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Columbia Land Trust invites Troutdale residents to enroll in Backyard Habitat Certification program
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Summary
Kate Kaufman of Columbia Land Trust described a Backyard Habitat Certification partnership with Troutdale, said 47 local residents are enrolled and staff are contracted to serve about 10 residents; the committee discussed outreach, costs and volunteer opportunities.
Columbia Land Trust representatives told the Troutdale Citizens Advisory Committee on April 1 that the Backyard Habitat Certification Program offers site visits, personalized reports, native-plant discounts and volunteer opportunities to help residents steward urban habitat.
"My name is Kate Kaufman… I am the lead technician for Backyard Habitat," Kaufman said, introducing the program and its regional partners. She said the program has educated about 14,000 people across four counties and credited the initiative with creating roughly 5 million square feet of nature scaping and 21,000 trees over 20 years. "For you personally, there are 47 folks already enrolled in Troutdale," Kaufman said; she added that the current Troutdale contract supports outreach to about 10 residents and offered committee members a free enrollment code, BHCP100.
Committee members asked whether the city pays program fees or whether participant fees fund the work. Dakota and other staff said they are not aware of a direct city contract that pays participant services and that the program often operates as a partnership; one participant noted Kaufman’s website states the majority of revenue comes from participant fees and design services. Kaufman confirmed program materials include fee-based options and that Columbia Land Trust also provides discounts and resources and works with local partners, including Spanish-language materials.
Questions from renters and residents focused on applicability for small yards, invasive-plant priorities, and volunteer stewardship of public land. Kaufman recommended potted native-plant approaches for renters, discussed prioritizing removal of invasive species such as blackberry and ivy, and invited CAC members to share contact details for coordination with parks staff and an upcoming Earth Day volunteer event.
Staff asked Columbia Land Trust to provide links and resources that can be shared on the city’s channels so residents know how to enroll and access volunteer opportunities. Kaufman and staff agreed to follow up with contact information for outreach and joint events.
