The Tualatin Hills Nature Park turned 20 years old this past April. Join us for a presentation and discussion about the fascinating history of this special place, including an introduction to the THNP History Project. See below for the outstanding speaker panel.
Bring: Yourself, family, friends and other Nature Park enthusiasts.
Drinks and refreshments will be provided. Feel free to bring sweets or desserts to share.
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Guest Speakers:
DICK SCHOUTEN
Commissioner Schouten represented Aloha, Beaverton and Cooper Mt. since June of 2000. Mr. Schouten's family migrated from the Netherlands when he was four. Following a Fresno childhood, he completed his undergraduate work at Santa Clara University and law degree from UCLA. After serving as legal counsel for California cities and special districts, the Commissioner, his wife and two daughters moved to Washington County in 1992. Commissioner Schouten represented "The Make Our Park Whole Committee", which helped obtain a 22-acre addition to the Tualatin Hills Nature Park. In 2014, the Intertwine Alliance gave Commissioner Schouten a "Force of Nature Award" and in 2015, Community Partners for Affordable Housing gave him a "Kerkof Award" for effective affordable housing advocacy.
Boards and committees Commissioner Schouten serves on include:
• Centro Cultural of Washington County, Board of Directors
• Clean Water Services (CWS), Board of Directors
• Regional Disaster Preparedness Organization Board
• Washington County Museum, Board of Directors
MIKE HOUCK
After heading up the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry’s Community Research Center and teaching biology at Oregon Episcopal School, Mike found his life-long calling as an advocate for urban greenspace protection in 1982 when he launched the Urban Naturalist Program at the Audubon Society of Portland. In 1999 Mike founded the Urban Greenspaces Institute to continue his work at the local and regional scale to ensure the integration of nature into the urban fabric.
Since 1982, Mike has actively pushed for the creation of a metropolitan wildlife refuge system. Such advocacy helped launch Metro’s Metropolitan Greenspaces Program (now Parks and Nature). He continues to work for the expansion of the Portland-Vancouver region’s system of parks, trails and natural areas — the Intertwine.
He is an advocate for integrating the natural and built environments through the protection of natural green infrastructure and creation of built green infrastructure. Mike also works locally and regionally to ensure the city and region adopt policies that mitigate and adapt to climate change. Mike has been recognized locally, regionally and internationally for his work.
Mike was involved in the initial surveys and development of the Nature Park plans. He later played a key role as an expert witness at the "The Make Our Park Whole", hearings.
RALPH COOK
Ralph was on the initial St Mary’s Woods Committee and served on the negotiating team with the THPRD and the Archdioceses as a private citizen. Ralph later was employed by the THPRD as the Natural Resource Technician. He was very involved in updating and implementing plans for the development of the Nature Park. Ralph was also instrumental in coordinating a cooperative venture with the Merlo Station Alternative High School. The high school used the THNP as an educational outdoor classroom, and the students performed many of the initial volunteer projects in the nature park. Ralph was integral to many of the activities during the formative years of the THNP. Since his retirement, he has spent a lot of time on the coast surfing and is very involved in local theater.