The Forest Park Conservancy

THE MISSION OF THE FOREST PARK CONSERVANCY IS TO PROTECT AND FOSTER THE ECOLOGICAL HEALTH OF FOREST PARK, MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE THE PARK'S EXTENSIVE TRAILS NETWORK, AND INSPIRE COMMUNITY APPRECIATION AND FUTURE STEWARDSHIP OF THIS ICONIC URBAN FOREST AS A GIFT FOR GENERATIONS.

GREEN JOBS PROGRAM: SOME OF THE KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES TO DATE INCLUDE: ALL 4 INTERNS RECRUITED AND ENROLLED COMPLETED THE 12-MONTH DURATION OF THE PROGRAM, WITH 2 OF THEM HIRED AS FULL TIME EMPLOYEES WITH FPC, AND 1 OF THEM FINDING A FULL-TIME POSITION AS A PARK RANGER WITH THE CITY OF PORTLAND. ALL FOUR INTERNS WERE SEASONALLY PLACED WITH FPC, COLUMBIA LAND TRUST AND WEST MULTNOMAH SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, AND GAINED HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN AN ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS SUCH AS TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION; HABITAT ENHANCEMENT AND RESTORATION WORK SUCH AS INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL AND PLANTING; RESTORATION TREATMENT SITE MONITORING AND DATA COLLECTION; ... CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.VOLUNTEER LEADING AND TRAINING; WORK WITH LANDOWNERS TO COORDINATE AND PLAN STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES ON PRIVATE LAND; PROGRAM REPORTING; CONSERVATION EASEMENT MONITORING; DEVELOPING AND LEADING OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH CURRICULUM; ASSISTING IN CREATING MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION MATERIALS AND CONTENT; AND MORE; ALL 4 INTERNS PARTICIPATED IN OVER 30 HOURS OF TRAINING, MENTORING AND NETWORKING, INCLUDING FINANCIAL LITERACY AND EDUCATION AND CAREER FINANCIAL TRAINING; RESILIENCE AND AFFINITY EQUITY WORKSHOPS; INTRODUCTION TO ARCGIS; AND ATTENDING 4-CMWA PULL TOGETHER CONFERENCE,URBAN ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION SYMPOSIUM (UERC), COLUMBIA GORGE WEED MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, AND OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY TREE SCHOOL. THROUGH A COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL NON-PROFIT, ELEVATE OREGON, THE INTERNS HAVE LEAD THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A NATURE EDUCATION PROGRAM TO SUPPORT STEAM CURRICULUM OF 7TH AND 8TH GRADE STUDENTS FROM PARK ROSE MIDDLE SCHOOL; AND FPC AND ITS PARTNERS HAVE SUPPORTED THE INTERNS IN THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PREPARATION TO ENTER THE JOB MARKET THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT AND TRACKING OF INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS, RESUME CREATION, NETWORKING AND MAKING INTRODUCTIONS TO PROFESSIONALS AND POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS IN THE INDUSTRY. WITHIN THIS FISCAL YEAR FPC ALSO STARTED A NEW COHORT FOR THE PROGRAM RECRUITING 5 NEW GREEN JOBS INTERNS.

TRAILS AND STEWARDSHIP: AS PART OF OUR TRAILS AND STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM WE HOST OVER 120 EVENTS EACH YEAR, PROVIDING VOLUNTEERS AND USERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP TAKE CARE OF FOREST PARK. THESE EVENTS RANGE FROM REMOVING NON NATIVE PLANTS, TO TRAIL MAINTENANCE TO EDUCATIONAL HIKES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FOREST PARK.

CANOPY WEEDS: FPC'S COLLABORATION WITH WEST MULTNOMAH SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT ON ITS CANOPY WEED PROGRAM CONTINUED DURING FY22 COMPLETING OUTREACH AND EDUCATION OVER 100 HOUSEHOLDS IN THE PROGRAM AREA, WITH TREATMENT ON 6 PROPERTIES AND 150 TREES FREED OF IVY. AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM, WE ALSO COLLABORATED WITH PORTLAND PARKS AND RECREATION TO REMOVE CANOPY WEEDS FROM HIGH RISK AREAS ADJACENT TO FOREST PARK.