Parks Seed Portland Business

Many studies have documented the economic benefits of public parks and nature spaces in cities. Increases in property values, tourism, capital investments and jobs all benefit citizens that live near public parks and natural recreation areas. A 2015 study by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), estimated that local and regional parks generated nearly $2 billion in economic activity in Oregon in 2013 alone.

Portland’s park system is nationally recognized for excellence and has created a buzz that helps Portland businesses recruit some of the best workers in the nation. As one of our board members, David Thompson, Vice President at the Portland Business Alliance said, “Anytime you talk about the region you mention our parks. Companies are looking to locate here because Portland has a high quality of life and parks are one of the most prominent pieces of our quality of life.  Parks add direct value to our community and make it a great place to grow your business.”

“. . . Portland has a high quality of life and parks are one of the most prominent pieces of our quality of life.”

— David Thompson

David grew up in Portland near Grant Park, and as he said, “Growing up here, parks were my back yard.  I learned how to ride a bike and swim in Grant Park.”  Now with a family of his own, David’s family spends a lot of time in April Hill and Gabriel Parks near his home. “When a friend approached me to join the Portland Parks Foundation board I jumped at the chance because parks are so valuable to me and my family.”

Portland’s parks are valuable assets for economic activity and bring the city valuable tourist dollars. The same NRPA study aforementioned noted that Waterfront Park generated over $1 million in economic activity in 2013. In 2009 the Portland Parks Foundation helped the Naito family build the Bill Legacy Naito Fountain in Waterfront Park.  The fountain continues attract people to the park to gather and play throughout the year. As David Thompson said, “I use parks a lot more than I pay for them. Donating to the Parks Foundation, you can invest in something very specific that the entire community benefits from.”

The Foundation is grateful to our business partners who make parks a priority for their philanthropic investment each year. Those contributions have a measurable impact on park quality and leverage further investment by others through PPF’s campaigns.

Header photo by M.O. Stevens

Native Plants in our Natural Areas

Photos courtesy David Grandfield

Spring has sprung around Portland and it is the time of year to emerge from the house and get outside.  Whether it be just in your yard or out for a hike, Portland is home to natural areas that can help you get your wilderness fix.  We asked David Grandfield, a Horticulturist working seasonally with Portland Parks & Recreation, and regular Portland Parks Foundation Instagram follower (see David’s beautiful pictures @davidgrandfield), to share some of his favorite natural area parks and native species that you can pick up at local nurseries this spring.

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          David Grandfield

One of the benefits of living in Portland is our access to natural area parks. ‘Natural area parks’ are the wilder cousins of our typical neighborhood parks; they are larger, have a wild aesthetic, and are managed to promote growth of native plant species.  They are also great showrooms for displaying the native trees and shrubs that could work in the little piece of nature in your front or back yard.

Why plant natives? Native trees and shrubs provide food and refuge for wildlife, and best of all pad your pocketbook because after establishment do not require water in hot summer months. Here are a list of 5 Pacific Northwest native shrubs and where you can see them growing in their natural habitat at Portland natural area parks:

Red Flowering Currant [shown above]

This fragrant shrub is one of the first to bloom in late winter, it's pink flowers attract hummingbirds and bumblebees. It can grow up to 8 feet, and will survive in full sun with little to no water in the summer. This is one of the most widespread plants in Portland natural area parks, and can be found in Southeast Portland alongside walking trails in Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge.

Douglas Spirea

This shrub usually stays about 5 feet tall and has deep pink blooms in midsummer. Although this plant can handle dry landscapes, it does best in wet areas in full sun. Its brown seed heads add texture to landscapes in winter months. It can be found in East Portland growing at Tideman Johnson Natural Area and near Powell Butte Nature Park.

Indian Plum ­or­ Osoberry

This versatile shrub can grow in full shade or full sun and has drooping white blooms in early February. It’s small, raisin sized fruit are a favorite food for birds in late summer. Whitaker Ponds Natural Area in Northeast Portland is a great place to see Osoberry shrubs.

Blue Elderberry

This large shrub is widespread in Pacific Northwest landscapes. Its large clusters of creamy white blooms emerge in early spring and then turn into small powdery blue berries toward late summer. Although it naturally grows up to 30 feet tall, it can be kept around 10 feet tall in home landscapes with regular pruning. One great place to see Blue Elderberry is Foster Floodplain Natural Area in Southeast Portland.

Big Leaf Lupine

This plant is not as large as the others listed above, it stays about 1­2 inches tall and produces a tall spike of purple flowers in late spring. It does best on stream banks and open meadows in full sun. Many species of lupine can be found on the hillsides of Madrona Natural Area Park in North Portland.

Portland Parks Foundation encourages you to visit your Portland natural areas and sign up to volunteer for the many planting and clean-up parties throughout the year or at Parke Diem.  It is amazing that we have such wild areas that provide recreation, habitat and solace so close to the city, and we need your support to keep them beautiful!

Parks Part of the Urban Ecology Web

Dr. Alan Yeakley, Director of the School for the Environment at Portland State University

Parks and open space provide an environmental support system for Portland to thrive. According to a Portland Parks & Recreation report, parks and street trees alone provide nearly 414 million gallons of storm water filtration and remove more than 25 million pounds of carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide from the air each year in Portland. This green infrastructure benefits people and wildlife alike and raises the quality of life for everyone in the area.
 
To better understand how parks contribute to the environmental health of our city, last month I attended the Urban Ecosystem Research Consortium’s (UERC) Symposium at Portland State University and sat down with one of the group leaders, Dr. Alan Yeakley, Director of the School for the Environment at Portland State University.
 
