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Retiring staffer presents Wilsonville field guide and expanded wildlife‑monitoring cameras
Summary
A retiring city staff member told council a Wilsonville field guide (100 initial copies plus e‑book) funded with $19,500 will publish in June; an $8,650 wildlife camera expansion (six cameras) will share images with schools and document species including bobcats, beavers and occasional cougar and black bear sightings.
At the start of the May 18 work session, long‑time city employee Carrie (Rapold) gave a report on two Community Enhancement Program projects she has led: a Wilsonville field guide and a citywide wildlife‑monitoring expansion.
Carrie said the field guide—intended as a publicly available, place‑based guide to Wilsonville’s parks, ecosystems, local history and restoration projects—is at roughly 90% completion. The guide will be roughly 100–125 pages, with six chapters, a foreword, and both print and ebook editions. She said the initial print run will be about 100 copies, with proceeds earmarked to benefit the Wilsonville Library Foundation. Funding for the guide comes from the Community Enhancement Program in the amount of $19,500.
She also described the community wildlife connection project that added six cameras to the city’s monitoring network (project cost $8,650). Cameras are located near Boones Ferry Primary, Grand Oaks Nature Park, Boones Ferry Park, Memorial Park/Beckman Creek Corridor and in the corridor between Wilsonville Road and Beckman Road. Carrie said past monitoring at Beckman Road has formed one of the longest continuous research projects of its kind outside Banff and that the expanded camera network has captured deer, gray fox, coyotes, raccoons, beavers and occasional evidence of cougars and black bears.
Councilors congratulated Carrie on her retirement and asked whether the field guide will note the location of the cameras and how students are being involved; Carrie said wildlife monitoring is included in a chapter, that images are shared with the school district for education, and that the guide aims to encourage nature‑based learning and community exploration.
What’s next: the field guide publication is planned for June with library distribution, school availability, event sales and an ebook; the wildlife monitoring database and fact sheet will continue to be used for education and habitat‑protection outreach.
