Volunteer Resources
Engage, Learn, Grow
Volunteer Resources
Engage, Learn, Grow
Volunteer Manual
Each year volunteers are required to read the manual and agree to the policies. Within the manual there is great information about Refuges, the management of our particular Refuges, as well as information to keep you safe and set expectations so that you enjoy your time supporting our local public lands.
Learning Resources
Habitat Restoration:
Native Plants
Importance of Oregon White Oaks: Oregon's Oak A Vanishing Legacy HD - 8-minute video
Oregon White Oak Mapping with Oregon Metro
Portland Audubon and Columbia Land Trust: Backyard Habitat Certification Program Native Plant Guide
Clark Conservation District 2021 Native Plant Guide
Native plants for Willamette Valley yards booklet (PDF) by Oregon Metro
Local source for native plants: Good Year Farms in Washougal, Clark College Native Plant Sale,
Invasive Plants
Learn about Best Management Practices for common invasive plants in the Columbia River Gorge from the Columbia Gorge Cooperative Weed Management Area: Invasive Plant List
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Outdoors:
A conversation with Lamar Gore, Refuge Manager at John Heinz NWR- 50 minutes
Lamar shared his thoughts regarding the crossroads between conservation and the racial inequalities in this country, and provide some context through his own experiences as a conservationist and biologist.
Wildlife Refuge advocate, US Navy Veteran, and founder/president of Soul River Inc. "Runs Wild" shared an important message entitled "Thoughts on the Killing of George Floyd".
"Start Where You Are: A Conversation on Uprooting Racism and Creating Systemic Change in S.T.E.M." from the Biomimicry Institute
The Melanin Base Camp Guide to Outdoor Allyship
Dr. J. Drew Lanham, professor of wildlife at Clemson University, articles "9 Rules for the Woke Birdwatcher" and "9 Rules for the Black Birdwatcher"
Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Local Tribal Information:
Cathlapotle Plankhouse at Ridgefield NWR. Since time immemorial Chinookan Peoples of the Lower Columbia River have tended to the oak woodlands, camas fields, and wapato patches of what we now call the Refuge, maintaining habitat for wildlife while supporting the lives of the people who called this place home. Based on the Chinookan village of Cathlapotle, the Plankhouse and the objects inside of it offer a tangible link to these original stewards and provides a unique site for the interpretation of our region's natural and cultural heritage.
Climate Change and Environmental Justice:
Our Changing Climate and the US Fish and Wildlife Service
Oregon Metro Climate Change YouTube series
We'd like to thank everyone who has volunteered with us! The work you do is invaluable and we are so thankful that you have chosen to donate your time with us here at the Gorge Refuges. Click here to see more photos of volunteers in action!
Volunteer Manual
Each year volunteers are required to read the manual and agree to the policies. Within the manual there is great information about Refuges, the management of our particular Refuges, as well as information to keep you safe and set expectations so that you enjoy your time supporting our local public lands.
Learning Resources
Habitat Restoration:
Native Plants
Importance of Oregon White Oaks: Oregon's Oak A Vanishing Legacy HD - 8-minute video
Oregon White Oak Mapping with Oregon Metro
Portland Audubon and Columbia Land Trust: Backyard Habitat Certification Program Native Plant Guide
Clark Conservation District 2021 Native Plant Guide
Native plants for Willamette Valley yards booklet (PDF) by Oregon Metro
Local source for native plants: Good Year Farms in Washougal, Clark College Native Plant Sale,
Invasive Plants
Learn about Best Management Practices for common invasive plants in the Columbia River Gorge from the Columbia Gorge Cooperative Weed Management Area: Invasive Plant List
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Outdoors:
A conversation with Lamar Gore, Refuge Manager at John Heinz NWR- 50 minutes
Lamar shared his thoughts regarding the crossroads between conservation and the racial inequalities in this country, and provide some context through his own experiences as a conservationist and biologist.
Wildlife Refuge advocate, US Navy Veteran, and founder/president of Soul River Inc. "Runs Wild" shared an important message entitled "Thoughts on the Killing of George Floyd".
"Start Where You Are: A Conversation on Uprooting Racism and Creating Systemic Change in S.T.E.M." from the Biomimicry Institute
The Melanin Base Camp Guide to Outdoor Allyship
Dr. J. Drew Lanham, professor of wildlife at Clemson University, articles "9 Rules for the Woke Birdwatcher" and "9 Rules for the Black Birdwatcher"
Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Local Tribal Information:
Cathlapotle Plankhouse at Ridgefield NWR. Since time immemorial Chinookan Peoples of the Lower Columbia River have tended to the oak woodlands, camas fields, and wapato patches of what we now call the Refuge, maintaining habitat for wildlife while supporting the lives of the people who called this place home. Based on the Chinookan village of Cathlapotle, the Plankhouse and the objects inside of it offer a tangible link to these original stewards and provides a unique site for the interpretation of our region's natural and cultural heritage.
Climate Change and Environmental Justice:
Our Changing Climate and the US Fish and Wildlife Service
Oregon Metro Climate Change YouTube series
We'd like to thank everyone who has volunteered with us! The work you do is invaluable and we are so thankful that you have chosen to donate your time with us here at the Gorge Refuges. Click here to see more photos of volunteers in action!