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News Release

“If You Can’t Beat ’Em, Eat ’Em!”: Second Annual Community Blackberry Harvest Promotes Community Resilience —and Highlights Mismanagement On Ross Island - 07/24/26

UPDATE on Algea Bloom and Ross Island Sand and gravel Permission for event, as communicated to attendees:
 

Hi All Paddlers and friends of the river!

 

The update from the Human Access Project is that the algae bloom, while it is activated by the current heat, is at .2 and is negative for harmful cyanobacteria. You can read more about this level in the link, but this is well below the .8 marker for a toxic level, so we are a go for tomorrow - yippee! That said, anyone with a concern about this or any of the below are welcome to bow out without needing to notify us, we will still have plenty of paddlers. 

 

Ross Island Sand and Gravel, the owners of the island, are now officially allowing the event; so while we need to still stay on the beaches up to the vegetation lines, not traverse beyond posted No Trespassing signs, and not tamper with their equipment on the island in any way, we are welcome to be there for this one time event. 

 

Please read below:

  • Bring drinking water, snack and harvesting containers / baggies, we will have some extra small paper quart containers if you forget containers!
  • You MUST wear a PFD (life vest) and they will be provided for those riding in the canoes and borrowing kayaks from the Mosquito Fleet, but you are also welcome to bring your own. 
  • Bring long sleeves and pants if they are focused on volume harvesting since the bushes are "poky"... this is a wild area.
  • Water shoes to walk to shore - the beaches can be boggy.
  • Be prepared to find parking and walk in from further down the road if needed to launch with us after speeches at 11:10ish (see timeline below). The parking is going to fill up at the Willamette Park Launch, so leave extra time!
  • Be prepared to "leave only footprints" on the island, that this is a one time allowed event and not a directive to wander the island in general unsupervised... please help ensure we can do this again.
  • Note that OPB will be along with us, filming about the harvest for their show Superabundant (how cool is that!?).
  • Note that the event is choose your own level of exertion, and we do not expect everyone to make the up to 3 hour round trip into the interior of the lagoon, and that everyone will get photos from those of us that do go all the way in. Bring adequate water and snacks to power through if that is your goal!

Timeline to Launch:

  • 10 to 10:30 - arrive and follow Portland Fruit Tree Project posted signs!
  • 10:30 - safety checks and gather
  • 11am - speeches. Kathryn from PFTP (blackberry), Ten from DSN Eco-Activists (island history), and then Scott from HAP (Human Access Projects role and current events / Heron holdings update) 
  • 11:10-ish - paddle out. Look for pink flagging tape for harvests, Mosquito Fleet will be on the perimeter for safety and carrying basic first aid equipment.

Body of original PRelease below:


PORTLAND, OR – [Insert Date] – The Portland Fruit Tree Project (PFTP) is excited to launch its seasonal “If You Can’t Beat ’Em, Eat ’Em!” blackberry harvest and eradication campaign, inviting Portlanders to roll up their sleeves, safely harvest invasive Himalayan blackberries, and reclaim neglected urban green spaces.

 

This hands-on second annual paddling event to Ross Island with our river loving friends educates participants on safe foraging and will focus attention on the long-overdue ecological restoration of Ross Island, a site long neglected under Pamplin Media Group’s private ownership. In partnership with the Human Access Project (HAP), the Mosquito Fleet, and The Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, the on water event will spotlight both the urgency of the island’s restoration and the community-led vision to reimagine the Willamette as a clean, accessible, public waterway.

 

HAP has been ramping up lobbying efforts with city and state officials, urging leadership to invest in real solutions to the toxic algae blooms and deteriorating shoreline conditions that threaten the island and river users. In parallel, they are actively fundraising for a multi-phase restoration campaign that would include debris removal, water quality monitoring, and long-term ecological rehabilitation. Their campaign has already secured early commitments from local donors and environmental groups, and public events like this one are a part of their broader outreach and advocacy strategy.

