own healthy food.
  • Project Grow – Supports people with and without disabilities to connect with their food source.
  • Zenger Farm – A working, educational urban farm in Portland and also hosts a community kitchen.
  • Mudbone Grown – Black-owned farm enterprise fostering community through farming and food production.
  • Outgrowing Hunger – Based out of Sandy, Outgrowing Hunger fosters a network of community gardens, farms, and educational opportunities.
  • Grow Portland – Runs school-based garden sites and sponsors/builds community gardens.
  • Village Gardens – Supports access to nutritious, affordable, and culturally appropriate food for affordable housing residents.
  • Tribal Gathering Garden – Creates space for indigenous community: Cultivating indigenous foods and materials for cultural practices and traditions. Revitalizes the associated knowledge. skills and ethics in an urban landscape.
  • Portland Fruit Tree Project –  A Portland-based nonprofit that focuses on food justice through gleaning city-grown produce.
  • Urban Gleaners – Rescues and distributes unsold fresh food from grocery stores, restaurants, farmers markets, and food producers.
  • Depave – Depave empowers disenfranchised communities to overcome social and environmental injustices and adapt to climate change through urban re-greening.

 

TAKING ACTION IN YOUR YARD

 

  • Get to Know Your Garden
    Learning the characteristics that make your property unique enables you to make good choices on plantings well suited to your site’s light, soil conditions and climate.
  • Choose Climate Adapted Plants
    Consider choosing plants based on lower water use, easy maintenance or their contribution to pollinator or wildlife habitat.
  • Manage Water
    Adjust your watering schedule or install a drip system to save water.  Rain gardens, bio-swales and permeable hardscape surfaces help manage extreme precipitation events reducing impact on our fragile waterways.
  • Support Wildlife
    Bees, buterflies, birds, insects and all sorts of wildlife need help coping with the impacts of climate change and you can help by planting food and nectar plants and providing forage and water.
  • Maximize Planted Areas
    Collect more plants! Planting hell strips and green roofs can maximize total green surfaces, combating urban heat index, sequestering carbon and supporting wildlife habitat.
  • Build Healthy Soils
    Composting and worm bins keep excess waste from our landfills. Mulches retain moisture and keep weeds under control. Feeding the soil makes for happy plants and happy gardeners.
  • Plant Trees
    Preserving tree canopy assists in urban heat reduction, retaining moisture in shaded areas, filters and cleans the air, provides habitat for wildlife and acts as a carbon capture.
  • Reduce the Amount of Petrochemicals
    To minimize contribution to carbon pollution improve energy efficiency by using human powered tools and low fuel maintenance. Avoid dependency on chemical use by incorporating organic practices.
  • Build Community
    Let’s be generous with our own knowledge and experience to inspire one another to develop resilient gardens. We can share resources such as coordinating neighborhood mulch drops, cooperative landscape care or plant and seed swaps.
LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

These are a few of the many organizations striving to protect our future. Please consider supporting this essential work and visit their sites for exciting ways you can learn about our natural world and make our communities better for all creatures.

  • Native Plant Society or Oregon
  • Native Plant Society of Washington
  • Friends of Trees – Friends of trees inspires people to improve the world around them through a simple solution: Planting trees together.
  • Audubon Society – Portland Audubon’s passionate and growing community has loved and advocated for Oregon’s wildlife and wild places for more than 100 years. With the help of our vast network of advocates, nature enthusiasts, and partners, we inspire and connect people to nature through a variety of programs that are grounded in science and learning.
  • The Xerces Society – The Xerces Society is a science-based nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats.
  • Center for Diversity and the Environment – The Center for Diversity and the Environment harnesses the power of racial and ethnic diversity to transform the U.S. environmental movement by developing leaders, catalyzing change within institutions, and building alliances.
RESOURCES FOR gardening in a changing climate
CITIZEN SCIENCE OPPORTUNITIES

 

One of the funnest ways to support scientific research on environmental issues is by engaging in citizen science. Observing and collecting data on your walks in the woods or around your neighborhood can help scientists in their study of the natural world. Monitor invasive species, learn to identify birds, search for amphibians, document wildflower bloom times, keep track of carnivores and so much more:

https://pnwcitsci.org/

Example of an “Image Map” for HPSO

(and maybe your resource page).

