So Saturday’s annual Shindig should be a happy event. Even Mother Nature seems to be celebrating by turning down the heat and providing some almost perfect Oregon summer weather.

Here’s what’s on the agenda.

• 4:00pm: Drinks and family activities.
• 5:00pm: BBQ Buffet. The Sierra Club is asking for donations of $10-$20 per person to cover the cost of dinner.
• 6:00pm: Keynote speech by National Executive Director Michael Brune. Brune will provide the latest updates on the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and the momentum gathering behind the Sierra Club’s “Beyond Oil” campaign. Portland Mayor Sam Adams will be given the group’s annual Environmental Leadership Award in part for his efforts to advance Portland’s Clean Energy Works Program, advocate for early closure of Portland General Electric’s Boardman coal plant, and encourage a coal-free Oregon.
• 7:00pm: Music by Sound Semantics

For more information and to RSVP please see:

“Sierra Club Shindig” and BBQ

Phantom Hill Wolf, Wood River Valley, Idaho. Photo by Randy Flood.

With the debate over wolves in Oregon heating up, the timing couldn’t be better.

The documentary, Lords of Nature, has a showing Monday night at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland.

The movie isn’t just about wolves, but rather it’s about the important role that all top predators play in helping the environment thrive and restoring biodiversity.

For example, the filmmakers travel to Yellowstone to show how the reintroduction of wolves has benefited beavers, songbirds, and restored streams.

They also visit my home state of Minnesota. Since being nearly exterminated, wolf numbers have rebounded to where there are now about 2,900 of them across the Northeastern third of the state. That’s more than any state, except Alaska. Turns out my parents live in wolf country, and I don’t think they’re even aware of that. The movie includes Minnesota ranchers and hunters who are working and recreating alongside wolves.

Details about the showing:

• When: 7:00pm, the movie runs about an hour and will be followed by a panel discussion.
• Where: The Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland
• How much: Free, but donations are encouraged.

Oregon Wild is one of the sponsors of the showing.

For more information about the movie see: Lords Of Nature

The event is Saturday, June 12, at Holladay Park on the south side of Lloyd Center in Portland. Things are scheduled to kick off at 10:00am.

The group is called Progressive Oregon. I don’t know much about them beyond what I see on the Facebook page, but I recognize some of the people posting messages. It’ll be interesting to watch them as they organize around various issues and start showing some muscle.

It’s connected to a Worldwide BP Protest Day that’s also coming together via Facebook.

TUESDAY:

Columbia River Salmon

ODFW holds two public meetings this week on a recovery plan for salmon and steelhead in the Lower Columbia River. According to ODFW…

The “Lower Columbia River Conservation and Recovery Plan for Oregon Populations of Salmon and Steelhead” outlines steps to rebuild natural populations of salmon and steelhead in the lower Columbia that have experienced drastic declines over the last 100 years. The plan’s goal is to help salmon and steelhead populations grow to levels where they no longer need protection under the federal Endangered Species Act.

• When: 6:00pm
• Where: Hood River Middle School Library, 1602 May St., Hood River. Thursday’s meeting starts at the same time, but will be held in Portland at City of Portland Water Pollution Control Lab, 6543 N Burlington Ave.
• For more info: ODFW Draft Plan

WEDNESDAY:

DEQ Meeting

The Environmental Quality Commission meets Wednesday through Friday in Coos Bay. I don’t see any huge news on the agenda, but there’s a good opportunity for the public to meet with Commissioners on Wednesday evening. The Commission will also be getting an update on new rules to control “persistent pollutants“. These are chemicals such as PBDEs, a flame retardant, that take a long time to break down in the environment and pose threats to wildlife and human health.

• When: 6:30pm for the public meeting on Wednesday night. The Thursday and Friday sessions begin at 8:00am.
• Where: In South Umpqua room of the Red Lion Hotel, 1313 N. Bayshore Drive in Coos Bay.
• For more info: Meeting Agenda

THURSDAY:

In addition to the second meeting on salmon in Portland, we have…

BPA Power Line Protests

A group of landowners in Southwest Washington will rally outside the offices of Bonneville Power in Vancouver. BPA wants to build a high voltage power line through Clark and Cowlitz counties. The landowners are worried about possible health impacts of living close to the power lines, how it will affect wildlife and scenery, plus the value of their homes and farms. There are at least three landowner groups in area, this rally is sponsored by NoWayBPA.

• When: Starts at 11:00am
• Where: BPA offices at 7600 NE 41st St, Vancouver.
• For more info: NoWayBPA website

Oregon’s Newest State Park

Cottonwood Canyon, Oregon’s newest and possibly largest state park, is expected to open in 2013. The Parks and Recreation Department is holding public meetings to…

Introduce the property’s natural, cultural, historic and scenic values; discuss ways to protect its wild setting and natural resources, and open a dialogue on its potential for recreation, interpretive and educational uses.

This is one big park. Current plans call for about 8,000 acres of camping, hiking, fishing and rafting. But staff is also looking at options that might add another 8,000 acres.

Cottonwood Canyon is along the John Day River in North Central Oregon.

