Summer in Portland means brushing season for Forest Park and Marquam Nature Park! If you’re not familiar with it, “brushing” is a type of trail maintenance where volunteers cut back excess vegetation along trail corridors. Keeping trailside vegetation in check helps make trails safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable for everyone by allowing visitors to use the full width of the trail and better see other trail users ahead of them. When trails become overgrown, people tend to shift toward the lower edge of the trail, an area that’s often less stable and more prone to erosion over time.
Thanks to our incredible volunteers, FPC is able to clear more than 50 miles of soft-surface trails throughout Forest Park and Marquam Nature Park each year. Brushing is one of the most rewarding types of trail maintenance because you get to cover a lot of ground, see an immediate difference in the trail, and work in small groups that make it easy to connect with fellow volunteers. Plus, there’s nothing quite like hearing “thank you” from trail users as you work!
If you’re ready to give brushing a try, join us at any volunteer event from May through August. We especially would love to see you at National Trails Day on Saturday, June 6th. This yearly event is always a wonderful chance to get outdoors, connect with your community, and give back to the trails you love. Check out our different site options and register here!