In This Issue
• Good pie, bad plant

• Toss your toes in the Tualatin

• Stream-teaming in your backyard

Did you know?
Other popular invasive plants in our basin include Garlic Mustard, Scotch Broom and Japanese Knotweed.

Who we are
Clean Water Services is a wastewater and stormwater utility committed to protecting water resources in the Tualatin River Watershed.

Good pie, bad plant

We're referring to what many consider this time of year's most bountiful shrub—the Himalayan blackberry. While their berries make great pies, the plant is wreaking havoc in your backyard. Invasive plants thrive in many landscapes and crowd out native species. Since normal insects, disease and animals aren’t present in their new environment, non-natives grow rapidly. In the Northwest, English ivy and Himalayan blackberry are some of the major offenders. These and other unwelcome weeds can:

• Displace native species,
• Alter your landscape,
• Decrease animal habitat,
• and fuel urban fires.

Combat these courageous creepers by:

• Keeping invasive plants under control. Don’t allow overgrowth that could fuel a fire.
• Replanting with native species. Use our Native Plant Finder to find the right vegetation for your landscape.
• Spreading the word. Tell your friends and neighbors about the harmful effects of non-natives.
• Learning more about invasive plants on the Nature Conservancy website.

Toss your toes in the Tualatin

It's the height of summer and there's no time like the present to get out and enjoy our Basin's most precious resource—the Tualatin River. Due to community efforts, the Tualatin is cleaner than it's been in generations and is thriving with aquatic species and inviting paddle routes and swimming holes.

Hook up with fun activities near you:

• Enjoy paddle trips and tours offered by the Tualatin Riverkeepers.
• Bike or hike across the new Ki-a-Kuts bridge which links Tigard's Cook Park, Tualatin Community Park and Durham City Park.
• Escape to Hagg Lake at the base of Oregon's coastal range for numerous recreational activities.

Stream-teaming in your backyard

Construction goes hand-in-hand with the nicer weather. Our efforts to enhance the basin's wastewater pipe system, local streams and wetlands are in full force. Stay up-to-date on Clean Water Services projects near you with the Projects section of our website. You'll find a map and title listing of local improvement activities.

If you have some extra time on your hands, you can also put on some gloves and lend a helping hand in your own neighborhood. Get involved with local groups who share our goals of creating a sustainable and livable community.