 

The Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership will support this event by bringing out two of their 29-foot Big Canoes for up to 22 paddlers to get out to the island with the collective of BYO watercraft (non motorized only please) and swimmers headed to the island. Mosquito Fleet will offer both safety oversight, and provide loaner paddle watercraft through the online registration. Participants MUST register in advance @portlandfruit.org

 

“Ross Island is a forgotten gem with incredible potential,” said Scott Fogarty. “Through this collaboration with the Estuary Project and Portland Fruit Tree Project, we’re showing what it looks like when grassroots environmental justice meets joyful action. We want the public to see the island up close and understand what’s at stake—and how we can all take action to enjoy our city and take back the Willamette.”

Event Details:

“Blackberries may be invasive, but they’re also a symbol of resilience, and they are delicious to boot” says Heather Keisler Fornes, Executive Director at PFTP. “This campaign gives Portlanders a tangible way to confront land mismanagement, use what we have abundantly all around us, and support ongoing advocacy to restore access to our river and hold responsible parties accountable for cleaning up after themselves.”

 

About Portland Fruit Tree Project:
PFTP is a grassroots nonprofit that empowers Portlanders to build a more just and resilient food system through community harvests, workshops, and environmental stewardship.

 

About Human Access Project:
HAP is a nonprofit working to transform Portland’s relationship with the Willamette River through public access, cleanup, restoration, and advocacy. Their mission is simple: a swimmable, fishable river for everyone.

 

About Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership:
The Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership is a non-profit, a National Estuary Program, and a collection of dedicated scientists, educators, and community members who are passionate about the Columbia River.

We focus on the lower 146 miles of the Columbia River, from Bonneville Dam to the Pacific Ocean, including the tidally influenced portions of tributaries in that area. The watershed includes 28 cities, nine counties, and 45 school districts within the states of Oregon and Washington.

 

About Mosquito Fleet: 

Mosquito Fleet is a BIPOC and Queer-led Collective, dedicated to democratizing access to waterways as a means of supporting folks in cultivating a personal and meaningful connection with water. Our work aims to make progress toward real climate justice through on-water advocacy, popular education, and grassroots movement building. 

 

Media inquiries and interview requests:
Please contact Kathryn at Kathryn@portlandfruit.org or (503) 902-8550
 

 

“If You Can’t Beat ’Em, Eat ’Em!”: Second Annual Community Blackberry Harvest Promotes Community Resilience —and Highlights Mismanagement On Ross Island - 07/24/26

UPDATE on Algea Bloom and Ross Island Sand and gravel Permission for event, as communicated to attendees:
 

Hi All Paddlers and friends of the river!

 

The update from the Human Access Project is that the algae bloom, while it is activated by the current heat, is at .2 and is negative for harmful cyanobacteria. You can read more about this level in the link, but this is well below the .8 marker for a toxic level, so we are a go for tomorrow - yippee! That said, anyone with a concern about this or any of the below are welcome to bow out without needing to notify us, we will still have plenty of paddlers. 

 

Ross Island Sand and Gravel, the owners of the island, are now officially allowing the event; so while we need to still stay on the beaches up to the vegetation lines, not traverse beyond posted No Trespassing signs, and not tamper with their equipment on the island in any way, we are welcome to be there for this one time event. 

 

Please read below:

  • Bring drinking water, snack and harvesting containers / baggies, we will have some extra small paper quart containers if you forget containers!
  • You MUST wear a PFD (life vest) and they will be provided for those riding in the canoes and borrowing kayaks from the Mosquito Fleet, but you are also welcome to bring your own. 
  • Bring long sleeves and pants if they are focused on volume harvesting since the bushes are "poky"... this is a wild area.
  • Water shoes to walk to shore - the beaches can be boggy.
  • Be prepared to find parking and walk in from further down the road if needed to launch with us after speeches at 11:10ish (see timeline below). The parking is going to fill up at the Willamette Park Launch, so leave extra time!
  • Be prepared to "leave only footprints" on the island, that this is a one time allowed event and not a directive to wander the island in general unsupervised... please help ensure we can do this again.
  • Note that OPB will be along with us, filming about the harvest for their show Superabundant (how cool is that!?).
  • Note that the event is choose your own level of exertion, and we do not expect everyone to make the up to 3 hour round trip into the interior of the lagoon, and that everyone will get photos from those of us that do go all the way in. Bring adequate water and snacks to power through if that is your goal!

