The fall season has officially begun and, with it, has brought the arduous task of leaf-scooping and disposal for property owners.
The good news is that the first round of discarding leaves is on local municipalities through the annual Fall Leaf Coupon Program.
Clark County residents can dispose up to 5 cubic yards of leaves for free at one of four designated sites between Saturday and Dec. 31. Disposal is strictly limited to leaves, so leave branches and other yard debris behind.
To receive a coupon, print it from the city of Vancouver’s Solid Waste webpage, www.cityofvancouver.us/leafcoupon, or Clark County’s Green Neighbors webpage, www.clarkgreenneighbors.org. The slips can also be clipped from Waste Connections’ annual Recycling newsletter, which is sent to all county households in October, or its website, www.wcnorthwest.com/leaves. Fall Leaf coupons must be filled out with a resident’s name, not a business. The slips are available in Spanish, Russian and Vietnamese.
Where to dispose your leaves for free:
- H&H Wood Recyclers, 8401 N.E. 117th Ave. — 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday in October; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in November and December; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
- McFarlane’s Bark, 8806 N.E. 117th Ave. — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday in October/November; Closed Sunday in December.
- Triangle Resources, 612 S.E. Union St., Camas — 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; Closed Saturday and Sunday.
- West Van Materials Recovery Center, 6601 N.W. Old Lower River Road — 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday.
For more information, call Vancouver Solid Waste 360-487-7160 or email solidwaste@cityofvancouver.us.
Steigerwald refuge reopens Saturday
Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge will reopen to the public Saturday now that the final phase of Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership’s habitat restoration project is complete.
While much of the work was complete by the grand reopening event held May 1, the refuge was closed again over the summer to allow crews to finish construction of a final section of the trail system, install salmon monitoring equipment and complete habitat improvements in the floodplain.
Columbia Refuge Stewards will host a booth at the refuge from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday to answer questions about the wildlife refuge and habitat project.
The first beginner bird walk of the season will also be held from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday. Walks are sponsored by the stewards and will take place every other Saturday through Nov. 19.
The habitat restoration project, the largest project of its kind on the Columbia River, included the removal of more than 2 miles of existing levees, along with existing water control and stream diversion infrastructure. New levees were built to allow Gibbons Creek to reconnect to the river once the concrete channel was removed from the creek.
Along with improving habitat for juvenile salmon and lamprey, project officials said the work also reduces flood risks for neighboring properties, such as the Port of Camas-Washougal and city of Camas. For more information about the project, go to https://www.estuarypartnership.org/our-work/habitat-restoration/steigerwald-reconnection-project.
Shari Phiel
Clark County Green Neighbors’ birthday gone to the bats
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the Clark County Green Neighbors program is inviting the community to its batty birthday party.
Celebrate at the Green Neighbors “Beneficial Bats” event from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 8 in the Vancouver Community Library Columbia Room, 901 C St., in Vancouver. Advance registration for the event is requested, but not required. Register at https://clarkgreenneighbors.org/en.
Guest speaker Brandon Burger with Backyard Bird Shop will talk about local bats, how bats support local ecosystems and what people can do to support them. Bat specimens will be on display and partygoers can take fun photos with props. The event will also include raffle prizes and light refreshments. In honor of Green Neighbors’ waste-reduction mission, guests who bring their own reusable cup will receive a second raffle ticket.
For more information about the program, visit the website or email info@clarkgreenneighbors.org.
Shari Phiel
County council public hearing set for Oct. 18
The Clark County Council will consider proposed changes to the 2023 Capital Improvement Plan during a public hearing beginning at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 18. The proposed changes are for Public Works’ Parks and Lands division.
Council meetings are held in a hybrid format to allow in-person or online attendance. The meeting will be held in the council hearing room on the sixth floor of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St., Vancouver. The meeting can be viewed live on CVTV.org (Comcast channel 23) or via the WebEx platform.
