Upcoming Events
If you’d like the most recent news delivered directly to your inbox, please sign up for our regular newsletter…
Wetland Wander:
About the Walk:
Join WREN Board President Ryan Collay on a tour of his property, an active restoration site. The walk will focus on the wetlands as a rare and important habitat and Ryan’s work at improving the water quality and flow across the land. The tour will be mostly on flat smooth trails but, along the way parts will be quite wet! Waterproof boots and warm jackets are strongly recommended. The terrain is flat and we will walk about a mile.
If you’d like to learn a little about Ryan’s property ahead of time, check out his contribution in the Wetland Stewardship Handbook on our website! Ryan’s story can be found in Section Four: Community Resources.
Wander Location:
Wander Location: Sarvis Berry Farm, 85281 Sarvis Berry Lane
Directions:
Head south on either Bertelsen or Bailey Hill. Sarvis Berry Farm is five miles South of West 11th. Go through the junction just past Twin Oaks school and you will now be on Lorane Highway. Sarvis Berry is about a mile past this junction. Turn left and head south for a 1/4 mile. Ryan and Joanne have two driveways, the main is marked #85281 and the second is just a 100 feet past and leads to a barn and will direct parking. You will see cones marking the driveways. Carpooling is encouraged!
Walk Leader: Ryan Collay (he/him)
Ryan has over thirty years as a STEM educator, including three years as an Elementary Science Specialist in the North Bend School district and 21 years at Oregon State University’s Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences (SMILE) Program. As the SMILE program director, his team developed an award-winning “STEM Ecosystem”; while fostering a professional educator’s “Community of Practice.” Since he retired, he has been consulting in program design through his program frameworks and evaluation based on programs, practices, and outcomes. Ryan is the Board President for WREN, an executive team member of the Rivers to Ridges Partnership, part of the Environmental Education Network through the Lane STEM Hub, and the Owner of “Education by Design.” Ryan and his wife Joanne have lived on their ‘Sarvis Berry Farm’ for more than 30 years and have tried to learn and practice Good Stewardship on a wetlands landscape. Their land is a mix of pasture, garden, and the balanced Oregon Ash Gallery forest.
Upcoming Events!
Oakshire Inspires Fundraiser
Wednesday, February 4th, all day (WREN staff will table from 5-7pm)
Oakshire Public House in Eugene
Support WREN at Oakshire Public House! Buy a drink and support our mission to promote conservation and stewardship of the critical Willamette Valley habitats through educational programs for learners of all ages. One dollar from every Core Pint sold throughout the whole day (11am-10pm) will be donated to our organization. WREN will be tabling from 5-7pm if you would like to stop by and say hello!
Winter Weed Pull
Saturday, February 7th, 9am – 12pm
Golden Gardens Park
Join Golden Gardens Habitat Guardians for their inaugural event! Learn how to identify some of the invasive weeds in the park and work on pulling them out. Bring your frustrations with you and let the weeds carry them away! Kelsey Irvine from the City of Eugene will be there to provide tools and training.
Golden Gardens Habitat Guardians are a “Friends of…” group formed in 2026 in collaboration with the City of Eugene. The group is co-led by Dawn Scott and Karen Hall, two residents of the region around the park.
“We look forward to meeting you all there. Bring your friends, family and neighbors – let’s make this a big christening event!” (Karen and Dawn)
For more information/RSVP, reach out to info@emeraldgoldgardens.org.
WRNA/Friends of Trees Eugene Tree Planting
Saturday, February 21st, 10am – 1pm
Willamette River Natural Area (Meet at the South Side of Frohenmeyer bridge)
Come be part of the largest UO Natural Areas tree planting to date! Over 2 years on the campus Willamette River Natural Area we will plant 455 trees establishing a mixed forest and oak savanna for the community to use along the Ruth Bascom Riverbank bike path. This tree planting is funded by the Oregon Department of Forestry Urban & Community Forestry Program in collaboration with the City of Eugene Parks and Open Space, Friends of Trees, the WRNA, and WREN. Besides providing shade and tree cover in an area used by many Eugenians, we will also be creating vital habitat and food resources for wildlife along the Willamette River corridor and teaching opportunities for students and the community. Please wear closed toed shoes and weather appropriate clothing. Looking forward to seeing you there!
For questions, please contact:
Rachel Schneiderman, Programs Coordinator at the Willamette Resources and Educational Network (WREN) at info@wewetlands.org or call 541-338-7047.