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Tryon Creek Linkages

Planning and conservation  ›  Natural areas, parks and trails  ›  Protecting natural areas  ›  Acquiring natural areas  ›  Tryon Creek Linkages

Learn about the goals and objectives for habitat and water quality protection in the Tryon Creek Linkages target area. View maps illustrating the Metro Council's priorities in this area and learn more about the importance of the area to our region.

The Metro Council's goals and objectives for the Tryon Creek Linkages target area are:

Goals

• Acquire few key land parcels to complete the connection between existing public lands and Tryon Creek State Natural Area.
• Protect connections to adjacent watersheds to maintain important wildlife corridors.

Objectives

Tier I Objective

• Close the remaining gaps in public ownership along the mainstem of Tryon Creek to create a continuous corridor that links to the Tryon Creek State Natural Area.

Tier II Objective

• Protect important wildlife corridors and upland forest connections between the Tryon Creek watershed and the Willamette River.

Partnership Objectives

• Pursue partnership opportunities with the City of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services and Parks and Recreation, City of Lake Oswego, Oregon State Parks, Clackamas County and Friends of Tryon Creek to leverage the regional investment in the Tryon Creek Linkages target area with local share funds and for management of purchased properties.
• Work with private landowners to explore opportunities for conservation easements and other water quality protection strategies.

About the area

The Tryon Creek Watershed covers more than 4,000 acres, including about 3,000 acres within Portland's city limits. Tryon Creek flows southeast for approximately seven miles from its headwaters near Multnomah Village to its confluence with the Willamette River in Lake Oswego and is one of the only streams in the metropolitan area with a run of steelhead trout. Parks and natural areas make up about 21 percent of the watershed; the rest of the area is predominately made up of single-family homes. The 645-acre Tryon Creek State Natural Area is Oregon's only state park within a major metropolitan area and makes up a large portion of the undeveloped area in the Tryon Creek Watershed. The area supports good wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities. Protecting and restoring the streams that feed into Tryon Creek will benefit water quality as well as support the integrity of the wildlife habitat at Tryon Creek State Natural Area.

2006 Natural Areas Program bond description

Acquisition of key land parcels will build on the successful efforts to protect Tryon Creek State Natural Area and riparian areas of Tryon Creek's major tributaries.

1995 Natural Areas Program goals and accomplishments

• Acquire key parcels in the headwaters of Tryon Creek and Arnold Creek.
• Protect the streamside and riparian areas along Tryon Creek, providing a linkage between Tryon Creek State Park and Marshall Park.

To date 59.34 acres have been protected by Metro's program in this area including securing some of the lands connecting Tryon Creek State Natural Area and Marshall Park and protection of areas in the headwaters of Arnold Creek.

New focus for Metro's 2006 Natural Areas Program

Secure the connections between Tryon Creek's natural areas and the Willamette River.

Field research and scientific data findings

• Scientific data continues to show the importance of intact riparian areas and headwaters for water quality and quantity protection, wildlife habitat and overall watershed health.

Public input helps Metro Council set priorities

In September 2007 the Metro Council approved acquisition plans for each of the 27 regional target areas. The Metro Council established these priorities with the input of natural resource and land use experts, scientists, citizens and local land managers. More than 500 people attended eight community open houses to share their ideas with Metro Councilors. Nearly 1,000 people filled out questionnaires ranking their priorities and offering ideas for partnerships and other ways to stretch the public's investment. The acquisition plans include a map, goals and objectives for each target area.

Need assistance?

Natural Areas Program
503-797-1545
naturalareas@oregonmetro.gov

Related Documents

• Tyron Creek Linkages map, goals, and objectives 854K Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published October 4, 2007