Click on the computer, the phone, or the cup of coffee to go to a new page and read more about the topic:

Workplace Computer Phone Cup of coffee


Resources (Need to edit/add)

– READING LIST OF CLIMATE ADAPTED GARDEN BOOKS or RESOURCES

– ORGANIZATIONS WE SUPPORT or SPREAD THE LOVE or PARADIGM OF PLENTY
Friends of Trees, Zenger, Alberta Preschool, White Salmon Library, Rewild Portland, ECT…
– DESIGN MENU

GARDEN DESIGN OPTIONS

CONSULTATIONS
Everything begins with an initial consultation and often that is enough to identify existing plants, conceptualize flow of space and create a list of suggestions suited to you specifications. $175/1 hour site visit
You can schedule your consultation here – http://www.thicketpdx.com/design

FULL GARDEN DESIGN
Consultation
Proposal of scoop and budget suggestions
Site visit, sign contract and take final measurements
Style direction – Plant list
Meeting to review style direction
First draft
Review plan
Single revision
Final design review meeting
Final plan includes 2D plans with plant key

Additional project management available

PLANTING PLAN
Initial site visit
Plant list w/price estimates
Review
Conceptual sketch in 2D with foundational plantings and complimentary additions
Preliminary cost estimates

PLANT SOURCING
Sourcing of plant materials, thicket reserves the right to substitute appropriate plant materials as necessary
Coordination with home owner or installation service
Placement per the design
Follow up site visit to access health of plantings

Gardening can be a radical act of protest. It can overturn the corporate powers, rewrite the commodification of Life and reject carbon based capitalism. When we practice working in unity with Nature our ancient wisdom makes us resilient so that we can be the change.
Join us!

LOCAL PDX ORGS & RESOURCES
Supporting people is the first step in building resilient communities.
Food Justice – Gardening
Growing Gardens is a Portland-based nonprofit that supports communities to grow their own healthy food.
Project Grow supports people with and without disabilities to connect with their food source.
Zenger Farm is a working, educational urban farm in Portland and also hosts a community kitchen.
Mudbone Grown black-owned farm enterprise fostering community through farming and food production.
Outgrowing Hunger: Based out of Sandy, Outgrowing Hunger fosters a network of community gardens, farms, and educational opportunities.
Grow Portland runs school-based garen sites and sponsors/builds community gardens.
Village Gardens supports access to nutritious, affordable, and culturally appropriate food for affordable housing residents.
Tribal Gathering Garden creates space for indigenous community: Cultivating indigenous foods and materials for cultural practices and traditions. Revitalizes the associated knowledge. skills and ethics in an urgban landscape. https://www.portland.gov/parks/community-gardens/ngg

Gleaning, Food Distribution, Meal Programs
Oregon Food Bank–A food bank with over 1,400+ partner pantries and food assistance sites across Oregon and Southwest Washington.
           –Use their Food Finder search tool to find pantries or meal sites near you:
                    https://www.oregonfoodbank.org/find-help/find-food/ 
            –Or, call 211 info to be connected to all kinds of resources:
                   https://multco.us/external-service/211info
Portland Fruit Tree Project: A Portland-based nonprofit that focuses on food justice through gleaning city-grown produce. 
Urban Gleaners: Rescues and distributes unsold fresh food from grocery stores, restaurants, farmers markets, and food producers. 

CITIZEN SCIENCE OPPORTUNITIES
One of the funnest ways to support scientific research on environmental issues is by engaging in citizen science. Observing and collecting data on your walks in the woods or around your neighborhood can help scientists in their study of the natural world. Monitor invasive species, learn to identify birds, search for amphibians, document wildflower bloom times, keep track of carnivores and so much more:
https://pnwcitsci.org/

GARDENING & CLIMATE CHANGE
“As we face the greatest catastrophe to befall the natural world, we are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it. The Landscape profession is pivotal in the fight against the changing climate and diminishing biodiversity, it is now our moment to enact change!” – Landscape Institute

