Article and photos by John Sparks Even those who are familiar with the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge may never have explored that section of the refuge above the Holgate Channel. Many of those that were in the know often avoided the area as, for many years, it was the site of semi-permanent encampments. Those camps […]
Above the Holgate Channel: Oaks Bottom’s River Trail Read More »
iNaturalist is a great app for exploring the biodiversity in your area, and especially shines in natural spaces, like Oaks Bottom. Learn to use it as a plant identifier, or get involved with community science!
Using iNaturalist in Oaks Bottom Read More »
By Ruth Howell While the great blue herons command attention and the cottonwoods stand bare against the winter sky, something quieter and older is having its moment at Oaks Bottom. Look down. Look closely. The moss is awake. Winter is moss season in Portland. When the rains return and temperatures drop, mosses do something remarkable:
The Moss Awakens: Winter’s Hidden Spectacle at Oaks Bottom Read More »
by John Sparks Saturday, December 6th witnessed Friends of Oaks Bottom’s last work party of the year. We convened at Tadpole Pond after rain sprinkles ended and patches of blue sky expanded overhead. The actual task was to get 150 red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) starts in the ground as a first stab at mitigating
Dealing With Dogwood: A Planting at the Bottom Read More »
In September 2025, an invasive beetle no bigger than a sunflower seed was discovered at the David Douglas Aquatic Center in Northeast Portland. For those who love Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, this news marks the beginning of a profound transformation. The emerald ash borer (EAB) has arrived in Portland, and with it comes the near-certain
A Tiny Beetle, A Big Threat: How the Emerald Ash Borer Will Transform Oaks Bottom Read More »
Friends of Oaks Bottom held its summer nature walk at the Bottom on Friday, July 11th. The refuge was a lush green oasis with swallows of several species diving and darting over the waters of Wapato Marsh snagging insects. Other summer residents included kingfishers, Canada geese, mallards, gadwalls, and wood ducks. We spotted a couple
Summer Nature Walk – July 2025 Read More »
Hooded merganser male (Lophodytes cucullatus) There were nine attendees on Friends of Oaks Bottom’s fall nature walk, Saturday, November 9th. Joshua Meyers and John Sparks were the official guides, but we were fortunate to be joined by Laura Guderyahn, one of Portland Parks’ five urban ecologists. Laura contributed much interesting information about refuge projects. It
Fall Nature Walk: November 9th, 2024 Read More »
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
Unwanted Guests: A Few Invasive Plants at Oaks Bottom Read More »