Dear John,

Announcing...OLCV’s 2020 Photo Contest! This year’s theme? Nature Nearby.
 
We’ve all been spending more time close to home--hanging out in the yard, walking to the local park, stopping quite literally to smell the roses along the way. For our Nature Nearby Photo Contest, we want to see photos of nature in your neighborhood: the beautiful wildflower growing in your garden, or the bright-yellow bird that perches on your birdfeeder every morning, or a selfie with your favorite neighborhood tree. These moments remind us that nature isn’t only out in the Cascades, or deep in the wilds of Eastern Oregon--nature is all around us! What have you been noticing? Send us your picture and enter to win!
 
OLCV Photo Contest: Nature Nearby
How to Enter: Send your pictures (limit three photos per person) of nature in your neighborhood to [email protected], along with a brief sentence on where the photos were taken, and why they’re special.
Deadline: September 1st, 2020
Prize: The winner will receive a surprise gift, and will be featured at our 2020 Annual Celebration for the Environment (which will be held online this year) on September 11th.
 
We’ll also be posting many of these photos on our social media pages. We hope these photos will bring people together, and add a little brightness to your day! Here are some examples from OLCV staff: 
 
OLCV’s Coalition Director, Julia, shared this picture of a beautiful wildflower she discovered while hiking Mt. Tabor last weekend
 

 
Our Development Director, April, shared a photo of her favorite neighborhood tree--a huge, old ponderosa pine that’s designated as a Heritage Tree by the City of Portland.
 
 
OLCV’s Engagement Organizer, Tanya, posed for a selfie with her dog Biscuit while hiking at Ramona Falls.
 

And I snapped this picture of a ladybug that found its way into my community garden plot, and helped guard my crops from aphids.

We also want to acknowledge that not everyone has the same access to green spaces. Throughout history, city planners have prioritized wealthy, white neighborhoods over low-income communities and communities of color. One example of this is how predominantly Black neighborhoods around the country have fewer trees, and therefore hotter temperatures. You can read more about it in this article from NPR. We hope to do everything we can to help expand access to parks, trees, and nature nearby.

And, just as a reminder, whether it's your usual neighborhood walk, or a new park in your neck of the woods, please stay safe, and wear a mask within 6 feet of anyone outside your household. 
 
We hope you’ll share your picture with us! Email your entry to [email protected] by September 1st, and check back on our Facebook and Instagram pages to see when we share your picture! If you want us to tag you in the post, make sure to include your Instagram handle in the email.
 
Best,
Francesca Varela
Communications Coordinator, OLCV 

 
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Oregon League of Conservation Voters
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Staying in touch via the Oregon League of Conservation Voters’ email list is the best way we have of keeping in regular contact with supporters like you and letting you know about the ways you can take action to protect the environment. You can unsubscribe from our supporter list, but if you leave, it will be harder for you to stay involved with OLCV and continue the work that you’ve been such a critical part of. OLCV wins environmental policy fights and elections because of dedicated activists like you, and we’d hate to see you go.