• Treekeepers of Washington County events
• OSU Master Gardeners
• OSU Extension tips to beat slugs
• Garden webinars in January

Treekeepers of Washington County events

We work to protect and advocate for trees in urban unincorporated Washington County. Don’t miss our upcoming events! All events are free. Visit the Treekeepers website to learn more.

Tree Walk: Brookwood/Dawson Creek

Thursday, December 4, 10-11:30 am, free

The Dawson Creek ponds and wetlands lie behind Hillsboro’s Brookwood Library. It’s a perfect location for a wintertime stroll as it has a labyrinth of paved trails, flocks of overwintering birds, and open skies to enjoy any potential light and sunshine. We’ll get close-up views of many geese, wood ducks and other ducks, wigeons, cormorants, many passerines, and an occasional eagle. That doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of trees! In fact, bring your binoculars because if we’re lucky we’ll have a chance of seeing acorn woodpeckers guarding their acorn-laden snag. We’ll be walking at a leisurely pace for about a mile on these level trails. Register here.

Ivy Pulls: Join Our On-Call Ivy Crew

October-March, dates and locations will vary, free

English ivy hangs on through winter at a time trees are particularly vulnerable. The invasive vines keep growing while trees are dormant, and the excess weight can increase risks for trees during winter storms. Help us save trees by removing ivy and other invasive plants that threaten them. Weather makes it hard to schedule events, so please sign up and we’ll notify you when there is a good weather window so we can schedule an ivy pulling event in various locations within Washington County or check our events page for current ivy pulls.

Tree Walk: Merritt Woods Tree ID

Saturday, January 10, 10-12 pm, free

This walk at Cedar Mill’s Merritt Woods Natural area will focus on identifying trees in winter. Merritt Woods Natural Area preserves a narrow, two-acre forest and riparian area along North Johnson Creek. There is a one-mile section of paved trail that overlooks the trees along the wetland, giving us a good view of the buds, branching structures, and any lingering leaves or other clues that will help identify the trees. The microenvironments along the trail showcase a good variety of our native trees, and some interesting non-native ones—over 18 species. We’ll be moving at a “botanical pace” making a small detour through the neighborhood at the lower end of the trail to take in some common street trees and an overlook of a wetland where beavers are active. We’ll also be pointing out some short extensions you can choose to take on your own. Register here.

OSU Master Gardeners

What’s Your Garden Future? Growing Resilience in a Changing Climate

Tuesday, January 6, 7-8 pm, Zoom, Registration Required

To help Oregon’s gardeners, the OSU Master Gardener Program has launched a new statewide climate resilience education and outreach project called Garden Future. Learn about the resources available, including the Garden Future resource website. For more information and to register, please go to Washington County Master Gardeners.

OSU Extension tips to beat slugs

Fall conditions make slugs active and ready to reproduce. This helpful guide shares practical strategies such as using trap boards, watering in the morning, encouraging predators, and applying bait carefully to help reduce egg-laying and protect your spring seedlings.

Garden webinars in January

Explore dozens of online courses to sign up for in January! Pruning basics, growing blueberries, landscaping design, vegetables, roses, and more. Visit the 10-Minute University page to learn more, and follow them on Facebook for updates.