Metro invites you to help finalize the vision for the regional strategy that will make it easier and safer to walk, ride a bicycle and access transit at a community open house, Thursday, May 23 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Metro Council Chamber.

This spring, don’t let rainy days keep you off your bike. Metro Drive Less Save More and our partners salute those pedaling around town on grey and rainy days – and encourage everyone to give wet weather riding a try.

Several representatives to a region-wide advisory committee said Wednesday that Metro's Climate Smart Communities program is about more than tailpipe emissions, saying it's about what citizens want in their communities.

Metro announces the recipients of $2.1 million in funds awarded through the Regional Travel Options grant program. These fourteen grants will support projects that increase opportunities for residents to use transit, carpool, ride their bicycles or walk.

Kicking off another great year of Drive Less Connect, Metro is rewarding five commuters each week with $50 gift cards and two grand prize winners with a $100 gift card - just by logging carpool commute trips from Feb. 4-March 31.

Once you’ve taken down the lights, packed up the ornaments and swept up all the tinsel, what do you do with the tree? It’s easy to recycle at the curb with your yard debris, or through a local nonprofit. Metro can tell you how.

Recycle your tree with your curbside yard debris collection service

Residents with curbside yard debris collection programs can recycle their trees at the curb. Tree preparation requirements and fees vary throughout the region. For details, call your local solid waste and recycling office, Metro Recycling Information at 503-234-3000, or your garbage hauler.

Find a full list of the region’s curbside recycling resources

Support a nonprofit fundraiser

Many nonprofit organizations offer pickup services or drop-off locations where you can take Christmas trees and wreaths to be recycled. They provide this service to help communities, and to raise money for other worthwhile projects, charging a small fee or requesting a donation. When these groups have ended their tree recycling projects, you can either take your tree to a yard debris processing facility or use curbside service.

Find a Christmas tree recycler using Metro’s Find a Recycler web tool

Prepping your tree for recycling

Remove all lights, wire, tinsel, ornaments, nails, stands and other materials that are not part of the original tree. Most trees are ground up as part of the recycling process; foreign material can ruin a chipping machine. Also, nonorganic materials aren't good for a compost mixture. Some groups or businesses do not accept flocked trees.

Christmas wreaths and swags can be recycled with trees. Most recyclers ask that all frames and wire be removed.

For more information about Christmas tree recycling, call Metro’s recycling hotline at 503-234-3000.

Today Metro announced its progress toward sustainability goals in internal operations. Metro’s second report shows a year of results reaching key objectives in its Sustainability Plan, highlighted with success stories and strategies for further improvement.

If you love nature, enjoy working with children and have access to personal transportation, consider becoming a volunteer naturalist by attending Metro’s Nature University. Nature University is a 12-week training course that starts people along the path of becoming naturalists and teachers. Students are introduced to time-honored techniques of nature observation and principles of discovery learning, and learn about common wildlife and plants, the ecology of wetlands and ancient forests, and effective teaching techniques. At Nature University, students receive the training needed to become a qualified and confident Metro volunteer naturalist.

Nature University students learn the importance of careful observation and the use of field guides, skills that can be applied in a lifelong process of learning and sharing with others. No special experience is required, but a background in natural history and biology and working with groups is helpful. Metro is accepting applications through Nov. 5, 2012. Don’t delay!

Watch a video testimonial from Deborah Stokes, Nature University graduate.

Free training and resources include:

• first Aid/CPR training
• opportunities for continuing education and training on various natural history topics
• fees waived for attending Metro classes
• annual Metro parks pass ($40 value)
• ongoing guidance and support from Metro staff naturalists

Learn more about Nature University and download an application

Learn more about the Oregon Zoo’s premier conservation education program

Learn more about Metro parks

Find hundreds of nature activities, paddle trips, bike rides, bird walks, volunteer ventures and natural gardening workshops offered all around the region

Purchase an annual parks pass

Drizzles got you down? Make the most of the season by creating a rain garden in your yard. It will help protect rivers and streams from polluted storm water, and add a beautiful feature to your yard. Metro natural gardening expert Carl Grimm shared top rain garden tips today on KATU’s AM Northwest.