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The Explore Your Park Series is a free, drop-in program for all ages that offers hands-on activities, scavenger hunts, creature features, guided park tours, and more.
About
The Explore Your Park Series is a free program for all ages that offers hands-on activities, scavenger hunts, creature features, guided park tours, and more. Events will be 2 hours in length and attendees can drop in to participate for any amount of time during that period. This program will visit a different Portland park each month to learn from and about the plants and animals that call it home.
Explore Your Park Series Schedule
Events will be 2 hours in length and attendees can drop in to participate for any amount of time during that period. Please note - events will be cancelled if conditions are unsafe due to outdoor conditions. Check our website for most up to date information.
Spring Calendar
| Day | Date | Time | Park |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Mar 2 | 11:00am – 1:00 pm | Columbia Park, Columbia Cottage |
| Sat | Mar 7 | 11:00am – 1:00 pm | Columbia Park, covered shelter |
| Mon | Apr 6 | 11:00am – 1:00 pm | Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge North Entrance, Tadpole Pond |
| Sat | Apr 18 | 11:00am – 1:00 pm | Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge North Entrance, Tadpole Pond |
| Fri | May 15 | 11:00am – 1:00 pm | Powell Butte Nature Park, near the Visitor's Center |
| Sat | May 16 | 11:00am – 1:00 pm | Powell Butte Nature Park, near the Visitor's Center |
Monthly Creature Feature and Park Information
APRIL
Creature Feature: Frogs!
In April, frogs are mating and laying their eggs. Near a fresh body of water, you may hear the common call of the Pacific Tree Frog, which they do while floating or sitting at the surface of shallow water. They are the most common and smallest frog in Oregon. They can be found in wetlands, meadows, woodlands, and brushy areas. While there are 12 species of native frogs found in Oregon, the most likely frog species you will find in Portland is the pacific tree frog. Another native frog you may find is the Northern Red-Legged Frog, which is less common and listed as a sensitive species. This frog has red coloring on its arms and legs. If you find a large frog with a distinct fold of skin from their eye to their shoulder, it is most likely the non-native and invasive American Bullfrog. It is illegal to release a bullfrog once captured and should be eliminated due its highly destructive impact to other frogs and animals.
Did you know that frogs do not drink water? They absorb it through their skin! Their skin can also absorb other things, so they are sensitive to pollution. Because of this, they are known as an indicator species. A change in their population or health lets us know that something may be wrong in the environment. Frogs play a part in a healthy ecosystem, but they are in decline due to pollution, habitat loss, climate change, and other predators. You can help frogs by never keeping a wild frog as a pet, controlling non-native plants, avoid using pesticides and herbicides, remove and report American bullfrogs, and never release non-native wildlife into the wild.
Learn more about frogs:
Frogs and Toads | Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife
LWW_Pacific_Treefrog_final.pdf
The Frogs of Oaks Bottom – Friends of Oaks Bottom
Featured Park: Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge
History
Oaks Bottom is a floodplain wetland located along the east bank of the Willamette River. Part of the park is built on a sanitation landfill consisting of 400,000 cubic feet of construction waste material layered with soil. The City of Portland acquired the original 115 acres in 1959. Portland Parks acquired the landfill property from the Donald M. Drake Company at the beginning of 1969 to block its development as an industrial park. The area was believed, at the time, to be one of the few remaining marshland areas in Portland, and local residents were strongly opposed to its development as industrial property. PP&R created Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge (name changed from Oaks Pioneer Park), the city's first wildlife refuge, in 1988 after a long history of environmental degradation at the site. The City thanks the Sellwood neighbors, schools and colleges, and many other volunteer and partner groups who help restore habitats at the refuge.
Natural Features
Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge is a 163-acre complex of meadows, woodlands and wetlands in Portland on the east bank of the Willamette River, just north of the Sellwood Bridge. The refuge is the largest remaining natural area within the lower Willamette River floodplain and provides important habitat for fish and wildlife, including threatened salmon and more than 175 bird species.
Oaks Bottom supports many wildlife species that are considered "special status" - in decline on a regional or statewide scale. These include 44 bird species, three bat species, and one type of amphibian.
Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge has an education pond called Tadpole Pond. Salamanders start laying eggs in tadpole pond in January, and frogs start laying soon after. January through March are good times to see eggs. April through June are good times to see frog tadpoles and salamander larvae.
Come join our next Explore Your Park Series this April at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge and meet these amazing amphibians with us!
Learn more:
View the Amphibians of Portland brochure to learn more.
Portland Parks Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge webpage
What to expect on your visit
- Check in: there will be a check in station where staff will hand out scavenger hunt sheets and review the stations and stops. Look for the check in sign.
- Warm drinks (only during winter season): apple cider and hot cocoa will be available. Limited supplies.
- Activity stations: inside the room will be stations set up to explore nature similar to the outdoor scavenger hunt. Feel free to explore inside, outside, or both.
- Scavenger Hunts (staff or self-guided): Scavenger hunts are created to be able to do on your own, but on site there will be scheduled guided walks by environmental education staff. Rain or shine. Look for signs stationed across the park.
- Stamps: as you complete each stop of the scavenger hunt stamp your sheet. Stamps will be located on the signs for each stop.
- Check out: show staff your completed scavenger hunt for a prize (sticker).
Survey: complete our online survey to help us improve these events
Connect With Us
Partner With Us: Community groups and organizations are invited to come table during these events. If you are interested in tabling or conducting outreach at an Explore Your Park event, please reach out!
Suggest a Park: We want to hear from you -- let us know which parks you want to 'explore' with us.
Provide Feedback: Share your thoughts on Explore Your Park events. We appreciate your feedback and want to improve programming.
Questions: Any other questions about this program's content or logistical details?
To connect with us fill out our communication form or reach out to Environmental Education Program Coordinator Karen Chao at Karen.Chao@portlandoregon.gov.