GreenWorks is fully immersed the Klamath River project. We are improving access to nature, not just recreationally, but also for the Tribes to their once-lost sacred lands, and increasing river’s ecosystem health and habitat biodiversity. In this post, we walk you through the overarching themes and our role in shaping this iconic project.
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The Big Float is this weekend! The event is a part of the non-profit Human Access Project, headed by our friend, Will Levenson. Find out more about the event at: http://www.thebigfloat.com/ At THE HAPpenning Big Float Pre-Party last month, Mayor Ted Wheeler, Brett Horner (Portland Parks and Recreation), Kaitlin
Lovell (Bureau of Environmental Services) Mike Lindberg (former City Councilman) and Sallie Edmunds (Bureau of Planning and Sustainability) unveiled the Eastbank Crescent Project. The Eastbank Crescent is located between the Hawthorne and Marquam bridges on the eastbank of the Willamette River. The purpose of the project is to create a recreational destination and a fish and wildlife habitat refuge. The project is a collaborative effort between City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, Bureau of Environmental Services (BES), Portland Development Commission, Portland Parks and Recreation, GreenWorks, Mayer-Reed, and Flowing Solutions. Based on existing conditions analysis, constraints and opportunities, two concepts were developed including maximizing recreation and maximizing habitat. GreenWorks, with sub consultant, Inter-fluve Inc., was task by BES to enhance in-water nearshore habitat for ESA-listed fish, restore riparian and upland habitat for birds and wildlife, and incorporate river habitat education opportunities. An array of habitat treatments were considered including laying back the riverbank to create more habitat by vegetating with native plants, undulating the shallow water area with alcoves or backchannels to enhance fish habitat and creating viewpoints and access for education. The concepts were presented to stakeholders and the public in spring and summer of 2016 and to City Council on June 7, 2017.
Mike Faha recently toured our project at River Island. Situated along the Clackamas River near Barton County Park, River Island is 240 acres of natural area that provides habitat for native species including endangered salmon and steelhead, native turtles and migratory birds. The main portion of the site in the middle of the river was a gravel mining operation until the 1996 flood, which greatly altered the natural area's landscape by breaching man-made levees and shortened the main channel of the Clackamas River. GreenWorks and Inter-Fluve have been working with Metro to help create a vision and concepts for restoring natural channel processes and supporting multiple values including fish and wildlife habitat, riparian and upland forests, water quality and recreation. GreenWorks assisted with public outreach and prepared presentation materials to easily convey complex engineering concepts into understandable, photo realistic graphics that help the public and stakeholders understand the opportunities and what the site could look like once it is restored. Conceptual design alternatives were created for restoration of riparian-forested wetlands at the gravel mine site as well as design and restoration of Goose Creek, reconnecting it to the Clackamas River mainstem for cool water rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids. Inter-Fluve developed a site conservation plan and permit-level designs. This project is one of the biggest restoration projects in the Pacific Northwest.
GreenWorks would like to acknowledge Metro Project Manager Brian Vaughn as well as project lead Inter-Fluve, and members of their team: Emily Alcott, Lon Mikkelsen, Mike McAllister, Mike Brunfelt, Caitlin Alcott, Matt Cox, Colin MacLaren, Rich Phaneuf, and Mackenzie Baxter.
As the beautiful autumn weather draws you outdoors, head south for an autumnal amble through Canemah Bluff Nature Park. Canemah Bluff is a 300-acre natural area owned and maintained by Metro within Oregon City. More active park amenities include the playground, basketball court, and picnic tables at Canemah Neighborhood Children’s Park. Continue along the mile-long unpaved trails into the natural area for a chance to glimpse sparrows, red-breasted sapsuckers, white-breasted nuthatches, orange-crowned warblers, hawks and eagles.
GreenWorks recently completed the Canemah Bluff Trails and Overlook project, working closely with Metro to develop public access to the sensitive oak savannah and woodland. The project included improving hiking trails, a new boardwalk, new foot-bridge, and a scenic overlook.
A highly active and passionate neighborhood group provided the project team with valuable input. The project design reflects Metro’s and the neighborhood’s goals for minimal impact, yet provides a safe place for users to enjoy the natural area.