• When: 6:00pm
• Where: Tryon Creek State Park (nature center), 11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd., Portland.
• For more info: Cottonwood Canyon blog

FRIDAY:

Climate Change and Crater Lake

Crater Lake has no inlet or outlet streams, making it “the world’s largest rain gauge.” NW Natural and the Crater Lake National Park Trust are hosting this event to explore the current and potential future impacts of global warming on Crater Lake and its natural resources, and steps being taken to mitigate those impacts. If you plan on attending, please register ahead of time.

• When: 5:00pm
• Where: NW Natural, 220 NW 2nd Ave, Portland.
• To register: Visit the Crater Lake Trust website.

Today: Bill McKibben Speaks

Environmentalist and author Bill McKibben speaks tonight at the Bagdad Theatre, SE 37th and Hawthorne in Portland. He’s promoting his new book, EAARTH: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet. His message – global warming is no longer merely a threat; it is a reality that has changed the world in profound ways.

The events starts at 7pm. Tickets are $24 and can be purchased at the Bagdad Theater box office, the Crystal Ballroom box office, Ticketmaster.com, and all Ticketmaster outlets. Admission includes a copy of the book.

All Week: LNG Meetings and Rally

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission holds three public meetings this week to investigate landowner complaints against Oregon LNG. The company proposes building a third LNG import terminal and pipeline in Oregon. Landowners along the pipeline route are unhappy with the behavior of company officials and contractors during a field trip in December. FERC is holding the meetings to get more information and anyone who testifies will be under oath.

Here’s the schedule:

Tuesday, 10:00am
Forest Grove Community Auditorium, 1915 Main St., Forest Grove

Wednesday, 1:00pm
Clatsop County Courthouse, Judge Guy Boyington Building, 820 Exchange St., Astoria

Thursday, 9:00am
Portland City Hall, Chamber Room, 1221 SW 4th Ave., Portland

On Thursday, anti-LNG groups stage a rally at 12:15pm outside Portland City Hall. Columbia Riverkeeper, Oregon Sierra Club and Bark. In addition to the FERC meetings, the State of Oregon is reviewing the lease with Oregon LNG for its proposed LNG terminal.

Wednesday: Earthquakes, Wolves and Moose

-Wildlife Experts Talk

Learn about the growing Shira’s moose and gray wolf populations in northeast Oregon from ODFW northeast region biologists.  Pat Matthew will talk about moose biology and his work to monitor and understand our new residents.  Russ Morgan, ODFW wolf coordinator, will discuss the challenge.

Admission is free, but registration is required. Register online at Oregon Wildlife Heritage Foundation’s Web site www.owhf.org or call (503) 255-6059.

The hour-long events will be held at the Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center, Ecotrust Building in Portland’s Pearl District, 721 NW Ninth Avenue, Portland.

(UPDATE: OWHF says because of overwhelming interest, it has closed online registration and is putting people on a waiting list.)

-Is Oregon Ready For The Big One?

The Seismological Society of America is meeting in Portland this week, and one of events is a town hall for the public. Several state officials and geologists will discuss how recent major earthquakes in Chile and Haiti offer important lessons on what can happen when countries are not adequately prepared to respond to, or survive a major seismic event.

The town hall starts at 6:45pm at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront, 1401 Southwest Naito Parkway, Portland.

Thursday: National Geographic On Our Changing Planet

Dennis Dimick, award-winning executive editor for the environment at National Geographic magazine, will present this year’s Gov. Tom McCall Memorial Lecture, a talk titled, “Changing Planet: Where Energy and Climate Collide.”

The talk is set for April 22, the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, at LaSells Stewart Center on the Oregon State University Corvallis campus. The event will begin at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Dimick, a 1973 OSU graduate, will lead the audience in a sweeping visual journey and in-depth report drawn from National Geographic features and the most recent scientific reports documenting the effects of climate change. He’ll also explore what members of the public can do to reverse troubling climate change trends.

Friday: Sustainability and Racial Justice

As the Executive of King County, Ron Sims championed an inclusive vision of sustainability and created the groundbreaking Equity and Social Justice Initiative. Appointed by President Obama in 2009 to the second most senior position at HUD, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, Sims is taking the accomplishments and lessons of his three terms as County Executive to make a real difference in communities across the nation.

Mr. Sims will share his vision and wisdom on how those of us in this region who aspire for a “just sustainability” can leverage regional assets and tap new national resources in support of community development that is environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable.

The event starts at 10:30am at the First Unitarian Church, 1011 SW 12th Avenue, Portland

This event is free and open to the public, but space is limited. To assure yourself a spot registration is strongly encouraged. To register, please email simsevent@clfuture.org with your name and the names and emails of any attendees.

That includes Governor Kulongoski, who says he’ll dim the lights at the Governor’s mansion during Earth Hour, which runs from 8:30pm to 9:30pm.

“I ask my fellow Oregonians to join me in recognition of Earth Hour,” says Kulongoski in a press release. “By turning off our lights for one hour, we will demonstrate our willingness to take action and our collective concerns about climate change and the impacts it will have on our state and our planet.”

