Forest Park made the news this week to announce an exciting step forward in the long-term ecological restoration of the park. In case you missed it, here is the clip from KGW! Want to learn more about this groundbreaking project? Join us for the upcoming Balch Creek Public Meeting this Monday evening on August 10.
The problem of invasive species represents a ‘clear and present’ danger to the health of Forest Park, native wildlife and our region’s water and air quality. Through a grant from Metro, Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R), in partnership with the Forest Park Conservancy, is about to embark on the Balch Creek Launch Project.
The first of a series of Forest Park restoration projects, the Balch Creek Launch Project is intensively focused on restoring 155 acres in the Balch subwatershed (think Lower Macleay Trail up to Pittock Mansion) prioritized for its ecological value and high visitor traffic. Restoration will include invasive species removal using both manual (hand pulling) and spray treatment (spot application of herbicide to invasive plants), followed by revegetation of the sites.
The Forest Park Conservancy will continue to mobilize volunteers to help leverage and sustain this important work within the park. On the Fall Day of Stewardship, up to 150 volunteers will be uprooting invasive plants along the trails that wind through Balch Creek Canyon, and in the invasive-free forest interior, replanting with native trees and shrubs. Sign up here to get involved!