For more information, visit:
On Tuesday, Metro region voters approved a property tax levy to pay for parks and natural areas funding. The tax will provide Metro with approximately $10 million a year for maintenance and restoration at its properties. Read the full article here. GreenWorks is pleased that the region has spoken in favor of funding parks and natural areas. As landscape architects we support this movement to protect the area’s vibrant network of outdoor destinations and protected land. As volunteers and consultants we’ve collaborated with Metro for many years and look forward to working together on future projects that safeguard our parks and natural areas for future generations.
Humans and heron alike are enjoying the beautiful weather at Tanner Springs Park located in NW Portland in the Pearl District. Check out these awesome photos courtesy of Mike Houck (Urban Greenspaces Institute)!
Recently, the Bend Park & Recreation District has been working on a plan to alter the spillway on the Deschutes River at the Colorado Dam in downtown Bend to enable kayakers and inner-tubers to ride downstream without having to maneuver around the dam. The Colorado Avenue Dam creates an impoundment that was once used to support lumber mill operations and also maintains surface water levels upstream in the Mill District area. The dam is located in an area of the river that is heavily used during the summer months by people on inflatable rafts and inner-tubes. The current configuration blocks downstream passage and requires all river users to exit the river and put-in downstream. The dam creates a pinning hazard exposing a high number of users to the potential of being swept into the dam.
GreenWorks, as part of a team including OTAK, Pacific Habitat Resources, and RiverRestoration.org, provided a design for safe passage over the existing Colorado Dam for many types of river users including inflatable crafts, and hardshell boats like kayaks and canoes. The design includes whitewater play features, a higher pedestrian bridge and increased habitat diversity along the river. By incorporating a fish passage and on-bank habitat restoration, improvements to McKay Park, and removal of the existing pedestrian bridge, the design will achieve improved safety for river users and environmental conditions of the river.
A fun, interactive chance
for you and your children
to explore nature based play.
How does a nature based
play area differ from
a traditional playground?
Portland Parks & Recreation
is designing the City of Portland’s
first nature based play area in
Westmoreland Park.
Who: All ages welcome and encouraged to play! Come rain or shine, the event is indoors!
When: Saturday March 17th -10am-2pm
Where: 5040 SE Milwaukie Ave. and SE Mitchell St. Tri-Met bus #19
RSVP: Portland Parks and Rec or call Elizabeth at 503-823-5113
More information: www.licenses.ci.portland.or.us/parks/index.cfm?c=57822&
Construction is complete on the two pedestrian tunnels that now provide safe crossing under State Route 14, approximately twenty-six miles east of Vancouver, Washington. The Cape Horn Trail is a popular 7.5 mile trail with spectacular views of the Columbia River Gorge. GreenWorks, working with Wallis Engineering (civl engineering) and Kramer Gehlen & Associates (structural engineering), provided the design for the stone facing of the tunnel facades and planting design at the tunnels. The stone used on the project is local quarried basalt stone. The tunnel facades were designed to relate to other historic Cascadian examples of stone masonry found within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. To quote the Washington Trails Association,‘The Cape Horn Trail is about to become one of the prized jewels of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.’
This WSDOT project, in partnership with the USDA Forest Service was made possible by funding provided by Western Federal Lands Highway Division. The General contractor for the project was Rotschy, Inc and stone masonry work was provided by Custom Masonry, Inc.
For additional information, please visit the following websites:
Washington Dept. of Transportation
St. Louis Ponds is a 260 acre public open space owned by the State of Oregon and located directly on Interstate 5 just south of Woodburn, Oregon. Offering seven ponds stocked with a variety of warm water fish species, it is a popular fishing destination. GreenWorks has been commissioned through grant funding to master plan the central 20 acres of the site, with program elements including new accessible trails and fishing platforms, an education center and restroom, host sites, wet prairie & oak savannah habitat restoration zones and a new parking lot incorporating green stormwater infrastructure.
On February 4th, Mike Faha of GreenWorks met on site with the client, Oregon Wildlife Heritage Foundation and members of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to discuss the options and ideas that have been presented to date. Completion of the master plan is expected for later this spring/summer.
Integrating people and nature through creative and sustainable design.
Landscape Architecture | Environmental Design
110 SE Main St, Suite 100, Portland, OR 97214
e. info@greenworkspc.com p. 503.222.5612 f. 503.222.2283
