Wintertime for the Other Gulch Residents

By Elizabeth J. Ruther

Hi Neighbors! I’m excited to bring people, habitat, and critters closer together by writing articles that connect you and your backyard to the wildlife that live there. Many people are aware of the footprint humans leave on the landscape and what to do to reduce it (i.e. recycling, bicycling, gardening) but often, as we go about our business, we overlook the small actions that can impact, sometimes severely, the wildlife that live among us. Additionally, there are plenty of small and, dare I say, fun things to do that have a profound benefit for wildlife with very little, IF any, effort. Sure, we prefer our gardens and yards to look a certain way and that’s cool. I’m not getting in the way of individuality, the freedom of creative expression, or the love of green lawns. I promise; there will be something for everyone in these articles, even for those who know all of our neighborhood birds and are nature-O-philes. At the very least, I hope my writing is entertaining. Who knows, you may find yourself reciting an interesting wildlife fact at your next game night. Even better, you may jump up and exclaim, “Look! The hummer is drinking from the Aquilegia formosa I just planted!” during an evening with friends on your back deck. And maybe, if we see our neighbors tearing up their green lawn to replant native prairie grass species, we will lend a hand instead of thinking they just fell off their rocker.

I’ve worked in many different aspects of the environmental field. I have come to believe that the light bulb theory (the theory that if everyone changed one light bulb to an energy efficient bulb, the energy savings would be tremendous) can be applied to wildlife and has even larger ramifications for wildlife when compared to the light bulb theory and energy conservation. There is nothing better than local action for birds, amphibians, mammals, and reptiles. One large tree really does make a difference; a certain native plant really does provide an important food source; a dead tree provides a hole that literally spells the difference between success and failure for local populations of animals. The fact is that when you maintain local populations, you contribute to meta-populations (the larger group of local populations) that help a species of animal survive and thrive. The larger the local populations, the less likely the overall population will spiral toward extinction because the species has back-ups. I hope that with the addition (or purposeful retention) of certain plants and habitat elements, Sullivan’s Gulch will become a fantastic draw for migrating birds, butterflies, and others—a highway rest stop as they continue on their incredible annual migration—minus the large, tacky neon signs and bad coffee.

Get ready for tangible results! Rather than banking on your recycling efforts or hoping that riding your bike makes a difference, you’ll get to see the success of your actions such as increased bird noises, more bird nests, new frog noises, and more butterflies. It’s downright exciting to think that our neighborhood could become a habitat haven; that the Gulch might become known for purposeful wildlife-friendly urban living. Build it and they will come. (Unfortunately baseball diamonds are not that habitat friendly, but they are fun.) I’m getting ahead of myself, but I suppose it’s good to get my personal bias out of the way. Enough said, let’s talk about wildlife and habitat.

Winter is Coming

The amphibians and reptiles are digging into the soil, dens, and duff to over-winter, and many birds are flying south to find warmer weather. The Northwest is special because many birds are able to live here all year long. They are called residents, like us. For other birds, the Northwest is actually a toasty warm destination to ride out the winter before they head back up north (way up north). During this time of year, birds are always hunting for food. It is in short supply because it is cold. If you haven’t turned over your garden yet, consider leaving it through the month of January. The seed heads (especially sunflowers) provide much-needed energy. Vegetables that have flowered and gone to seed are also great. Flower seed heads, depending on the species, are also eaten by birds in the winter. The tried-and-true peanut-butter-covered-pinecone-rolled-in-seeds are like energy bars for birds. When I was young, I always thought this was a “bonus” snack, but for birds, particularly during cold days, it provides the extra energy needed to keep their body temperature up, and I mean up—the body temperatures of birds are around 105 degrees F.

Oh, Tannenbaum

In my work travelling the Willamette Valley to advise people on ways to lessen their impact on wildlife habitat, I’ve come to learn a great deal about the Christmas tree industry. It is huge in Oregon. Collectively, this industry has a major impact on our native flora and fauna. Many times, heavy herbicides are sprayed to kill all the plants between the trees simply so that when they are cut, no grass is caught in the bottom branches. This causes a number of problems. First, the herbicide/pesticide finds its way into streams and rivers and affects water quality. Second, the bare soil erodes easily during rainstorms, which also runs into streams and causes significant problems for salmon and other fish by ruining spawning habitat or killing the aquatic insects that fish eat. Lastly, letting plants grow between trees provides more habitat for several of the Valley’s declining bird populations, provides cover for animals trying to move from one area to another, and encourages healthy soil. In one instance, I witnessed dead birds and mammals on an adjacent property that resulted from over-spraying, a common problem in the agricultural industry. Where you buy your tree will support responsible farming practices and help the industry move toward a more sustainable system.

There are tree growers who do it right, providing us with holiday trees that keep streams clear, don’t deliver chemicals to our water, and provide animals with much needed habitat to stave off dwindling population numbers. If you feel like actively supporting tree growers who take wildlife into consideration and the general health of the area, I’ve listed some here. If you ARE AWARE of a farm I should know about, please contact me so that I can continue to compile my list of wildlife-friendly farms.

• NJ Christmas Tree Farm
22515 SE Hoffmeister Road, Damascus, OR 97089 (503) 658-2766
No pesticides or herbicides are used. Christmas trees you choose and cut, saws provided. 

• Deininger Farms, South Fischers Mill Road, Oregon City, OR 97045 (503) 631-4711
Follows organic practices, Christmas trees—you choose and cut,saws provided.

•Natural Nobles Tree Farm, 21888 S Fellows Rd, Estacada, OR 97023 (503) 631-4527
No pesticides are used, Christmas trees—you choose and cut, saws provided. Christmas trees—you choose, they cut. Tree shaking, baling provided. Precut Christmas trees, Christmas wreaths, Christmas boughs, garlands, mistletoe.

• Christmas Nobles by Holscher’s, 16530 S.E. Foster Road, Gresham, OR 97080 (503)761-1209.
Minimizes chemical, pesticide use. Christmas trees—you choose, they cut, saws provided.

If you’re adventurous and budget conscious, tree cutting permits are available from the U.S. Forest Service for $5. Hand-thinning the forest for small trees is extremely low impact and does not have the issues associated with farms. Remember to check for dens under a tree before cutting—if there is a hole, odds are that this is home to an animal and it would be better to continue to search for the “perfect” tree.

Happy tree hunting! In the spring, I’ll writer about creating hummingbird plant islands, wildlife hedgerows, nesting habitat, when not to remove vegetation in your yard and luring native pollinators to our neighborhood.

Elizabeth Ruther moved to Portland in February to work for the Department of Fish and Wildlife. She is the District Habitat Biologist and works with city, county, and state and federal governments to lessen impacts on natural resources in Oregon.