Our Mission
To restore the native habitat of Forest Park and other natural areas with efforts in removing invasive plants, youth development programs, environmental education, and community participation - promoting research, providing technical assistance, and seeking relevant societal changes.
Since 1994, The No Ivy League has worked tirelessly to empower youth, educate the public, and remove English ivy from Portland's parks.
Volunteer With No Ivy League
Group Volunteer Events
Are you interested in learning more about the environment and looking for a volunteer or service project? If so, you have come to the right place! The No Ivy League provides tools, projects, and guidance on whatever form of service you would like; including invasive plant removal, trail repair, and restoration planting. If you are interested, please contact Mary Verrilli.
Saturday Volunteer Events
Earn community service credit for school or other service requirements!
What
Join us for our regular Saturday volunteer events and become a steward of our beloved natural area: Forest Park!! Volunteers will take a short hike to one of our various sites and work off-trail removing English ivy, planting native plants and occasional trail work. This is a DIRTY job so come prepared in grubby, long-sleeved clothing and boots. We'll provide gloves and tools.
- Groups of five or more persons need to call 503-823-8367 to register at least a few days in advance.
- Groups of 10 or more should call 503-823-8367 at least one week ahead.
- All ages are welcome to attend; young children must be supervised by an adult.
Where
Locations vary. Please see the calendar for meeting location. Check our calendar for event
When
First Wednesdays, first and third Saturdays each month, 9:00 AM-12:00 PM. Check our calendar for event cancellations or for more details.
Still have questions? Contact us.
Other Volunteer Opportunities
Are you interested in doing your part to halt the advance of invasive species or improving the public spaces in your community? Looking for groups in your area? Look no further, here is a list of websites to help steer you in the right direction.
- Stewardship Opportunities- Join a volunteer event to help restore our natural areas.
- Portland Parks & Recreation Volunteer Opportunities - Invasive species removal, community gardens, community centers, youth sports, the list goes on.
- Hands On Greater Portland - A great website to help connect passionate volunteers to projects in their own communities.
- Forest Park Conservancy - Another good way to help preserve the natural beauty of Forest Park: trail repair, plantings, invasive species removal.
- Friends of Marquam Nature Park - Help maintain one of Portland's historic natural areas.
- Friends of Terwilliger Parkway- Get involved to help restore this historic natural area.
Know of any other groups to be posted here? Please let us know.
Mary Verrilli
Westside Stewardship Coordinator
mary.verrilli@portlandoregon.gov
503-823-8367
No Ivy League Field Headquarters
2960 NW Upshur Street, Portland Oregon 97210
503-823-3681
No Ivy Day 2021
Save the Date. No Ivy Day November 20,2021! Visit No Ivy Day for updates.
No Ivy Day Historic Results
2020
Thanks to all our volunteers and site leaders who contributed at No Ivy Day 2020. Here is what we were able to accomplish;
- 213 volunteers came out to 14 different sites
- Saved 52 trees
- Removed 46,000 square feet of ivy (equivalent to 1 acre)
- Planted 203 native plants
- Brushed 106 linear feet of trail
2019
Thanks to all our volunteers and site leaders who contributed at No Ivy Day 2019. Here is what we were able to accomplish;
- 325 volunteers came out to 19 different sites
- Saved 172 trees
- Removed 2 acres of invasive ivy
- Planted 500 native plants
2018
The Portland Parks & Recreation's 15th annual No Ivy Day happened on October 27, 2018.
- Over 460 volunteers that came out to steward a natural area at 17 sites all over Portland-Metro area.
- 1,395 volunteer hours contributed to the fight against invasive species
- Removed 83,000 square feet of ivy, equivalent to 1.9 acres.
- Saved more than 200 trees from ivy
- Removed 3,000 square feet of other invasive plants
- Planted 375 plants
- Mulched 100 plants
2016
On Saturday, October 29, community members around the Portland metro area gathered to improve our natural areas through the removal of the invasive weed English Ivy. We were lucky to have a beautiful fall day for the event. The time you donated to organize and lead ivy removal work parties was crucial to our success! Together, we worked to accomplish the following:
- Ivy removal work parties were held at 18 sites in the Portland area
- More than 350 volunteers participated in invasive plant removal, contributing more than 1,050 volunteer hours of labor to the fight against invasive species
- 130 trees were cleared of ivy
- More than 80,000 square feet (about 2 acres) of ground ivy was removed
2015
On Saturday, October 24, community members from around the Portland metro area gathered to improve our natural areas through the removal of the invasive weed English Ivy. Thank you to all the volunteers who contributed to make No Ivy Day a success.
- Ivy removal work parties were held at 20 sites in the Portland area
- More than 290 volunteers participated in invasive plant removal, contributing more than 870 volunteer hours of labor to the fight against invasive species
- 150 trees were cleared of ivy
- More than 130,000 square feet (3 acres) of ground ivy was removed.
