Why a Forest Park Conservancy? In short: because great cities have great parks and great parks have great conservancies!

1) What will happen to Friends of Forest Park?

Friends of Forest Park is The Forest Park Conservancy and Friends will always be a part of the Forest Park equation, regardless of the name of the organization! In fact, the Forest Park Conservancy will be a medium for growing our membership. In order for the Conservancy to emerge as a new entity with distinct responsibilities, paperwork will be filed with the state to change the name of the organization. Our mission remains the same: dedication to the protection and enhancement of Forest Park as an irreplaceable natural resource benefiting generations of Portland-area residents and visitors. We will continue to invite and encourage our members to serve as champions for the future of Forest Park.

2) What’s wrong with the way things are?

Since the early 1900s, when Portland’s population was 50,000, Portland’s Bureau of Parks & Recreation (PPR) has owned and managed Forest Park. Over the last century, as the population grew to over 500,000, PPR has commendably managed what is considered to be one of the nation’s premier urban forests. Yet, the Park’s edges are becoming frayed as development pressures escalate, and public funding for natural area management cannot outcompete funding for social services, education and public safety. Moreover, Portland Metro projects that in the next 25 years, 1 million new people will relocate to the greater Portland region. Friends of Forest Park (FoFP) currently serves as Forest Park’s most enthusiastic advocate and steward, having raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and contributed countless hours of service to respond to emergency land acquisition opportunities and land use campaigns, provide for trail maintenance and enhance public experience. However, to ensure Forest Park’s future, a new model is needed; neither PPR or FoFP alone can do all that must be done to vouchsafe Forest Park as a place of refuge, recreational opportunity and biodiversity.

3) Why a Forest Park Conservancy?

Large parks in other major cities commonly have a conservancy or similar organization to act as a catalyst for support of the park. By serving as an expression for individual and corporate investment in “Portland’s quiet treasure,” (One City’s Wilderness, Houle, p. 140) the Forest Park Conservancy is an acknowledgement that supporting and providing for such a place is an important measure of our great city. The enhanced investment provides value-added services to a single public agency’s efforts, resulting in better resource management, improved visitor and recreational experiences, and healthier natural areas. Forest Park is home to an abundance of wildlife and over 100 native species of trees and shrubs, and is traversed by a network of over 70 miles in trails – this is an iconic reminder of our deep connection to nature and its restorative powers. Forest Park needs a Conservancy to secure and protect these natural assets in the future.

4) What will the Conservancy do?

The Conservancy will:

•          Cultivate leadership and work collaboratively with Portland Parks and Recreation and other stakeholders to preserve, protect and restore Forest Park. 

•          Manage the business of the Conservancy in a way that is sustainable for the benefit of the Park, Park users and for our partners.

•          Increase public awareness and appreciation of the park.

•          Foster partnerships and opportunities for rewarding community engagement in stewardship programs that are additive to the work of Portland Parks and Recreation and improve the visitor experience.

To achieve these aims, the Forest Park Conservancy will transform the tremendous goodwill Forest Park has garnered into even greater public appreciation and commitment of volunteer resources. The Conservancy will also work  with corporate sponsors, individual donors, foundations, local, regional, state and federal funding sources, to build a solid financial foundation for the Conservancy and for the future of Forest Park.

5) Who will own and take care of Forest Park?

Portland Parks & Recreation will always be the majority property owner and retain policy and management authority over Forest Park. The Conservancy will enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with PPR to delineate organization roles. Overtime, as the Conservancy develops stable long-term funding, capacity, broad community engagement and leadership, it will assume increasing responsibility for stewardship of Forest Park. Forest Park will always be managed for the benefit of the Park, its habitat and wildlife and, of course, the community.

6) Will the Conservancy have community events?

Yes! Events that support stewardship, conservation and community involvement are being planned and volunteers are heartily welcome.  Also, opportunities are being created to celebrate and honor Forest Park’s 60^th anniversary in September 2008.  To learn more about us, or to get involved with the Forest Park Conservancy, please contact our Executive Director, Michelle Bussard.