Author: vbinnin2

Reflection

Posted on by vbinnin2

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By Brian Saunders, Outreach Coordinator, Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative

It has been a remarkable two years with the RARE program and the Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative (ODRC). I remember the first day of Year 26 orientation like it was yesterday; so many new faces, a new environment, and a new chapter of life. I was happy to leave my old life in the past and embark on a new voyage that I knew was just the beginning of something great.

The author, wearing a big puffy jacket, standing on a dune covered in beach grass, in front of a frothy Pacific Ocean. It looks windy.

It feels weird to be even be typing this because at times I feel like I just started RARE. Other times, it feels like I have been at home for years now. One of the greatest parts about my RARE experience is the personal growth and confidence I’ve seen in myself the past year and a half.

In 2019, I arrived in Oregon with little professional experience and was naturally a bit nervous about how qualified I really felt. Although it took a few months to fully get settled in and feel confident in my work, its amazing to look back and see everything that has been accomplished since my first day on the job.

Woman holding pruning shears and wearing garden gloves stands alongside a gravel road beside beach grass growing out of a dune. The author stands behind, wearing a face mask.Over the past year and a half, I have…

  • Facilitated a series of steering committee, strategic planning, and quarterly meetings
  • Facilitated the development of a multi-year strategic action plan
  • Assisted in multiple grant writing sessions
  • Doubled our social media following
  • Tabled multiple community events
  • Gave presentations to different organizations
  • Led volunteer groups out on the dunes
  • Released two short films that educate the public on invasive plant species on the Oregon coast

I will forever look back at my time with RARE and the ODRC as a pivotal time in my life. I am excited to take the skills and confidence I’ve gained here and apply them to the next chapter in my book; wherever and whatever that may be. I would like to thank Travel Lane County and the Siuslaw National Forest for their immense support and belief in my work. To all of the volunteers, co-workers, and friendly faces I’ve met along the way, thanks for making these past two years unforgettable.

The author smiling in a bright space, wearing a button up collared shirtAbout the author, Brian Saunders: Brian grew up in a small town of 6,000 people in Connecticut. After completing his Bachelor’s degree in Geography in the Spring of 2019, Brian was eager to come back to Oregon where he has been visiting for the past 6-7 years. During his senior year of college, Brian worked as an intern for a local non-profit food security organization. Brian loves to spend his time playing soccer, snowboarding, and biking.

Using Data and Visual Display to Communicate Complex Community Realities

Posted on by vbinnin2

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By Anna Shank-Root, Land Use Strategist and Policy Analyst, Port of The Dalles

When I first arrived in The Dalles in September, my supervisor set up meetings with many with people involved in local planning and economic development in the community. One of the themes that emerged throughout those conversations was that there was extremely limited available land in the city. There was a consultancy hired to perform a Buildable Lands Inventory of The Dalles, but the products they presented to the city didn’t resonate with many local residents and professionals. One of my primary projects in my role as Land Use Strategist and Policy Analyst for the Port of The Dalles is to support local efforts to expand the Urban Growth Boundary of The Dalles, which requires demonstrations that land is being used as efficiently as possible.

Screenshot of a map the author describes: a meandering river bisects the image with colorful areas indicating buildable landsUsing data that had been prepared by contracted consultants, I had many conversations with co-workers, board members, and other local professionals to ascertain what adjustments they felt would reconcile their concerns. Their feedback allowed me to update the data with current land uses, and calculate additional statistics that has been useful in explaining numerically the realities that residents know from their experience. Through adapting this data for The Dalles, I was able to create a similar product for the city of Dufur, a small city in the Port district that otherwise would not have access to this content.

This story map will be a legacy I can leave to my community as a useful tool that can be updated in the future, allowing them to adapt a continual inventory of available land for community use.

In turn, this project allowed me to gain a more complete understanding of my own community’s geography and economic realities as I explored the property ownership data. After completing this project, I understood more readily which buildings and projects community partners were referencing, found it easier to navigate my community without directions, and discovered new local businesses. Working on this project also helped me learn and practice data collection, GIS and visual communication skills that will be useful to me throughout my RARE term and beyond.

Map of Dufur, Oregon with vacant lots highlighted in bright colorsWorking my community to construct this map series has been a collaborative way for me to learn in grow in my skills and knowledge, while helping to tell my community’s story.

The full story map is available here, although it is being continually updated and expanded throughout my service term.

 

Photo of the author smiling in the sunshine while wearing a cozy sweaterAbout the author, Anna Shank-Root: Anna graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. in Planning, Public Policy and Management and a minor in Spanish. Anna’s long-time interest in Service Learning has resulted in a passion for equitable and inclusive community engagement and economic development which she looks forward to applying to her work at the intersection of economic development and land use planning as a RARE AmeriCorps Member with the Port of the Dalles. A native Oregonian, Anna is excited to explore a new part of Oregon with her dog, Kiwi, during her service year in the Columbia River Gorge.

Interested in gaining community and economic development experience of your own? Are you looking for a life changing experience in rural Oregon? Learn more about serving with the RARE AmeriCorps Program. Applications for Year 28 (2021-22) due April 23, 2021.