Wilsonville SMART Operations Fleet Facility Construction Complete

Construction has been completed on the City of Wilsonville South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART)  Operations Fleet Facility.  The project includes a 12,600 square foot Fleet and Administration Building located on an approximately 4.5 acre site.  Site improvements include employee and bus parking, fleet maintenance, and administrative services, and is located on SW Boberg Road adjacent to the Wilsonville Westside Express Service (WES) Station. Design services provided by GreenWorks, include Conceptual Site Design and Grading Coordination, type ‘C’ Tree Preservation and Removal Plans, and Final Construction Documentation.  The design team developed a budget sensitive sustainable plan that embraces the natural characteristics of the site, and architectural design features.  Habitat and buffering improvements integrated adjacent to the Significant Resource Overlay Zone (SROZ), provide a transition and embraced the landscape strategy of incorporating native and drought tolerant plants, in combination with a temporary irrigation system.  Stormwater is managed through on site conveyance in channels and basins, and is celebrated through roof rainwater capture and outfall at architectural scuppers along the building entrance.

Mt. Scott Creek Restoration Nearing Completion

Featured in the the Clackamas Review the Mt. Scott Creek Restoration Project at North Clackamas Park is scheduled to be completed in the upcoming weeks. To read the article, click here. Below are pictures of the construction of the confluence overlook.

Stay tuned for photos of the finished project and information about the grand opening!

GreenWorks Awarded USFWS Flexible Services Contract

GreenWorks is excited about the new opportunities to be presented by our recent award of a USFWS Flexible Services contract. Since it’s origins in 1871, the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s mission has been to “work with others, to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.” Similar to the USFWS, GreenWorks’ mission over the last 14 years has been to create healthy interactions between people and nature through conservation and restoration of sensitive ecosystems.

Under this new contract, GreenWorks hopes to provide services for a wide range of projects. From cultural resource inventories, to transportation plans, historic visitor centers, stormwater manuals, wetland restoration, bird blinds, and artistic fish cleaning platforms, GreenWorks will support the USFWS Service as it continues to plan and design for the “Big Six” priority public uses (hunting, fishing, wildlife photography, wildlife observation, environmental interpretation, and environmental education) on its 150 million acres of refuges.

To learn more about the USFWS Service visit: http://www.fws.gov/

Mt. Scott Creek METRO Grant Application

GreenWorks recently helped the Clackamas County Water Environment Services prepare an application for METRO’s Nature in Neighborhoods Capital Grants Program. The requested funds would finance restoration of fish habitat and provide public education improvements along Mt. Scott Creek at North Clackamas Park in Milwaukie. The lower reach of Mt. Scott Creek is important habitat for several juvenile fish species and its location, within a park heavily used by local youth, makes it a great place for environmental education installations. Proposed improvements include: 48,000 square feet of restored and protected riparian forest habitat.

4 large woody debris installations for fish habitat, including approximately 40 logs total.

320 linear feet of streambank stabilization and restoration (within the total 550 lf section).

530 linear feet of decommissioned trail.

50 linear foot pedestrian bridge for ADA access over wetlands.

2 unique and sustainably designed creek overlooks with educational interpretive signs.

1 culvert removal and bank restoration at Camas Creek confluence for fish passage.

We are all keeping our fingers crossed that funding comes through for this exciting project!

Stormwater Features Completed at Beverly Cleary School

As a Landscape Architect at GreenWorks, I get the chance to work on projects for many local public schools. I am often amazed at how much Portland area students know about rainwater. To some of them the terms rain garden, infiltration, and combined sewer are household words. A few years ago, in a 5^th grade class, I lead a discussion on the effects of urban development on stormwater and how increased impervious surfaces speed up and pollute our water . I was barraged with questions about why we continue to let this happen and why someone is not doing more about it. It seems the work of local designers, environmentalists and agencies was not enough for them. It’s refreshing to see this type of concern and curiosity in young people. It inspires me to continue to work with schools. The school community at Beverly Cleary School in NE Portland was inspired to develop a project that improved their schools effects on urban stormwater.  It took some determination.  They built and planted a swale at their school in the spring of 2006, but the downspouts were never disconnected to feed into the swale.

