The Forest Park Conservancy touches every mile of soft surface trails in Forest Park every year thanks to brushing, raking, and our Rapid Responders program. This work includes the basic necessities of adequate trail maintenance like culvert clearing, moving large branches off of the trail, and the reporting or trees and other serious hazards.
We are proud of this effort as it requires so many dedicated people to make it happen, including our regular volunteers, first-time volunteers, seasonal crew members, and our partners.
We would be unable to improve 47 miles every year without all those folks and we’re feeling grateful for that support when looking back on 2019!
Here are some trail maintenance stats from 2019:
- Rebenching and widening of trail: 7 miles maintained
- Drain and culvert clearing: 19.75 miles completed
- Stone retaining wall construction: 205 square feet constructed
- Tons of material hauled (rocks, gravel, etc.): 16 tons moved
- Miles of trails raked and/or brushed of overgrowth: 47 miles
Improvements on the Wildwood Trail in 2019
In 2019 FPC made improvements to the Wildwood Trail from Cornell to Balch Creek (MP 5 – ~5.25). Accessed from one of our most popular and family-friendly trailheads in Forest Park, finished improvements include a juniper retaining wall at the parking lot, armoring nearly the entire quarter-mile of the trail, and improving the switchback with a split rail fence, improved drainage, and a stone retaining wall below the switchback pad.
More improvements are coming this Spring on mile 5.25-5.5. FPC and Portland Parks plan to collaborate on some work that will improve erosion, reduce user hazard and ease the grade of the trail. This will extend the improvements made last year into 2020, which ultimately helps us work towards a really beautiful half-mile of trail that rightfully sees a whole lot of use.
To get involved in 2020, click here for our Event Calendar. We have a whole lot more to accomplish, and could use your help! No previous trails experience needed. Thank you for your support.
