Braiding Knowledges for Healthy Futures For All Communities
Start Date
3-11-2024 2:00 PM
End Date
3-11-2024 2:09 PM
Abstract
Founded in 1970 by park neighbors, Friends of Tryon Creek, a nonprofit, focuses on preserving Tryon Canyon. Partnering with Oregon State Parks, their mission aims to inspire communities to reconnect with nature in the urban forest. In 2021, the organization revamped its mission, vision, and strategic plan to enhance community engagement. Acknowledging historical exclusions, especially for BIPOC communities, the group commits to internal changes, prioritizing BIPOC leadership and dismantling traditional organizational models. Tryon Creek State Natural Area, covering 20% of the watershed, provides vital urban habitat. Over 70% of the staff and board represent marginalized identities. Proactive measures, like the BIPOC-focused Tryon Ecology Adventures camp, address barriers and offer a cultural lens on ecology. Community engagement involves volunteers welcoming 10,000 visitors, and educational programs, including Tryon Forest Adventures, reach 600 youth, fostering a deeper connection to nature. The Green Leaders program and Tappin Roots Internship Program provide hands-on experience, engaging students in education, restoration, and community programs. The internships focus on green jobs, environmental justice, traditional ecological knowledge, and implicit bias in the environment, fostering inclusivity and diversity within the organization. Intentional and land tending guided by TEK and revitalizing culture through the re-introduction of cultural fire. These efforts demonstrate a commitment to restoring Tryon Creek's ecological health while creating an inclusive, diverse, and equitable space for community engagement with the natural environment.
Subjects
Air quality, Animal ecology, Climate Change, Environmental education, Environmental social sciences, Fisheries, Habitat restoration, Land/watershed management, Plant ecology
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/41414
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Braiding Knowledges for Healthy Futures For All Communities
Founded in 1970 by park neighbors, Friends of Tryon Creek, a nonprofit, focuses on preserving Tryon Canyon. Partnering with Oregon State Parks, their mission aims to inspire communities to reconnect with nature in the urban forest. In 2021, the organization revamped its mission, vision, and strategic plan to enhance community engagement. Acknowledging historical exclusions, especially for BIPOC communities, the group commits to internal changes, prioritizing BIPOC leadership and dismantling traditional organizational models. Tryon Creek State Natural Area, covering 20% of the watershed, provides vital urban habitat. Over 70% of the staff and board represent marginalized identities. Proactive measures, like the BIPOC-focused Tryon Ecology Adventures camp, address barriers and offer a cultural lens on ecology. Community engagement involves volunteers welcoming 10,000 visitors, and educational programs, including Tryon Forest Adventures, reach 600 youth, fostering a deeper connection to nature. The Green Leaders program and Tappin Roots Internship Program provide hands-on experience, engaging students in education, restoration, and community programs. The internships focus on green jobs, environmental justice, traditional ecological knowledge, and implicit bias in the environment, fostering inclusivity and diversity within the organization. Intentional and land tending guided by TEK and revitalizing culture through the re-introduction of cultural fire. These efforts demonstrate a commitment to restoring Tryon Creek's ecological health while creating an inclusive, diverse, and equitable space for community engagement with the natural environment.