It has been a long two and a half years since the Beachie Creek fire. Many of us lost something, and a few of us lost everything; the mourning is nearly over, but what can I do to help with the rebuild?
This is a question many of us have been asking ourselves for what seems like a lifetime, but now we have the opportunity to take action! Taylor Park is currently open for day-use by members, which seems limited to the grassy fields, the playground, and the river... Fear not family! all of Taylor Park is open for clean-up Monday-Friday 4pm to 9pm and weekends all day.
We may not have sites right now, but that just means we get to help bring life back all over the park! The scotch broom has been sprayed (and is as dead as Elvis), but still hampers the growth of other plants that will benefit the little top soil that remains after the FEMA clean up. Our main enemies in the fight to regain our park is Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius),
and Tansy Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea).
Scotch Broom was brought to Oregon as a landscaping plant in the 19th century, but has since become an unwelcome pest that takes over forest and field nearly as efficiently Armenian Blackberry!
While tansy was a more recent import from the bilge of a cargo ship in the early 20th century and has spread to become endemic to rural Oregon counties. It is poisonous to livestock and was wiped out in the Santiam Canyon prior to the fire.
All of us have been counting down the days until we can sleep under the stars, then wake up and go to the river for the day; we will be there again in the blink of an eye, but until that day comes we can help get it there by donating time to clean up the park. We all have put a lot into the park, and we should not let any of our TP family members carry more weight than they are able. Keeping the foliage down in the sites will allow the fir trees to grow, and envelope us and the park in their beautiful shade. NOW FOR THE FUN PART!
Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) grows to over 200ft and typically lives at least 500 years, and can live to exceed 1,000!
Coastal Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) and Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) can grow up to 350ft, with most of their growth occurring in the first 100 years! Best of all, they can live well beyond 2000 years! Along with the many Firs that have already been planted, there are still Cedars and some of these beautiful giants to be planted. If we are not able to control the high growing plants, then the trees that are planted will surely shrivel and die.
In summary, I would like to say that any clean-up done on the ground level by members, whether in their site or another, is and will continue to be as important as any other task in the park, and it can only be done with our help!
The website will be getting some updates including this (hopefully) monthly reoccurring blog, and the Members forum among others. Keep checking in for new content, and the office can be reached via Facebook Messenger until we get word otherwise. Thank you again, and please be patient with the staff as they wrap up the final necessities for the projected start of the next camping season, and the beginning of the next chapter in the saga of Taylor Park!
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