Read the winter issue of Our Big Backyard magazine

Chehalem Ridge offers sweeping vistas of the Coast Range (pictured here) as well as the Tualatin River Valley.

Is Chehalem Ridge the future Oxbow Regional Park of the west side? Read about the possibilities ahead in the winter 2016 issue of Our Big Backyard magazine.

Chehalem Ridge cover story

Mount Talbert Field Guide

Don't want to drive to the coast or to the gorge for a hike? Explore the forested oasis at Mount Talbert Nature Park in Clackamas. Read the field guide for all the details for a fun outing at Mount Talbert.

Mount Talbert Field Guide

photo of amphibian egg mass monitors at Clear Creek Natural Area

Volunteers wade through a pond at Clear Creek Natural Area near Carver to survey amphibian egg masses in February 2015.

Search for frog and salamander eggs

Metro park ranger Jim Caudell writes a first-person account of his first time volunteering as an amphibian egg mass monitor last winter. Learn how you can help regional restoration efforts by volunteering to search for frog and salamander eggs.

Search for frog and salamander eggs

Daniel Carter is troop leader with Cub Scout Pack 740, whose members helped build and assemble 100 mason bee boxes to hang at Metro destinations and local parks.

4 questions with Daniel Carter

Learn how to make houses for native mason bees from Scout leader Daniel Carter

4 questions with Daniel Carter

Jan. 14, 2016 1:53 p.m.



        Download the winter 2016 issue of Our Big Backyard

Looking for fun outdoor activities this winter without venturing far?

Pick up the winter issue of Our Big Backyard, the quarterly magazine from Metro Parks and Nature. Find nature classes, a field guide to explore Mount Talbert Nature Park, and the latest news about parks and nature. Find a copy of the magazine at a local public library branch, the Oregon Zoo, a Metro park, or at various community centers and senior centers. Or read the digital version by clicking on the image on the right.

In the winter issue, you can:

Read about the new future in the works for Chehalem Ridge, a forested ridge in western Washington County and Metro's largest, most expensive acquisition to date. Watch a video of this special place, and learn how you can get involved to shape future improvements and formal public access.
Learn how you can help regional restoration efforts by searching for frog and salamander eggs this winter.
Find details about the fun-filled Raptor Road Trip, where you can explore Sauvie Island in search of magnificent eagles, hawsk and falcons on Feb. 6.
Learn from Scout leader Daniel Carter how to make boxes for native mason bees. Watch a video and plan a fun activity for the family.
Read the Parks and Nature Annual Report to learn how your tax dollars are spent through the voter-approved bond measure in 2006 and levy in 2013.
And more!

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