Timeline to Launch:

  • 10 to 10:30 - arrive and follow Portland Fruit Tree Project posted signs!
  • 10:30 - safety checks and gather
  • 11am - speeches. Kathryn from PFTP (blackberry), Ten from DSN Eco-Activists (island history), and then Scott from HAP (Human Access Projects role and current events / Heron holdings update) 
  • 11:10-ish - paddle out. Look for pink flagging tape for harvests, Mosquito Fleet will be on the perimeter for safety and carrying basic first aid equipment.

Body of original PRelease below:


PORTLAND, OR – [Insert Date] – The Portland Fruit Tree Project (PFTP) is excited to launch its seasonal “If You Can’t Beat ’Em, Eat ’Em!” blackberry harvest and eradication campaign, inviting Portlanders to roll up their sleeves, safely harvest invasive Himalayan blackberries, and reclaim neglected urban green spaces.

 

This hands-on second annual paddling event to Ross Island with our river loving friends educates participants on safe foraging and will focus attention on the long-overdue ecological restoration of Ross Island, a site long neglected under Pamplin Media Group’s private ownership. In partnership with the Human Access Project (HAP), the Mosquito Fleet, and The Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, the on water event will spotlight both the urgency of the island’s restoration and the community-led vision to reimagine the Willamette as a clean, accessible, public waterway.

 

HAP has been ramping up lobbying efforts with city and state officials, urging leadership to invest in real solutions to the toxic algae blooms and deteriorating shoreline conditions that threaten the island and river users. In parallel, they are actively fundraising for a multi-phase restoration campaign that would include debris removal, water quality monitoring, and long-term ecological rehabilitation. Their campaign has already secured early commitments from local donors and environmental groups, and public events like this one are a part of their broader outreach and advocacy strategy.

 

The Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership will support this event by bringing out two of their 29-foot Big Canoes for up to 22 paddlers to get out to the island with the collective of BYO watercraft (non motorized only please) and swimmers headed to the island. Mosquito Fleet will offer both safety oversight, and provide loaner paddle watercraft through the online registration. Participants MUST register in advance @portlandfruit.org

 

“Ross Island is a forgotten gem with incredible potential,” said Scott Fogarty. “Through this collaboration with the Estuary Project and Portland Fruit Tree Project, we’re showing what it looks like when grassroots environmental justice meets joyful action. We want the public to see the island up close and understand what’s at stake—and how we can all take action to enjoy our city and take back the Willamette.”

Event Details:

“Blackberries may be invasive, but they’re also a symbol of resilience, and they are delicious to boot” says Heather Keisler Fornes, Executive Director at PFTP. “This campaign gives Portlanders a tangible way to confront land mismanagement, use what we have abundantly all around us, and support ongoing advocacy to restore access to our river and hold responsible parties accountable for cleaning up after themselves.”

 

About Portland Fruit Tree Project:
PFTP is a grassroots nonprofit that empowers Portlanders to build a more just and resilient food system through community harvests, workshops, and environmental stewardship.

 

About Human Access Project:
HAP is a nonprofit working to transform Portland’s relationship with the Willamette River through public access, cleanup, restoration, and advocacy. Their mission is simple: a swimmable, fishable river for everyone.

 

About Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership:
The Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership is a non-profit, a National Estuary Program, and a collection of dedicated scientists, educators, and community members who are passionate about the Columbia River.

We focus on the lower 146 miles of the Columbia River, from Bonneville Dam to the Pacific Ocean, including the tidally influenced portions of tributaries in that area. The watershed includes 28 cities, nine counties, and 45 school districts within the states of Oregon and Washington.

 

About Mosquito Fleet: 

Mosquito Fleet is a BIPOC and Queer-led Collective, dedicated to democratizing access to waterways as a means of supporting folks in cultivating a personal and meaningful connection with water. Our work aims to make progress toward real climate justice through on-water advocacy, popular education, and grassroots movement building. 

 

Media inquiries and interview requests:
Please contact Kathryn at Kathryn@portlandfruit.org or (503) 902-8550