Two Portland churches that have recently received grants from BES’ Community Watershed Stewardship Program (CWSP) are hosting “Naturescaping Basics” workshops this month. The free workshops, presented by East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, train attendees in the “practice of designing (or redesigning) your landscape so that it reduces water use and decreases stormwater runoff while saving you time, money and energy.”

Faith Community Church (12414 E. Burnside), a 2013-14 CWSP grantee, will host a workshop on Saturday, October 5th. (All spaces are currently reserved for this workshop). With CWSP support, the church is working with the Russian Speaking Network of Oregon to train young people in naturescaping principles and skills, which they will use to re-landscape the church property at a highly visible site along the MAX line in East Portland.

Faith Community Church project site

Faith Community Church site plan

2012-13 CWSP grant recipient Pilgrim Lutheran Church (4244 SE 91st Ave.) will host the Naturescaping Basics workshop on Saturday, October 12th, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Spots are still available, and participants can register on the EMSWCD website. Pilgrim Lutheran will also host a follow-up workshop, Site Planning 1, on November 9th. 

Pilgrim Lutheran recently completed its CWSP-funded project, which removed concrete near the church’s front entrance and replaced it with a pervious pavement prayer labyrinth that is accessible to those using mobility devices. The labyrinth is surrounded by native plant gardens and a rain garden which takes stormwater from their covered walkway and soaks it into the ground.

Photos of Pilgrim Lutheran's recently completed project: 

The Community Watershed Stewardship Program (CWSP) supports Portlanders who want to improve the health of Portlandwatersheds. CWSP is a partnership between Portland’s Environmental Services and PortlandStateUniversity. Since 1999, CWSP has granted nearly $1 million to 213 projects. As of mid-2012, these funds were matched by $3.6 million in community support through donations of services, materials and volunteer time. Over 43,000 people donated 325,000 volunteer hours, planted 147,000 native plants and trees, restored over 190 acres of riparian and upland habitat, and enhanced over 10 miles of streams.