Watershed Wonders
A community speaker series bringing partners and neighbors together in the name of learning all things coastal watershed
Fluvial Geomorphology for Dummies
April 19th, 2023
Graham Waugh is a water resources engineer from Eastern Canada. His background has involved studying rivers and managing the inevitable conflict between people and rivers. Whether that is managing water supply and ecological flow rates, riverbank restoration, or floodplain management. He’s spent much of the past 15 years at a desk analyzing maps and hydrology data but the highlights have always been the days in the field wading in rivers and on boats. Through his Instagram page @WaterResourcesGuy, Graham is trying to spread awareness and respect for rivers with the general public.
The Talk:
Fluvial Geomorphology for Dummies digs into the age old question, “why do rivers looks the way they do?” Rivers, despite all their unique and wild nature, follow some basic principles that govern how gravity, water, rocks and plants work together. This talk will help answer questions about how rivers form, move, and adapt to changes. The goal is to impart more awareness and respect for these wild natural spaces that we live with and benefit from.
The Remarkable Wild Bees of the Oregon Coast
January 22nd, 2024
Did you know Oregon has over 700 species of bees? We say “over" because, in fact, no one really knows how many bees call the state home. Central Oregon is particularly well endowed with these amazing bees. This talk will describe some of the strange and weird bees that call the Oregon Coast home, our efforts to find them and gardening tips to make them feel at home in your backyard.
Andony Melathopoulos is an Associate Professor in Pollinator Health Extension in the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University, which was the first such position in the US. He chairs the statewide bee protection initiative, the Oregon Bee Project, is the Extension Educator for the Master Melittologist program and hosts a weekly podcast called PolliNation.
Whose River Gets Restored?
January 31st, 2024
When a river gets restored we marvel at the improvements to the habitat, but what about the people who rely on that system? Do we really understand how river restoration impacts communities up or downstream? There is a clearly disproportionate weight placed on the concern of a community when that community is affluent and majority white. But when communities of color experience restoration we often fail to ensure that the work being done doesn't negatively impact those very same communities.
You'll hear amazing stories and see incredible maps from Dr. Leslie King, a rural medicine expert and Commissioner of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Dr. King is an instructor at the Portland State University River Restoration program, a graphic novelist and a leader in building awareness for culturally sensitive restoration practices.