What’s New for May-June 2025
Dear Climate-Concerned Friends,
CLIMATE CAFÉS
Our Climate Cafés are free and open to the public. For the remainder of 2025, we will meet from 7:00 to 8:30pm on the third Thursday of every other month (June, August, October and December, 2025) at the Monmouth Senior Community Center, 180 Warren Street, Monmouth. Join us to discuss your climate concerns and ideas for climate action.
Special Speaker Presentation: Joshua Brant, owner of Brant’s Sanitary Service — which serves Monmouth, Independence and Dallas — will explain Oregon’s new Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act at our Thursday, June 19 Climate Café. The law is designed to update Oregon’s recycling system by building local community programs and leveraging the resources of producers to create an innovative system that works for everyone. Josh will take questions from the audience. To learn about the local impacts of this new environmental regulation, please attend and bring a friend.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Wetland interpretive panel dedication.
This notice about the celebration of an important achievement of one of our Climate Group’s founders is from the Lukiamute Watershed Council’s website .
Join us at North Riverside Park on June 28 at 10am for the unveiling of two interpretive panels that celebrate the importance of wetlands and Michael Cairn's efforts to protect and restore them in our local community! Afterwards, we invite you to Divine Distillers to raise a toast in honor of Michael and the many community partners and individuals who helped bring his vision to life. We hope to see you there!
Michael Cairns (1948–2024) was a visionary leader and advocate for both environmental and social causes in the Monmouth and Independence communities. In 1999, he helped establish the Luckiamute Watershed Council and later became its first manager after retiring. His legacy includes a beautifully designed wetland near the Willamette River west of the Independence Sports Park, now thriving with native plants, birds, and wildlife. He alsoplayed a key role in restoring Ash Creek’s streamside habitat at what is now OSU Extension’s Mt. Fir Inspiration Gardens. To honor Michael, we’re working with his wife, Gail Oberst, to create an educational display about the wetlands he helped bring to life.
Also, here are some Watershed Council Projects and volunteer opportunities.
Destination Inspiration
Our local Master Gardners will host open-house tours of Mt. Fir Park and Inspiration Garden all day on Saturday, June 21. The seven-acre garden is located on F street between 7th and 9th Streets in Inspiration. Dogs on leash are welcome, and there is a play area for kids.
Our 2025 Imagine Our Future contest winners!
See the poetry, art and short stories of community contributors to our 2025 contest to visualize our area’s near future when climate change is in abatement and the world has chosen a more sustainable path. Kirsten Bachmeier’s poem, If I Had Time, Someday I Will is our Best In Show.
Look for upcoming announcements of our 2026 Imagine Our Future contest.
ONGOING PROJECTS
Community Garden and City of Monmouth Climate Plan
Both of these projects are in their early stages. Some of us are meeting with community members about the Community Garden idea, and we should soon be hearing from the City of Monmouth staff about how we can help them formulate a Climate Plan. We should have more information about both of these projects in our next newsletter. If you are interested in working on either project, contact us.
Monthly Zoom Meeting
Join our next regular M-I CAG Zoom meeting at 6:00 PM, Monday, August 11. This meeting is primarily about organization and task distribution for our various group activities. If you want to receive an invitation to attend, please contact us to let us know.