Parks and nature investments

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Five times during the last two decades, voters across greater Portland have approved funding measures to support a network of regional parks, trails and natural areas. Learn how Metro uses the money to protect water quality, restore fish and wildlife habitat, and improve access to nature.

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17,000 acres and counting

Voters asked Metro to buy the region's most special land, before it's too late. Habitat is protected across the Portland metropolitan area, ensuring that nature is always close to home. Two bond measures have preserved 17,000 acres and 90 miles of river and stream banks, and supported hundreds of community projects.

Video

Go behind the scenes at three places protected by Metro's Natural Areas Program, and learn how voters have made a difference for the region’s water quality, wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation.

Explore your big backyard

Visit parks and natural areas

Whether you’re in the mood for a short hike or a weekend camping trip, a boat ride or a picnic, Metro has a destination for you.

Explore your big backyard

Newell Creek Canyon

Thanks to voters, Metro is investing a bond measure to purchase wildlife habitat and a levy to help care for regional parks and natural areas and improve them for visitors – including Newell Creek Canyon in Oregon City.

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Nature grants

Metro nature grants reward innovative ideas that connect communities with nature. Could your project be next?

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Metro operates a unique park system, one with nature at its heart.

Thanks to two decades of voter investments, Metro manages more than 17,000 acres of parks, trails and natural areas across every community in the region – from Chehalem Ridge on the west to the Sandy River Gorge on the east, from Blue Lake and Smith and Bybee Wetlands on the north to Graham Oaks on the south.

Voters have repeatedly trusted Metro to protect clean water, restore fish and wildlife habitat and provide opportunities for people to experience nature close to home.

To accomplish this, Metro has built and operates 14 parks, manages 14 cemeteries and offers three boat ramps. Four new parks are being designed or built right now. Metro purchases critical and rare habitat across the region. Metro scientists help heal damaged habitat by removing invasive plants and planting native trees, shrubs and flowers that support animals big and small.

Racial equity has become a key focus at Metro. The department is committed to making Metro’s parks and natural areas safe and welcoming places for people of color, connecting immigrant and refugees communities to nature, providing job training to young people of color and honoring the ongoing connection of Native people to the ceded lands Metro manages.

Across greater Portland, Metro supports community nature projects, from park building to stream restoration to pollinator gardens. By connecting residents and community organizations to each other, Metro helps build a greater sense of community as the community helps nature.

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Calendar

News

Parks and nature bond update: Oversight committee report, protect and restore land refinement complete, upcoming public comment period for trails, and capital grants milestones

April 28, 2022 4:10 p.m.

In alignment with its role to report annually to the Metro Council, the Natural Areas and Capital Program Performance Oversight Committee has submitted its year one report back to the Metro Council. Over the past month, the 2019 parks and nature bond reached a critical milestone: a majority of the bond’s programs have finished refinement and are now at work fulfilling the promises Metro made to voters when they approved the bond.
Metro Council adopts plans for natural area conservation, regional trails

By Cory Eldridge
April 15, 2022 11:26 a.m.

Up to $155 million is available to buy land for natural areas
Parks and nature bond update: Bond refinement process winds down, trails and protect and restore land programs highlights, and the capital grants pilot design and review committee launch

March 1, 2022 noon

In the next few months, the Metro Council will consider approval of the refinement plans for the protect and restore land and walking and biking trails programs, providing staff with road maps to acquire land through our willing seller program for habitat protection and where local partners will one day build regional trails. The protect and restore program received many responses to their winter survey and outreach regarding draft plans for prioritizing land purchases. The trails program shares a recap of the past year. The capital grants pilot design and review committee has launched, and the Natural Areas and Capital Program Performance Oversight Committee will meet on March 3.
Parks and nature bond update: Protect and restore land community engagements, local share roundtables

Feb. 3, 2022 noon

January information sessions for the protect and restore land program offered an opportunity for community members to see the work and find out how community input has influenced the plans. Local share hosted a roundtable sharing best practices in Tribal Government consultation and engagement.
Parks and nature bond update: Program updates, the Parks and Nature annual report and protect and restore land engagement sessions

Dec. 22, 2021 1:29 p.m.

Much of the work to turn the 2019 parks and nature bond into programs ready to invest in our region's parks, trails and natural areas is on track to be complete by spring 2022. Join us in January to learn about our work to develop plans to protect special places across the region through land acquisition and restoration.
Parks and nature 2021: Promises made, promises kept

Nov. 21, 2021 6:01 p.m.

Even during a global pandemic, Metro has continued to enact the vision of voters to protect water and habitat and connect people to nature.
Parks and nature 2021: Historic cemeteries

Nov. 21, 2021 5:49 p.m.

Sources of history, arboretums and parks, Metro’s historic cemeteries continue to serve as the final resting place for people in the region.
Parks and nature 2021: Diversity, equity and inclusion

Nov. 21, 2021 5:23 p.m.

In 2021, Metro staff worked with communities of color to reimagine and relaunch its bond-funded programs.
Parks and nature 2021: Community investments

Nov. 21, 2021 5:04 p.m.

Helping communities take on projects they identify and connect to nature in their own ways.
Parks and nature 2021: Community education and stewardship

Nov. 21, 2021 4:46 p.m.

Connecting people to nature during COVID-19 requires imagination and commitment.