West PDX Today

Your next trail walk through Orenco Woods Nature Park may look and feel a little different.

Brush and vegetation clearing for the Willamette Water Supply Project (WWSP) will begin in mid-January 2023 within Orenco Woods Nature Park. This clearing will prepare the area for excavation work starting in summer 2023. (See map to the right for affected areas) 

Why clear brush so far ahead of the actual digging? The answer is...for the birds. 

Native birds build nests, lay eggs, and raise young February through July. Removing vegetation in January — before nesting season even starts — protects these species. With no shrubs or thickets available, birds will instinctively choose nesting sites away from the 2.3-acre construction zone, according to biologists working closely with WWSP on the project. 

The cleared vegetation will not go to waste. Workers plan to haul much of the woody debris to other areas within Orenco Woods Nature Park. These newly created wildlife habitats will provide additional shelter for songbirds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects during construction and beyond.

Clearing work may affect human users of Orenco Woods Nature Park, too. Expect intermittent closures on the northeast portion of the 0.70-mile loop trail and the eastern section of the Rock Creek Trail as safety dictates. (See map for affected trail segments). Closures will begin in early January 2023, so please look for signage and obey directions. 

Once underway, vegetation clearing should take one week to complete. 

Trail Improvements Planned

In addition to construction for the WWSP, the planned work in the Orenco Woods Nature Park also includes two sets of trail improvements. These improvements will make the popular trails more resilient against seasonal and flood events, improve public access during high water events, and protect fish and wildlife habitat. 

Want to learn more? Plan to attend the “Meet the Contractor/OWNP Wildlife Management Plan” event on January 4, 2023 at 6 pm. This briefing will include updates on Orenco Woods Nature Park construction activities with a focus on wildlife protection and adaptive management measures. 

Access the meeting live on Zoom on January 4, 2023

 

Watch a recording of the event after January 5, 2023

Look for an extended article about the Orenco Woods Nature Park Wildlife Protection and Adaptive Management Plan in the coming weeks. 

Original source can be found here.