If you can’t beat them, join them? Of course this got my attention:
Portland-Vancouver Urban Refuge Program
Portland-Vancouver Urban Refuge Program
Launched in 2015, the Urban Refuge Program has boldly embraced the 21st Century conservation challenge of ensuring our ever-growing Portland-Vancouver Metro Area has a strong connection to the natural world. The Program has drawn attention to a land base of four Urban National Wildlife Refuges that provide opportunities for the community to play, learn, serve, and work. We have also been fortunate to collaborate with many outstanding local partners who have allowed us to join in their ongoing efforts to lift up the community by connecting nature to health, equity, conservation, and public engagement.
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Portland-Vancouver was selected as only the second Urban Refuge Program in the nation — a testament to this community’s history, passion, and innovation in delivering social solutions to complex conservation issues. We have aligned our program focus areas to support important community efforts underway. These focal areas are also key to addressing an overall program goal of ensuring the relevancy of fish and wildlife, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, for generations to come.
I’m not really sure why that beaver’s wearing a helmet. Construction zone? It kind of looks like a bike helmet, but I guess this IS Portland after all. I may not have seen any beavers in Portland but I could tell there were lots of places they’d love to be. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the humanizing effect of urban wildlife to communities- especially in light of this artwork which I recently came across. The artist is Kevin Peterson of Houston, Texas. Be ready for your heart to stop and start pounding at exactly the same time.
I could go on, but I’ll let the artist speak while you go look at his site for yourself. Don’t even ask me if I think he should paint an urban scene with beavers because I’ve already written.
