Planting Oaks Bottom

by John Sparks Oaks Bottom’s North Meadow is off limits to the general public while efforts are underway to fully restore the natural wetland habitat. This 50-acre area of seasonal pools had been filled with rubble from the Stadium Freeway project by the Drake Company, which owned the land. Since the freeway, now known as …

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Unwanted Guests: A Few Invasive Plants at Oaks Bottom

by John Sparks Walking the trails at Oaks Bottom, one cannot help but notice the dominance of English ivy and Himalayan blackberry in the understory. These are but two of a number of Eurasian species which have come to settle under the native canopy of cottonwood, alder, ash, maple, red-cedar and Douglas-fir. Here’s a sampling …

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Man Illegally Mows Southern Field

The South Meadow of Oaks Bottom, which borders the Springwater Corridor Trail, is home to many nesting birds. Protecting the South Meadow is a priority for Portland Parks and Recreation and Friends of Oaks Bottom. Unfortunately, after Portland Parks and Recreation planted 6,5OO wildflowers in the South Meadow in the spring of 2021, the South …

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Interview with Ezra Cohen

In November 2020, Friends of Oaks Bottom co-founder Ezra Cohen talked with Barbara Bernstein on the Locus Focus radio show about the wildlife and habitats of Oaks Bottom and what makes Oaks Bottom special. The conversation included Ezra’s background, his vision for Friends of Oaks Bottom, and how he stayed connected with nature during the …

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Oaks Bottom Enhancement Project

Between July and November 2018, The Bureau of Environmental Services, in partnership with Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, replaced a culvert connecting the Willamette River with Oaks Bottom to restore the salmon habitat at Oaks Bottom. The existing culvert was too small for salmon to pass and blocked …

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