Proposal for Reestablishing/Reinvigorating the Environmental Committee
for the RCPNA:
Purpose StatementWe live in a community that has an appreciation for what the natural environment
contributes to our lives. For a relatively large city we have good access to parks and
waterways that have been left in natural, close to or somewhat natural condition and we
have, in our neighborhoods, retained more of the natural environment that contributes to
the lives of Portlanders than most cities. We also have an abundance of city and nonprofit
programs based in Portland that assist or incentivize the retention, enhancement or
reclamation of the natural environment that so many of our citizens use and enjoy. Our
neighborhood has a history of activism. I hope to tap into the RCP activist spirit and the
existing city-wide organizational support for the environment in such a manner that RCP
becomes thought of as a model of what can be achieved in an urban environment to
protect and enhance Portland’s air, soil and waterways in our city. An enhanced, and
where possible, contiguous habitat for animals and humans is the ultimate purpose for
this committee.
Current positive Environmental Impacts as a result of RCP activities:
 Annual Cleanup and Rummage Sale
 Friends of Trees Plantings
 Presentations from Environmental Programs at RCPNA Meetings
Objective 1
Seek out partners in the RCP neighborhood, in city organizations and w/ politicians in
Portland, with regional nonprofits, Metro, and with foundations- people and
organizations willing to support RCP Environmental Committee Objectives and Goals
physically and financially.
Goals within Objective 1
Assemble a team of active RPC participants who want to help maintain, enhance and/or
reclaim portions of the natural environment in our neighborhood through existing city
and regional environmental programs and (hypothetically) develop new projects to effect
new projects, strategies or informational campaigns that are specific to our neighborhood.
Encourage RCP citizens to participate in city and regional organization goals that benefit
the environment in our neighborhood, and as they connect to other features in our wider
community.
In addition to encouraging RCP citizens to participate in environmental enhancements in
their own yards I hope to create a core group of citizens who will physically work on
volunteer environmental projects in the neighborhood. I would like to be able to assist
interested families that are not able to do the work on their own yards. Scenarios in this
situation would include physical and/or financial limitations. The goal would be to help 2
families per year.
Coordinate existing city and other non-profit program participation on a wider scale, and
ideally in a contiguous fashion (yards adjacent to city features, schools, churches or
multiple yards together) with assistance from neighborhood volunteers.
Objective 2
Make committee approach science-based where possible by measuring to track progressthrough city programs, non-profits and schools (K- PhD programs), measuring sediment
and chemical runoff, pollution abatement and types of pollinators attracted.
Goals within Objective 2
Provide opportunities, especially for young people, to become involved intellectually,
and where possible, connecting to school science programs such as Science
Fairs, experiments, thesis and dissertations, etc., and by using the resources of existing
city/non-profit/college programs that share the same interest(s). Engagement with at least
1 school in next year.
Objective 3
Decrease and/or mitigate impervious pavement and/or increase porosity of hard surfaces.
Goals within Objective 3
Encourage schools and churches, as well as private businesses, to remove concrete and
treated asphalt, and replace them with pervious surfaces in parking lots and walking
surfaces, playgrounds, etc. Develop a highly visible area as a demonstration project, with
plenty of press and signage that would facilitate momentum for other projects of the same
or similar nature. Specifically the area just off of NE 57th and Sandy Blvd. – the parking
lot and areas adjacent to the parking lot of the Rose City Park United Methodist Churchwould be visible to a large amount of traffic and is in need of runoff mitigation and has
neglected raised bed gardens that could be used to both attract native animal and insect
species by planting small trees and understory plants adjacent to the raised beds and
could provide fresh produce for families that are currently under the care of the Church.
Perhaps the owners of adjacent properties could assist by, at least, allowing plantings on
their properties of species that would enhance both the appearance of this area and
provide habitat that is natural and would help with the productivity of the raised bed
gardens.
In particular, I wish to explore the possibilities of enticing businesses to deconstruct
existing impervious parking lots by having volunteer workers efforts help to defray the
costs of pavement removal in our neighborhood. Two businesses per year is the goal.
Objective 4
Increase tree canopy and understory plants.
Goals within Objective 4
Determine, through the city and Friends of Trees, the rate of increase that occurs
currently, and through a wider neighborhood environmental/sustainability
communication campaign (RCPNECC), increase the rate by 7% each year.
Objective 5
Encourage general planting of native species and the native insects and animals that rely
on those species.
Goals within Objective 5
Utilizing the RCPNECC, via the RCPNA newsletter, website and meetings and
gatherings, disseminate information with articles generated by RCP citizens and guests to
alert the general citizenry about opportunities to enhance the neighborhood environment.
The area adjacent to NE 57th and Sandy Blvd. and the hill at the golf course are particular
areas of interest that would fall under this category and be catalysts in this effort. 10
families per year signing up for Backyard Habitat.
Objective 6
Enhance walkability/non-motorized transportation mode of neighborhood.
Goals within Objective 6
Coordinate environmental projects with other wider sustainability projects in the
neighborhood. Trees slow automobile traffic. The intersection of Broadway and NE 60th
would benefit from plantings in this and other respects. Slow traffic at 3 intersections per
year.
Objective 7
Bring increased awareness of invasive plants to the neighborhood.
Goal 7
Establish a group that would observe, identify and attempt to communicate with citizens
or property owners with problematic plants. 5% reduction of invasive plants per year.
Succinct Summary of Objectives:
Trees- Air Cleansing, Habitat, Cooling, Traffic Slowing
Understory Native Plants- Habitat, Anti-Erosion, Require Less Water/Upkeep
Pavement Removal- Chemical and Sediment Runoff, Cooling
Volunteering- Can Help Us All Achieve Positive Results that Enhance RCP
FundingI hope to minimize any costs to the RCPNA by getting the city and other regional nonprofits, and maybe foundations, to pay for most project expenses. Perhaps some costs
would be incurred if we wish to incentivize participation for low-income families for
things like Friends of Trees plantings, possibly to encourage some school participation as
I suggest for tying to their science programs and probably some if the board wishes to
fund the two/year plantings for families unable to participate for financial/physical
reasons (Goal 1, Paragraph 3). It might be nice to give volunteers t-shirts. The board
probably has a better idea of these costs than I currently know about. I wish to emphasize
working with existing programs because they are already established and they have the
financial resources to enact much of what I describe in this proposal.