Volunteers needed for Portland Parks & Recreation’s 19th annual No Ivy Day

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Have fun and help protect Portland’s treasured parks and natural areas
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(Portland, OR) –

Portland Parks & Recreation’s No Ivy League invites you to volunteer for our 19th annual No Ivy Day events citywide on October 29, 2022. When left unchecked,  ivy vines can grow to the size of large tree branches (see below photo!), harming native trees and reducing biodiversity in our valued Northwest ecosystems.  

Portland Parks & Recreation coordinator Mary Verrilli poses with a giant log of ivy at Lower Macleay Park on a sunny day. She's wearing a purple stocking cap and purple sweatshirt. The log is thicker than her leg and almost up to her shoulders from the ground up.
Portland Parks & Recreation coordinator Mary Verrilli poses with a giant log of ivy. When left unchecked, invasive English ivy can grow to this size, damaging trees and ecosystems.

You can help! Come show your support by joining a volunteer event at one of our sites throughout the region. Since 2011, PP&R volunteer efforts have removed nearly a quarter million square feet of  ivy from Portland’s parks and natural areas. We’ve also seen hawks, salamanders, hummingbirds, and other amazing wildlife. Volunteers have worked with staff to remove many bags full of trash from our treasured green spaces and to plant new, beneficial, native vegetation.

Save the date for No Ivy Day - October 29, 2022

Volunteers should expect the events to involve hiking and / or 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.

Questions: Contact Portland Parks & Recreation coordinator Mary Verrilli, mary.verrilli@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-8367

Register for a site today! All No Ivy Day volunteer events are on October 29, 2022, at these sites:

Forest Park

Join Portland Parks & Recreation's No Ivy League for a morning of ivy removal in Forest Park. This is where No Ivy Day originally started 19 years ago! Come learn more about Forest Park, the largest urban forested park within city limits in the lower 48 states, covering more than 5,000 acres.

Hoyt Arboretum
Volunteer to care for Hoyt Arboretum’s trees and trails by removing invasive English ivy during this citywide annual event! 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.

John Luby Park
Join Portland Parks & Recreation and the Russell Neighborhood Association at the 11-acre John Luby Park for a morning of invasive ivy removal, in preparation for a fall understory planting.

Johnson Lake
Join Portland Parks & Recreation to remove invasively growing English ivy at this unique natural area! Johnson Lake has a fascinating history and is currently home to many native Oregon turtles and a variety of waterfowl.

Leach Botanical Garden
Join Portland Parks & Recreation's No Ivy League for a morning of weeding in our partner, Leach Botanical Garden's "Back 5 Community Habitat Enhancement Project"!

Mt Tabor Park
Come pull ivy and remove other invasive species with Portland Parks & Recreation and Friends of Mt Tabor Park Weed Warriors for No Ivy Day.

North Clackamas Park
We are partnering with our friends at the North Clackamas Park and Recreation District to celebrate No Ivy Day. This event is at an oak meadow to protect rare native plants from encroaching ivy and other invasive weeds.

Pier Park
Join Portland & Parks & Recreation and Friends of Pier Park in removing ivy and other invasive species from the park. This event is family friendly, but children must be accompanied by an adult.

Sylvania Nature Area Park
Join Portland Parks & Recreation and Portland Community College in removing ivy from this PP&R natural area in Southwest Portland.

Visit the PP&R No Ivy Day web page for more information and registration! portland.gov/parks/nas/events/2022/10/29/no-ivy-day-2022 

About Portland Parks & Recreation’s No Ivy League

Since 1994, No Ivy League has worked tirelessly to empower youth, educate the public, and

remove ivy from Portland's parks and natural areas. The No Ivy League's mission is 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.

portland.gov/parks/nas/noivy

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