If you’re looking for the epicenter of Earth Hour events in our state it’s probably Portland. Here’s a partial list of some of the city’s best known landmarks going dark on Saturday night.

• The Made In Oregon sign along the Burnside Bridge.
• The Go By Train sign at Union Station.
• The Hawthorne and Morrison Bridges.
• The lights outside the Rose Garden and the spires at the Oregon Convention Center.
• The Nines Hotel.

But beyond Portland the list includes the University of Oregon, Willamette University, Eugene International High School and the Suislaw School District.

The Portland Audubon Society is also using Earth Hour to raise awareness about light pollution. Audubon says light pollution disrupts the natural cycles of plants and animals. It also creates a phenomenon known as “sky glow” which lures birds into striking city windows and is a major cause of bird deaths.

Earth Hour started two years ago in Sydney, Australia.  It’s estimated that one billion people took part in last year’s Earth Hour. It’s the 8:30pm to 9:30pm hour in every time zone, so New York’s Earth Hour is three hours ahead of Oregon’s. (Except of course for that part of Eastern Oregon in the Mountain Time Zone.)

Here in the U.S., other landmarks going dark include the Las Vegas Strip, Seattle’s Space Needle and the Golden Gate Bridge.

For more information see:

MyEarthHour.org
Portland Audubon Society Earth Hour On Facebook
Earth Hour Social Media Tools (If you want to help spread the word)

Meanwhile enjoy this video produced by the Earth Hour 2010 Campaign.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5WYlqD8mR0

Palomar is a 220-mile natural gas pipeline that crosses Northwest Oregon from the Columbia River near Astoria, to Maupin. That route includes 47-miles through the Mt. Hood National Forest, and that’s what concerns Bark. That section of the route includes old growth forests, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Wild and Scenic Clackamas River.

• When: 7:00pm
• Where: Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church, SE Belmont at 54th, Portland

Governor Kulongoski heads south Tuesday to Klamath Falls for a meeting about a potentially severe drought in the Klamath Basin. This year is looking a lot like 2001, when there wasn’t enough water in the system for both farmers and salmon. He’ll meet with federal, state and local officials, as well as representatives for farmers and tribes. The Governor could declare a drought emergency, which would provide financial aid to farmers who may not have enough water to irrigate their crops this year.

• When: 11:15 am
• Where: Klamath County Commission Hearing Room 219, 305 Main Street, Klamath Falls

Surfrider Meeting

The Portland Chapter of Oregon Surfrider holds its monthly meeting Tuesday night. Chair Stiv Wilson will talk about his recent trip to the Atlantic Gyre to help researchers document the damaging effects of plastics in the ocean. Members will also be briefed on upcoming elections.

• When: 7:30pm
• Where: WEND Media, 2001 NW 19th, Suite 103 B, Portland

Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality heads to Astoria this evening for a public meeting on the Bradwood Landing LNG project. Could be interesting. DEQ is reviewing Clean Air, Clean Water and other permits that Bradwood needs before it can be built. It will explain that process at the meeting.

A recent letter from DEQ revealed that NorthernStar, the developers of Bradwood, have been putting some pressure on the agency to review and approve the permits by this summer. DEQ doesn’t appear to be in any hurry, just to make the company happy.

• 6:00pm
• Knappa High School Gym, 41535 Old Hwy 30, Astoria

Bull Trout Habitat

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has extended its series of public meetings on plans to increase critical habitat areas for the bull trout. The fish was listed as threatened in 1999. FWS wants to increase critical habitat about 600% along streams and rivers and about 400% in lakes and reservoirs in several western states, including Oregon and Washington.

Tonight’s meeting will be held in Vancouver.

• 6:00pm
• Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way, Vancouver

Dan Serres of Columbia Riverkeeper brings us up-to-date on LNG issues at tonight’s meeting of Portland Green Drinks. His group is trying to stop two LNG projects along the Columbia River, and two natural gas pipelines that are connected to the those projects.

• Doors open at 6:30pm, the speakers start promptly at 7:00pm.
• Ecotrust BFJ Conference Center, 2nd Floor 721 NW Ninth Ave. Portland
• $5 suggested donation

NE Portland Wireless Tower

Clearwire meets with the Beaumont Business Association to talk about its proposed wireless internet and phone antenna at 37th Ave. and Fremont in NE Portland. The company’s efforts to install the antenna have come under fire in the neighborhood, thanks to the efforts of RespectPDX.org. RespectPDX opposes the antenna, saying it will lower property values and could affect the health of people who live near it. The group plans a protest outside the meeting.

• 6:00pm
• 2nd Floor above Soluna Grill at 4440 NE Fremont, Portland

Catherine Creek

This area in the Columbia River Gorge is well known for its beautiful display of wildflowers. The U.S. Forest Service Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area office is seeking public comments on the revised recreation plan for the Coyote Wall/Catherine Creek area.

• 6:00pm
• The Gorge Room of the Best Western Hood River Inn
• 1108 East Marina Way, Hood River

For more information contact Kelly Beamer with Friends of the Columbia Gorge at kelly@gorgefriends.org.