2014
No Ivy Day 2014 Photos
On Saturday, October 25, community members from around the Portland metro area gathered to improve our natural areas through the removal of the invasive weed English Ivy. Thank you to all the volunteers and site leaders who helped make No Ivy Day 2014 a success!
- Ivy removal work parties were held at 19 sites in the Portland area
- More than 300 volunteers participated in invasive plant removal, contributing more than 900 volunteer hours of labor to the fight against invasive species
- 20 trees were cleared of ivy
- More than 74,000 square feet of ground ivy was removed
- 390 trees and shrubs were planted in an ivy where ivy once grew
2013
No Ivy Day 2013 Photos
On Saturday, October 5, community members from around the Portland metro area gathered on a beautiful fall morning to improve our natural areas through the removal of the invasive ivy. This event marks the 10th annual No Ivy Day. Thank you to all the volunteers who contributed to make No Ivy Day a success! Your dedication and hard work has helped to improve our natural areas.
- Ivy removal work parties were held at 13 sites in the Portland area
- More than 115 volunteers participated in invasive plant removal, contributing more than 345 volunteer hours of labor to the fight against invasive species
- 165 trees were cleared of ivy
- More than 48,000 square feet of ground ivy was removed
2012
No Ivy Day 2012 Photos
On Saturday, October 13, community members from around the Portland metro area converged beneath forgiving clouds to improve our natural areas through the removal of the invasive weed, English ivy. Removing invasive plants allows for the establishment of native plants and a more diverse ecosystem. These results will continue to improve the habitat of our natural areas for future use by wildlife and people.
- Ivy removal work parties were held at 17 sites in the Portland area
- More than 162 volunteers participated in invasive plant removal, contributing more than 648 volunteer hours of labor to the fight against invasive species
- 374 trees were cleared of English ivy
- More than 31,575 square feet of ground ivy was removed
2011
No Ivy Day 2011 Photos
On October 22, volunteers across the region gathered under fairly lovely fall weather to help improve our natural areas by removing the invasive weed English ivy. Thanks so much to those who donated their valuable time to make No Ivy Day 2011 a success!
- Ivy removal work parties were held at 15 sites in the Portland area.
- More than 279 volunteers participated in invasive plant removal, contributing more than 1,096 volunteer hours of labor in the fight against invasive species.
- 242 trees were cleared of English ivy
- More than 150,000 square feet of ground ivy was removed
- 10 linear feet of fence was mended, bags of garbage were removed from multiple sites, and invasive trees were trimmed in advance of removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the No Ivy Day event?
- Demonstrate what we can do to save our native ecosystem and stop ivy from spreading
- Continue public education and outreach about the ivy problem
- Reduce the amount of mature ivy capable of producing seed
- Show the impacts volunteers can make in ivy removal efforts!
How can I be involved?
- RSVP to be a No Ivy Day site
- Recruit your friends, family, and other volunteers; organize your own work party group
- Inform the public of English ivy's impact on the environment
Do I need experience in ivy removal to volunteer?
- Absolutely not! No Ivy Day is a great way to get some great hands-on experience and learn successful ivy removal techniques with fellow ivy foes!
What should I bring to the event?
- Grubby, washable clothing
- Long pants
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Sturdy shoes or boots
- Rain gear
- Water bottle
- Backpack/bag for your personal gear
What about transportation and parking?
- We urge you to bike, bus, or carpool to your site as parking may be limited. TriMet options and parking options will be included in the descriptions for each site.
Will there be bathrooms?
- Plan no access to public restrooms at your work site. Be sure to "go before you go!" Restrooms will be available at most sites and the No Ivy Day Celebration sites at Forest Parks, Lower Macleay Park, George Himes Park.
What about First Aid?
- There will be at least one cell phone per site along with basic First Aid supplies.
What if I didn't RSVP?
- We encourage you to RSVP beforehand. Please refer to No Ivy Day for a list of our available sites.
Other Volunteer Opportunities
Are you interested in doing your part to halt the advance of invasive species or improving the public spaces in your community? Looking for groups in your area? Look no further, here is a list of websites to help steer you in the right direction.
- Stewardship Opportunities- Join a volunteer event to help restore our natural areas.
- Portland Parks & Recreation Volunteer Opportunities - Invasive species removal, community gardens, community centers, youth sports, the list goes on.
- Hands On Greater Portland - A great website to help connect passionate volunteers to projects in their own communities.
- Forest Park Conservancy - Another good way to help preserve the natural beauty of Forest Park: trail repair, plantings, invasive species removal.
- Friends of Marquam Nature Park - Help maintain one of Portland's historic natural areas.
- Friends of Terwilliger Parkway- Get involved to help restore this historic natural area.