Otak Blog

A couple of weeks ago, several Otakians attended the 1st Annual Sustainable Stormwater Symposium. The 2-day event was held at Portland’s EcoTrust Building and attracted nationally known presenters, including Dr. Derek Booth who discussed hydromodification and the effects of land use changes on streams and rivers, as well as Dr. Bill Hunt from North Carolina State University who addressed permeable pavements. Our very own Kevin Timmins, a water resource engineer at Otak, moderated one of the presentation sessions in his svelte sweater vest (the symposium’s theme).

Quinn Donnelly, a water resources engineer at Otak, helped coordinate one of the most popular events of the symposium, a Portland bike tour of several notable low-impact development stormwater projects. More than 50 riders paraded the 8-mile route where each stop included a presentation on the particular site. Scott Shumaker, a senior project manager at Otak, led a group of cyclists to the stormwater facilities located at South Waterfront. The ride ended at Bridgeport Brewery where beer was enjoyed by all!

This Fall, Dyanne Sheldon, Otak’s Director of Natural Resources, had the opportunity to step away from her office and with three other colleagues, share her extensive design knowledge in watershed planning for habitat considerations and restoration at the International Urban Restoration Center in South Korea. She and her colleagues taught an intensive five-day workshop in Urban and Habitat Restoration to 35 participants from 14 different countries across Asia, and one from Kenya. Students learned through lectures, on-site visits, and hands-on design team charrettes that each team had to present to the entire group. “It was an energizing and a humbling experience,” said Dyanne. “To be able to spend such intense time with such dedicated professionals from government positions and NGO’s representing such a broad range of issues and resources was really fascinating. We all learned from each other and all of us took home deep lessons about the complexity, in both human and ecological terms, of restoring habitats and maintaining communities in urban and urbanizing settings throughout Asia. I’ve already been in contact with several students following up with questions, and I expect to hear from many more over the next several months. I’d do it again in a second.”

For team members of Otak of the Mullets, Hood to Coast 2009 was somewhere between memorable and epic. Friendships and bonding were not facilitated any faster between fellow teammates and other witnesses than by the mullet. Not only did our locks excite joy among others, but they pumped moral to new levels exciting fast runs, extreme yelling, and repeated choruses of Wild World (Cat Stevens) and We’re Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sisters). In short, may “Mullet Magic” overwhelm y’all allowing all “Mullets Unite” everywhere!