Forest Park is our treasure

, Aug 1, 2006, Updated Oct 30, 2009

David Plechl / The Portland Tribune

Runners take to the Wildwood Trail in Forest Park, which, OK, isn’t the superlative everyone might claim it is in terms of size and status. Supporters say, “Never mind,” it — and other parks in the system — are jewels in the city crown.

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In Portland, we have the luxury of bickering over whether Forest Park is the largest forested urban natural area park in the country — but frankly, who cares?

We do know this: Forest Park is an incredible treasure for the Portland metro region (Forest Park fallacy, July 18). Its southern reach is just minutes from downtown Portland (which is not the largest city in the United States, nor even in the Northwest, but still a great place to call home).

The park offers a wide range of recreational opportunities as well as respite from the hustle and bustle of urban living. It is wildlife habitat; more than 100 species of birds and 60 species of mammals have been sighted in the park as temporary or permanent residents. And don’t forget the banana slugs and giant Pacific salamanders.

The 30-mile Wildwood Trail and the Lower Macleay Trail are National Recreation Trails, a status bestowed upon them by a program of the National Park Service. And it is no mistake that houses around the park’s borders carry a hefty price tag.

Portland has bragging rights. Forest Park is an incredible resource and legacy for our city. Now it’s up to us to care for it.

P.S. The author of the study cited by the Tribune acknowledges that he used old information for Forest Park. The park has grown by approximately 800 acres since then, thanks to the last Metro Greenspaces ballot measure and the generosity and hard work of Friends of Forest Park members.

Gail Snyder

Friends of Forest Park executive director

Northwest Portland

Work for parks is far from finished

We read with interest the story debunking the myth that Forest Park is the largest urban park in the nation (Forest Park fallacy, July 18).

This misnomer contributes to a degree of smug complacency and neglect for Portland’s park and green-space system. While the system is well-endowed by investments from past generations, the truth is it falls short in some important measures, especially in terms of access, not mentioned in the article.

Moreover, public investment in Portland’s parks and green spaces is not keeping pace with the needs and values of a changing and growing population.

The Coalition for a Livable Future’s forthcoming Regional Equity Atlas found that only 49 percent of Portland’s population (2000 U.S. Census) is within a quarter-mile walk of a public green space, below the value for the entire Portland-Vancouver, Wash., metropolitan region.

By this measure, Portland has worse access than Hillsboro, Sherwood and even Gresham. Only 60 percent of Portlanders are within a quarter-mile of a natural area (public or private), the lowest percentage of any city in Clackamas, Multnomah or Washington counties.

Fortunately, Portlanders have the opportunity to renew support for the natural area protection that gave us a world-class park system, including gems like Forest Park. Portland voters can pass the Natural Areas, Parks and Streams bond measure on the November ballot. The measure would raise $227.4 million to purchase and protect natural areas for clean water, wildlife and people at a cost of less than $3 per month for the average homeowner.

The measure, which includes $15 million in local share for the city of Portland, also would help buy parkland and trails where they’re most needed. For information on the measure, see www.savenaturalareas.org.

Jim Labbe

Audubon Society of Portland urban conservationist

Northwest Portland

Jill Fuglister

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