Forest Park Ambassador Program
A Short Background
Forest Park is the epicenter and a “gateway” to a larger system of city and State Parks, State Forests and National Forests around the region. Many of the land use issues that Forest Park faces are shared by our regional counterparts. Because many of the regular users to these larger areas are coming from the Portland/Vancouver region, and the size and visibility of Forest Park, the Forest Park Conservancy has a unique opportunity to promote community stewardship of Forest Park and universal responsible land use that we hope will also improve user behavior on our State and National Forests.
The volunteer-led Forest Park Ambassador Program benefits Forest Park, users, and local communities by improving user behavior, building awareness around responsible recreation on public lands, furthering a deeper connection to nature, and increasing community engagement and stewardship of Forest Park.
Forest Park has 19 trailheads that are frequently accessed every day. With only two rangers, the amount of responsible land use education being promoted is minimal. Forest Park Ambassadors will provide the critically needed education by sharing knowledge about the cultural and natural history, creating a safe and welcoming environment at trailheads, and teach Leave No Trace principles to help promote responsible recreation.
Ambassador Roles
- Serve as a friendly, informative welcome committee at Forest Park trailheads.
- Educate users about FPC and our critical role in maintaining, restoring, and protecting Forest Park.
- Provide information that helps build awareness around responsible public land use, Leave No Trace, wildfire prevention, off-leash dogs, and the importance of wildlife habitat.
- Provide useful information about trail access, trail routes, and directions, and any other questions about Forest Park of FPC.
- Manage the dog leash borrow program for visitors that forget leashes for their dogs
Volunteer Commitment and Benefits
Commitment:
- Attend required volunteer training and sign a volunteer waiver.
- Participants are encouraged to volunteer once per month on a Saturday.
- Has transportation to and from the trailhead and can carry equipment.
Perks to Participate:
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Perks to Participate:
- Gift from one of our program sponsors, Cotopaxi
- A free pair of shoes from HOKA for the 30 ambassador with the most logged ambassador volunteer hours
- Entry in a Patagonia merchandise giveaway
- Entry in a giveaway for a limited edition Forest Park bandana by Forest Park Conservancy
- Opportunity to meet people and build your communication skills
- You get to learn more about Forest Park, the Forest Park Conservancy, and become an expert on Forest Park and/or Marquam Nature Park
- The satisfaction of helping protect Forest Park and Marquam Nature Park and serving your local community of park users
Please check our Events Calendar for upcoming trainings, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter for updates.
If you have any questions about the Forest Park Ambassador Program, please email Zac Peal, FPC's Director of Programs & Community Engagement.
