Confluence ProjectSandy River Delta
Confluence of the Columbia and Sandy rivers
Troutdale, Oregon
Celebrate Number 3... Confluence Project's dedication of Maya Lin's bird blind at Sandy River Delta. Parking at Sandy River Delta will be limited. However, shuttle bus transpor- tation from the Troutdale Airport parking lot (directions can be found here) will be offered to and from the park trailhead. To arrive on time to the dedication, attendees are strongly encouraged to allow one hour for parking, shuttling and then walking the 1.2 mile Confluence Project trail to the site.
The dedication will feature remarks by Maya Lin and invited dignitaries whose organizations have partnered with Confluence Project in the Sandy River Delta bird blind site restoration. At the dedication site, partner organizations - Oregon Zoo ZAP, Columbia Gorge Discovery Center Raptor Program, Friends of the Sandy River Delta, Sandy River Delta Connection Project and Confluence In The Schools - will host display kiosks. The dedication will end with an ice cream social and family scavenger hunt. It is an event that promises a fun and unusual afternoon in an exceptional place.
The artwork
Bird Blind
Maya Lin plans to preserve the ecology and create an elliptical bird blind in a forest glade at this site in Troutdale, Oregon. The slats will be inscribed with the names of the birds, mammals and amphibians noted by the Corps of Discovery. The bird blind will allow visitors to make similar observations.
Black Locust
Upon approval of the Confluence Project’s Sandy River site design, the task loomed of finding the appropriate material to implement in the construction. It took eighteen months of meticulous research to find the most ecologically sustainable, longest lasting hardwood: the black locust.
Composed of a deeply furrowed blackish bark and draping clusters of intensely fragrant white blossoms, the tree is prized for both its appearance and honey-producing nectar. But when displaced from its native Appalachian habitat, the black locust, while it’s alive, is deceptive in its beauty. Except for its blossoms, every part of this tree is considered toxic, and its ability to spread like wildfire in damaged areas like the Sandy River Delta has helped earned its designation as an invasive species to the Northwest.
Its use in this project supports the effort to locally eradicate black locust while reinforcing the Confluence Project’s goal of promoting sustainability. “It’s sustainable because the wood was locally sourced from Walla Walla and we know the manner in which it was harvested, the conditions the laborers lived in, the economies we are supporting and the habitat we’re conserving,” said Andrew Brahe, project manager for the Sandy River Delta site.
Timeline
Dedication of this project is set for 4:00 p.m., Saturday, August 23, 2008.
- Cape Disappointment State Park
- Ridgefield
- Vancouver Nat'l Historic Reserve
- Sandy River Delta
- Celilo Park
- Sacajawea State Park
- Chief Timothy Park
Shoreline at the Sandy River Delta
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Black Locust Factoids:
- Black locust is a highly chatoyant wood—a property caused by rippled grain patterns that allows for light refraction across the wood’s surface.
- It is rumored that Abraham Lincoln used black locust for heavy-duty applications such as rails and fence posts.
- The wood is rich in flavonoids—chemical compounds that protect against insects and bacteria. Because of this property, black locust wood can resist rot and decay for up to 100 years in the soil.
- Because it is such a long-lasting hardwood, black locust is a safe alternative to chemically treated pressure woods (used in playground sets and home projects) that leak arsenic into the environment.