Volunteers Needed For Portland Parks & Recreation’s 21st annual No Ivy Day

News Article

Have fun and help protect Portland's treasured parks and natural areas!

(Portland, OR) -

Portland Parks & Recreation's (PP&R) No Ivy Leagueinvites you to volunteer for the City's21st annual No Ivy Day eventson October 26, 2024. When left unchecked, ivy vines can grow to the size of large tree branches, harming native trees and reducing biodiversity in our valued Northwest ecosystems.

You can help!

A group of energetic schoolkids show off for the camera during a No Ivy Day volunteer party at Southwest Portland's Gabriel Park.

Join a volunteer event at one of the many sites across the Portland metro area to show your support. Since 2011, PP&R volunteers have removed nearly a quarter million square feet of ivy from Portland's parks and natural areas. Along the way, they've spotted hawks, salamanders, hummingbirds, and other amazing wildlife. Volunteers have also worked with staff to remove trash from our beloved green spaces and plant new, beneficial, native vegetation.

Save the date for No Ivy Day -Saturday, October 26, 2024

Volunteers should expect the events to involve hiking and working on uneven ground. Please dress for the weather, wear sturdy, closed-toed shoes, and bring a water bottle and snacks. PP&R will provide project instruction, tools, gloves, water, and snacks.

If you have questions, contact PP&R Stewardship Coordinator Monica Hescheles at [email protected]or (503) 823-8367.

All No Ivy Day volunteer events are on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at these sites:

Rocky Butte Natural Area
Join Portland Parks & Recreation to remove English ivy at this special east side park! Rocky Butte has a fascinating history and is home to various native wildlife. We will be working in a steep area and will be removing tree ivy to protect this important tree canopy. Due to steep terrain, we recommend people 16 years of age or older volunteer for this site.

Wilkes Creek Natural Area

Join the Columbia Slough Watershed Councilin Wilkes Creek Natural Area to remove English ivy. Hang out with your neighbors and see who can pull the longest piece of ivy! Wilkes Creek is one of the only remaining surface creeks that still flows into the Columbia Slough, making it a critical freshwater source. Work being done at this event will help protect the existing tree canopy and open areas for new native plant installation, which benefits water quality and wildlife.

Kelly Butte Natural Area

Join Portland Parks & Recreation to remove English ivy at this hidden gem of a park. Kelly Butte has a fascinating history and is home to so much native wildlife. We will be working in sloped area with uneven ground while removing English ivy to protect this important habitat.

Leach Botanical Garden

Join Leach Botanical Gardenand Johnson Creek Watershed Councilfor a rewarding day of habitat restoration in the Back 5 Community Habitat Enhancement Projectarea at Leach Botanical Garden! We'll be focusing on removing invasive English ivy from this special natural space, which is being carefully restored to support local wildlife and native plant species. The Back 5 project is a collaborative effort, supported by dedicated partners committed to enhancing urban habitats and fostering a deeper connection to the land and each other.

Mt. Tabor Park

Join Portland Parks & Recreation and Friends of Mt. Tabor Weed Warriorsto remove invasively growing English ivy and Himalayan blackberry at this unique natural area.

April Hill Park

Join Friends of April Hill Parkto tackle English ivy in this natural area. Come when you can and stay as long as you want. We'll meet by the Giant Sequoia near the playground and then head into the park's natural area, where clearly marked sections will guide our work. We will instruct on the best practices and techniques for ivy removal without harming native plants.

Fanno Creek Natural Area

Join Westside Watershed Resource Centerfor a morning of English ivy removal at this little natural area that Fanno Creek runs through on its way to the Tualatin River. Fanno Creak is a 15-mile-long meandering urban stream that supports native fish species such as sculpin and coastal cutthroat trout. We will walk a short distance from the road to a flat, wooded area along the creek to remove ivy. 

Governors Park

Join Portland Parks & Recreation to remove English ivy from this lovely Natural Area nestled into the southwest Portland hills. Acquired in 1894, this park was dedicated while Sylvester Pennoyer was Governor of Oregon (1894-1901), giving the park its name. Pennoyer was the first person to make a gift of property to the City of Portland specifically for park purposes.

Hoyt Arboretum

Volunteer to care for Hoyt Arboretum's trees and trails with the Saturday Crew for No Ivy Day. With 189 acres and more than 6,000 trees along 12 miles of trails, volunteers are incredibly important to maintaining Hoyt Arboretum's tree collection and trail system.This is a unique opportunity for volunteers to learn about and care for rare and unusual trees and plants from around the world. 

Marshall Park

JoinTryon Creek Watershed Councilfor a morning of ivy removal at Marshall Park. The park is home to the main stem of Tryon Creek, which supports a healthy population of coastal cutthroat trout.

Marquam Nature Park

The Forest Park Conservancywill be leading invasive species removal efforts in Marquam Nature Park, celebrating No Ivy Day in partnership with Portland Parks & Recreation. We'll hike into the forest, removing invasive English ivy from along trails to make way for native plantings throughout the fall and winter.

Washington Park

Washington Park is one of the oldest parks in Portland. We will be removing weedy growing English ivy along the service road and Multnomah Athletic Club trail (MAC trail), situated between the rose garden and the soon to be completed reservoir. This area of the park sees a lot of foot traffic, especially locals walking dogs and runners (the MAC trail connects Multnomah Athletic Club to the Wildwood Trail).

Woods Memorial

Join Portland Parks & Recreation and Friends of Woods Parkfor our monthly volunteer event and annual No Ivy Day at Woods Memorial Natural Area. Volunteers will be removing invasive English ivy from this beautiful natural area in southwest Portland, which is part of the Fanno Creek watershed and home to two forks of Woods Creek. With around 98% of the landscape covered by native plant species, this peaceful site attracts wildlife and offersa great opportunity to get outside and enjoy nature.

Forest Park

Forest Park Conservancywill be working on the Leif Erikson Trail in Forest Park, celebrating No Ivy Day in partnership with Portland Parks & Recreation. We'll hike into the forest, removing invasive English ivy from along the trail to make way for fall and winter native plantings.

Village on the Lake Homeowners Association

Join the Oswego Lake Watershed Councilin partnership with the Village on The Lake Homeowners Association to enhance Tract A, located along Lily Bay. This project aims to restore the native ecosystem, improve bay health, and reduce fire risk-critical to the overall health of the watershed. The focus will be on removing invasive English ivy to protect this valuable natural area. Please note that the work involves steep, uneven terrain with hazards such as fallen logs, wetlands, and damp conditions. Volunteers with prior experience are preferred, and this site is not suitable for youth. 

Homewood Park

Celebrate Portland's No Ivy Day in Milwaukie at Homewood Park with North Clackamas Parks and Recreation.We'll be pulling ivy along the wooded path at Homewood to improve the understory habitat for native plantings.

Fir Grove Park

Help our friends with theTualatin Hills Parks and Recreation Departmentremove English ivy from the natural areas at Fir Grove Park. Ayúdenos a remover hiedra inglesa (English ivy) de los espacios naturales en Fir Grove Park.

Visit the PP&R No Ivy Day web pagefor more information and to register.

About Portland Parks & Recreation's Natural Areas Stewardship program

Since 1994, No Ivy League has worked tirelessly to empower youth, educate the public, and remove ivy from Portland's parks and natural areas. Now, Portland Parks & Recreation's City Nature and Natural Area Stewardship program continues the legacy of the No Ivy League by working with volunteers of all ages to help enhance and restore PP&R natural areas, provide habitat to wildlife and insects, and provide safe trails to park visitors.

For more information: www.portland.gov/parks/nas

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