NEWS
BY MORGAN THEOPHIL
NO MORE
TRASH
Eugene woman joins with the
homeless to clean up trash in
the city’s largest park
VOLUNTEERS HELP CLEAN UP
EUGENE PARKS
PHOTO COURTESY KATHY WALKER
W
ith the help of a few volunteers and sup-
port from the city, one community member
started a biweekly trash cleanup project at
Alton Baker Park.
“I’ve said it many times, I’m not a pro-
tester or an activist,” project organizer Kathy Walker says.
But she has made significant efforts to start a dialogue be-
tween the city and its unprotected, unhoused citizens.
In July, Walker was asked to meet with Eugene May-
or Lucy Vinis, and the two decided to organize and run a
“town hall type” meeting in Alton Baker Park on Aug. 1.
According to Walker, representatives from the city were
invited to meet with the homeless, with the hope of creat-
ing conversation between the unhoused and other members
in the community.
At the meeting, Walker says, there was a clear piece of
common ground: “Both sides were sick of the garbage.”
She continues, “One ‘camper’ mentioned how hard it was
to dispose of their garbage and how, if only they had the
tools, they would even clean up other people’s messes.”
Walker says she tried to get Eugene Public Works to
schedule garbage pickups on a regular basis, but the city
department explained to her how overloaded they were and
said it wouldn’t be possible.
After a man pointed out that scheduled trash pickups
would prevent full bags from being torn open and scattered
everywhere, Walker decided to take matters into her own
hands. And with the support of the mayor and the help of
one other housed volunteer, “We did just that,” Walker says.
Walker partnered with Eugene’s
Parks and Open Space, which
granted her a three-month trial
period of support and supplies. Parks and Open Space pro-
vides trash bags and park patrols, an authorized vehicle ac-
cess permit for the trial period and made arrangements for
Walker to have easy access to a garbage dumpster.
Walker organized in less than a week and officially be-
gan on Sept. 12. She goes with a driver and a few volun-
teers every other week to empty trash cans and pick up
trash bags at Alton Baker Park.
“Illegal camping and the large amounts of trash and
waste left behind has a huge impact on the park, including
sensitive natural areas and water quality,” Carrie Peterson,
Parks and Open Space resource development manager,
tells EW. “Park staff struggle to keep up with the extraordi-
narily high demand, and couldn’t do it alone.”
Walker started a GoFundMe campaign in mid-October
to help offset the costs and give a little bit to the volun-
teers — all of whom are unhoused, according to Walker.
“Our trial period ends in December, but I’m hoping we
have made enough of an impact to continue indefinitely,”
she says.
“Efforts like Kathy’s, ongoing river cleanup projects by
Willamette Riverkeeper volunteers and the annual Great
Willamette Cleanup are excellent examples of everyday
people stepping up to make a big difference,” Peterson
says.
Walker says she also arranges unscheduled pickups on
the off weeks when she can, and she spreads the word as
much as possible. “All I did was put their idea into action,”
she says. “This helps us show the public that most of these
people want to keep it clean — they just need a little help
to make it happen.” ■
IT’S ABOUT TIME
BY D AV I D WA G N E R
There is nothing like three days of hard rain to
signal the proper end of summer and the beginning
of the rainy season, aka our winter. We celebrate
rain and cloudy skies for at least the next month
or so. By February, many will tire of mist and driz-
zle, but for now we are happy to walk in the wet.
The forest fires that have ravaged the nearby hills
have been quenched. Deep pockets of coals will
yet burn a while but the serious threat is over.
It is time to roll up the hoses and put away the
hose timers. A sudden hard frost, which can hap-
pen with little warning, will ruin those timers so
it is good to care for them now. We can
story of woodlands in urban
enjoy a few more days of marigolds, zin-
parks. One of its odd traits is
nias and other annual flowers that are
to bloom in late fall, providing
just past their peak production. What
a nectar source when little else
remains of the pole beans can be left
is available. Honeybees love
C O M M O N YELLOW JACKET
to finish maturing before drying for next
it. A surprise is how many na-
VESPULA VULGARIS
year’s planting.
tive yellow jackets and wasps
Among the most noxious, aggressive, non-na-
swarm their flower clusters,
tive plants is English ivy. It has been widely used
and even some evening moths.
as an easily established ground cover. English ivy
David Wagner is a botanist who works in Eugene. He teaches moss
classes, leads nature walks and makes nature calendars. He can be con-
will continue to be used in landscapes despite its
tacted through his web site: fernzenmosses.com.
tendency to escape and overwhelm the under-
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