Recently, a dedicated parent with the support of the school community fostered the project through to completion. GreenWorks donated design and consulting services for the swale and most recently for design of the downspout disconnects. In addition to the downspout design, GreenWorks collaborated with students to measure the soil’s infiltration rate, and helped with contractor coordination during construction. The highlight of the project is the pouring downspout bucket. See it in action below. This living science lab is now open for exploration and learning by the school’s students!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj-tXCxpzsE&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Michelle Mathis is a Landscape Architect at GreenWorks with 8 years of experience.  She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture from Ohio State University Knowlton School of Architecture, and has a Master’s in Education from Portland State University.

Silver Falls State Park Natural Play Area

Have you ever wanted to nap like a cougar, climb into an ant hill, build a birds nest or dig for insects like a bear? In the coming year you may be able to do all these things and more in the animal themed interpretive,  natural play area at Silver Falls State Park. GreenWorks has begun work on phase one of the interpretive natural play area at the Park. The idea grew out of the Oregon Parks and Recreation ‘Stepping Stones’ program with the goal to get kids outside and connected with nature.  A 2009 series of workshops with educators, OPRD staff, designers and of course kids, developed themes, ideas and concepts using the Stepping Stones methodology.

The Silver Falls Play area will be animal themed. The young and young at heart can explore a series of play areas situated in a fir and fern wonderland. The first phase of construction will include bear, ant, cougar and bird themed areas. Below are schematic site plans of some of the areas, as well as sketches developed in the design workshops last year. Keep your wild ears open for further design and construction news.

Have a wildly fun and safe Labor Day Weekend.

Low Impact Development Approaches Handbook

To view the complete handbook visit the link below.

http://www.cleanwaterservices.org/LIDA

Green From the Ground Up

NEW GREEN FROM THE GROUND UP SEMINAR: SWALES, RAIN GARDENS AND THE NEW LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT APPROACHES HANDBOOK

Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009 8:30 to 11 a.m. Portland Community College Rock Creek Campus Event Center 17705 NW Springville Road, Portland $10 registration fee

The Home Builders Association (HBA) Green Building Council, Clean Water Services and Metro have brought together speakers to present a balanced perspective and complete spectrum of information on swales and rain gardens.

estacada library rain garden

Carrie Pak, engineering division manger from Clean Water Services will be introducing their new Low Impact Development Approaches (LIDA) Handbook for the Tualatin Basin. Other presenters include Paul Dedyo, PE, KPFF Engineering, Mike Faha, Landscape Architect, Green Works and Alan Hipolito, Executive Director and business manager, Verde. The presenters will share experience-based insights and lessons learned about swale and rain garden design, installation – from sizing to plant selection – and operations, maintenance, project examples and case studies.

Register online now! Find out more about this seminar Find out more about nature-friendly – or low impact – development

GreenWorks = Green Streets

From our recent emailer:  "Green streets provide many benefits such as creating a more pedestrian friendly street, addressing stormwater in a more environmental and economical way, and improving water quality.

GreenWorks has designed over 30 green street projects in Oregon, Washington and California.

Beavercreek Green Street recently received an American Public Works Association 2009 National Project of the Year Award."

King Appointed to USGBC Group

(via the Oregon Daily Journal of Commerce) posted Friday, August 7, 2009

Senior associate Jason A. King of GreenWorks PC has been appointed by the U.S. Green Building Council to serve on the Sustainable Sites Technical Advisory Group (SS TAG). The group provides technical advice in regard to products, tools and services related to sustainable sites within the LEED rating system.

King will advise on credit interpretation requests and credit ruling appeals, as well as monitor consistency in the methods of assessment and standards across the LEED product range as it relates to credits for sustainable sites. He was selected from a pool of 124 applicants for eight open TAG positions. King is experienced in green roof design, storm water design, habitat restoration, reduction of the urban heat island effect, and other sustainable design strategies.

Also, read this interview with Jason King about the appointment, recently featured on World Landscape Architect by Damian Holmes.