Open Gardens Project – Featuring Jenna’s Habitat

March 3, 2026/JP Marchetti-Mendez/

Site Information: Located in the Oak Grove, Rivervilla Acres, Unincorporated Clackamas County area, with full sun, part sun, shade, dry, moist, wet, and slope.

Photos show the massive weed infestation at the start of restoration efforts, an example of burned vegetation from the railroad bridge fire, and more recent restorative photos of Willamette Creek and wildlife on my property.

🌱 PLEASE RESPECT MY PRIVACY AND DO NOT COME TO MY PROPERTY WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT OR SCHEDULED BACKYARD HABITAT OPEN GARDEN DAY(S).

Thank you kindly 🙏🏽

A paved road runs beside a lush, green garden with potted plants and decorative flowers. A wooden railroad trestle is visible in the background. Several private property and warning signs are posted on a pole.

What inspired you to enroll in the Backyard Habitat Certification Program?

To show my support of responsible land stewardship by encouraging healthy habitat through native landscaping.

A wooden railway trestle bridge spans above dense green vegetation and trees. In the foreground, a gray trash bin stands on the edge of a paved path. The sky is mostly clear with scattered clouds.

How would you describe your habitat?

My garden hosts year-round Willamette Creek & Wetland running through a rocky hillside bordering the OG-LO Train Trestle, which crosses the Willamette River at Rivervilla Park. This garden is full-part sun, faces hot south summers, and has a spring-fed waterway running through it. After about six years of work, this unique garden area on my property, once infested with weeds, is finally flourishing with native plants and attracting wildlife. In 2024, a railroad bridge fire badly damaged my landscape, but I have been working hard to nurse it back to health. My property is now Gold Certified in the Backyard Habitat Program and registered with the North American Butterfly Association and the Bird Alliance of Oregon.

A snow-covered landscape with a wooden railroad trestle bridge in the background, a small wooden shelter on the left, and leafless trees and plants scattered across the scene.

What are your top three favorite native plants, and why do you love them?

  • Wapato with huge arrow-shaped leaves growing in Willamette Creek
  • Quaking Aspen for the anticipation of its quivering leaves
  • Madrones for their rusty evergreen leaves and beautiful multicolored bark… hard not to mention the Thrift Seapink
A yellow pear hangs from a branch with brown, wilted leaves in the foreground. In the background, there is a wooden gazebo, a trestle bridge, and a paved path surrounded by trees and greenery under a clear blue sky.

What changes have you observed as a result of creating habitat?

Increased habitat, bringing diversity to wildlife, and the personal joy of bringing intentions to fruition through my stewardship and personal engagement with my land.

A deer stands on a grassy slope in front of a pond, surrounded by plants and garden decorations. An orange construction fence and a white chair are visible in the background. The scene appears to be in a backyard.

What were the two most significant challenges you encountered while creating habitat, and how did you address them?

My two most significant challenges have been managing trespassers who tromp through my garden to illegally access railroad property, and controlling noxious weeds that continuously spread from neighboring county and railroad lands. I’ve addressed these by monitoring my property boundaries and maintaining a regular weed removal schedule, though both remain ongoing battles due to factors beyond my control, including lack of enforcement for Willamette Creek protection and inadequate cleanup after the 2024 OG-LO Train Trestle fire.

A duck stands at the edge of a small stream surrounded by rocks and green ferns, with a group of ducklings following closely behind in the water.

What resources did you find especially helpful?

  • Sparrowhawk Native Plants
  • Community plant/seed trades
  • Volunteer and paid help
A white pickup truck is parked on a narrow road with tall grass and plants on one side. The sun is shining brightly, casting long shadows, and a pothole is visible in the road near the truck. Trees and a raised structure are in the background.

How do you enjoy your Backyard Habitat throughout the different seasons? What are its highlights in each season?

I enjoy seeing the range of wildlife my landscape now supports, watching animals pair up in spring with some even nesting and raising their young in Willamette Creek, the fall/winter harvest of food and seed by these animals, and the surprise pop-ups from their plantings.

A paved path runs alongside a garden with green plants, rocks, and a small creek. Decorative wind spinners are visible, and a wooden trestle bridge crosses above in the background. A white bench sits on the right.

What part of your backyard habitat are you most proud of?

Restoring the portion of Willamette Creek & Wetland running through my property.

A group of signs on a wooden post in a wooded area reads "Private Drive," "Private Property," and "Do Not Enter," with detailed property restrictions and certifications for backyard habitat and pesticide reduction.

Is there anything else you’d like to add about your journey?

I hope to get support in efforts to restore Willamette Creek & Wetland from its spring source to where it meets the Willamette River at Thiessen Bar in Rivervilla Park.

A truck is parked on a paved road next to a pile of debris and branches. An old wooden bridge, power pole, and dense green trees are visible in the background. The sky is partly cloudy.

What is one piece of advice you would give new program participants?

Stay with your vision… It’s hard but rewarding work.

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