Taking Action in Your Backyard
Improve your energy efficiency. Using energy-efficient products and reducing your household’s energy consumption will reduce your contribution to carbon pollution. In your backyard alone, you can replace outdoor light bulbs with high-efficiency LED bulbs, install outdoor automatic light timers, or purchase solar-powered garden products.
Reduce the use of gasoline-powered yard tools. Avoid using gasoline-powered tools such as lawn mowers and leaf blowers. Instead, use human-powered tools such as push mowers, hand clippers, and rakes or reduce the amount of lawn area that needs maintenance. Using a gasoline-powered mower for an hour pollutes 10 to 12 times more than the average car.
Reduce the threat of invasive species expansion and incorporate diverse native species instead. Removing invasive plants from your garden and choosing an array of native alternatives can minimize the threat of invasive species expansion. Native plants help to maintain important pollinator connections and ensure food sources for wildlife; nonnative plants can outcompete these important native species for habitat and food. Contact your local or state native plant society to find out what plants are native to your area.
Reduce water consumption. There are a number of ways to reduce water consumption in your garden, which is particularly important during increased heat waves and droughts. These include mulching, installing rain barrels, adjusting your watering schedule, and using drip irrigation. Practices like mulching also provide nutrients to the soil, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers which take significant amounts of energy to produce.
Compost kitchen and garden waste. Composting this waste can significantly reduce your contribution to carbon pollution, especially methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas. It also provides an excellent source of nutrients for your garden, again reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.
Plant lots of trees to absorb carbon dioxide. Trees can absorb and store as much as a ton of carbon pollution (CO2) from the atmosphere. If every one of America’s 85 million gardening households planted just one young shade tree in their backyard or community, those trees would absorb more than 2 million tons of CO2 each year. Shade trees planted near your home can also reduce energy used for cooling in the summer.
Connect places for wildlife by certifying your backyard or neighborhood as a Certified Wildlife Habitat™ with the National Wildlife Federation. By certifying your own backyard and encouraging your neighbors to do the same, you can turn your neighborhood into a Community Wildlife Habitat, which can help maintain or reconnect fragmented habitats and provide ways for wildlife to better cope with the impacts of climate change.  LOCAL BACKYARD HABITAT CERTIFICATION PROGRAM https://backyardhabitats.org/

Resources for gardening in a changing climate
Oregon State University
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/top-tips-gardeners-help-fight-climate-change

National Wildlife Federation
https://www.nwf.org/Our-Work/Environmental-Threats/Climate-Change/Greenhouse-Gases/Gardening-for-Climate-Change
Gardener’s Guide to Global Warming: Challenges and Solutions

World economic forum
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/09/how-gardens-can-boost-biodiversity-and-help-tackle-climate-change/

Cornell University
https://gardening.cals.cornell.edu/lessons/curricula/climate-change-in-the-garden/links/

Environmental Horticulture News
https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=48966

Ecolandscaping alliance
ecolandscaping.org

National garden clubs
https://gardenclub.org/gardening-horticulture-and-environmental-concerns

Green America
https://www.greenamerica.org/climate-victory-gardens

Ecolandscaping alliance
ecolandscaping.org

Rodale Institute
https://rodaleinstitute.org/

LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
These are a few of the many organizations striving to protect our future. Please consider supporting this essential work and visit their sites for exciting ways you can learn about our natural world and make our communities better for all creatures.

Native Plant Society or Oregon
https://www.npsoregon.org/
Native Plant Society of Washington
https://www.wnps.org/

Friends of trees
Friends of trees inspires people to improve the world around them through a simple solution: Planting trees together.
https://friendsoftrees.org/

Audubon society
Portland Audubon’s passionate and growing community has loved and advocated for Oregon’s wildlife and wild places for more than 100 years. With the help of our vast network of advocates, nature enthusiasts, and partners, we inspire and connect people to nature through a variety of programs that are grounded in science and learning.
https://audubonportland.org/

Xerces society
The Xerces Society is a science-based nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats.
https://xerces.org/

Depave
Depave empowers disenfranchised communities to overcome social and environmental injustices and adapt to climate change through urban re-greening.
https://depave.org/

Center for diversity and the environment
We harness the power of racial and ethnic diversity to transform the U.S. environmental movement by developing leaders, catalyzing change within institutions, and building alliances.
https://www.cdeinspires.org/

VOTE
If you don’t vote you are a part of the problem not the solution.

Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV)
Evaluates activities of the State Government and candidates, endorsing those with a strong conservation record or platform. Produces a legislative scorecard for state candidates.
350.org
Sierra Club
The Union of Concerned Scientists
Future Earth – Anthopocine magazine

AGRICULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Ag Innovations Network
Center for a Livable Future
Center for Food Safety
Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)
EcoAgriculture Partners
Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN)
La Via Campesina
Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
United Nations Environment Program
Climate Change,

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association
Climate.gov,

International Panel on Climate Change
https://www.ipcc.ch/

 

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