For those who haven’t heard of UERC, it is a group of people from all backgrounds and disciplines working together in the Portland and Vancouver area “. . . to advance the state of the science of urban ecosystems and improve our understanding of them. . .” They host free brown-bag talks throughout the year and an annual symposium each winter.
 
The UERC Symposium harkened back to the ‘web of life’ lessons we all learned in elementary school except with one very important twist - it was evident at UERC that it takes a web of humans from a large number of disciplines, as well as the right combination of plants, animals, soil and streams to maintain a positive relationship with nature in our urban landscape.
 
I asked Dr. Yeakley about this emphasis on cross-disciplinary work in environmental research today. “Urban ecology is becoming more and more integrated, connecting natural scientists with social scientists,” said Dr. Yeakley. Especially in urban areas, the part that humans play in the conservation or degradation of natural resources is large.  “There is so much research going on and it is important to understand the political and economic factors that influence the conservation effort,” said Dr. Yeakley
 
In the Portland area, economic impacts of flooding events and governmental regulations, especially around endangered species, have spurred much of the habitat restoration investment in the past several decades. Citizens have increasingly advocated for green infrastructure and voted to provide tax dollars for projects and research to make our city’s environment healthy for future generations.
 
From the work of the agencies, universities, non-profits as well as private citizens, a sample of which was provided in the research presentations at UERC, it is evident that Portland’s parks are an important resource for understanding and maintaining the environmental health of our city.  Private funding from individuals and organizations is an important ingredient to enhance sustainable management of our urban environment. The Portland Parks Foundation is committed to a thriving park system for a healthy Portland, and research from local scientists affirm the importance of our mission.

Read the UERC Symposium materials at: http://www.uercportland.org/annual-symposium

Parks Building Community

Som Nath Subedi, Parks for New Portlanders manager, accepting a 2015 Spirit of Portland award with Commissioner Amanda Fritz.

To find out more about how you can get involved, contact Som Nath Subedi at som.subedi@portlandoregon.gov or visit the program’s website.

According to a recent report by the City Budget Office, roughly 15% of Portlanders were born in countries other than the United States– that puts the Rose City right in line with about 50 other large U.S. cities. Unfortunately, for many of our newest Portland citizens, parks and community centers are literally a foreign concept.  That is where one of Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R)’s newest programs, Parks for New Portlanders, steps up to welcome immigrant and refugee families into our public park spaces and programs.

The Parks for New Portlanders program started about a year ago to help immigrant and refugee families engage with and to utilize their city’s parks and recreational programs via PP&R.  Since its inception, it has conducted soccer and basketball tournaments which cater to immigrants and refugees, along with culturally-specific community gatherings in Portland’s parks.  The program also hired seven Community Youth Ambassadors to help organize culturally-specific recreational activities for their communities.  In the Parks for New Portlanders Program’s first year, it attracted youth and families from around 40 countries and their disparate cultures, gaining important momentum for this year’s goals. The program made a welcome video in 10 different languages watched by 50,000 people last summer.

Why is culturally-specific programming in parks and recreation so important? Parks are one of a handful of places that belong to all citizens, and are one of the hallmarks of America’s democracy.

“Our community lives, eats and invests together. They are our valued partners, rather than just some needy population,” says Som Nath Subedi, PP&R Program Coordinator for Parks for New Portlanders.  “Parks for New Portlanders is a way for our city’s immigrant communities to connect to their new home. It shows them that even though they are newcomers, that the city and all it offers belongs to them.  City activities belong to them.  City resources belong to them.   We believe in recreation and access for ALL Portlanders. And PP&R is leading that effort.”

Regardless of economic status and backgrounds, people come to parks to be social and to meet neighbors, celebrate with family, to exercise and take needed respite from worries; to connect with nature.  However, if parks and recreational activities are an entirely new concept, it can be difficult to access or enjoy these public gathering spaces.

“Many refugee families come from very difficult and dangerous circumstances to start their new lives in Portland.  Parks can help with the healing process and show them that they are welcomed in their new home,” adds Subedi. “This program bridges the recreational gaps and provides opportunities for access to Portland Parks & Recreation services and activities.”

Subedi knows this experience first-hand. He immigrated to the U.S. in 2008 after living 20 years in a Bhutanese refugee camp in Nepal after being forced out of his native country of Bhutan. As he said in a recent Oregonian article, when he first came, “Daily life was very unpredictable. From using a bus to grocery shopping, and being unemployed and trying to find a job, made each day overwhelming for us. We would easily become lost on big crowded streets filled with cars and big buildings. Anxious and tired, we realized that we had no idea how complex living in America would be." Som hopes his work with PP&R will help new families integrate and flourish in Portland.

This coming year the Parks for New Portlanders program hopes to expand its programs to reach even more families.  The Portland Parks Foundation looks forward to following this program’s successes and supporting our local parks that are the center of our communities.  To find out more about how you can get involved, contact Som Nath Subedi at som.subedi@portlandoregon.gov or visit the program’s website.

Coaching in the Community

It is impossible to refrain from cheering on the sidelines as coaches Brian Christiansen and Curt Miller guide their 3rd grade basketball team through a series of drills, play and even antics at practice.  Every Thursday and Saturday this winter you will find these two unsung heroes focusing the unbound energy of their 10-child team into positive recreation and teambuilding.

Brian and Curt are two of the nearly 475 volunteer coaches that lead about 3,750 children each year through Portland Parks & Recreation’s sports team programs.  The basketball and volleyball leagues are just a few of the recreational programs Portland Parks & Recreation runs throughout the year in its network of community centers.  As parent Greg Rice put it, “Coaches like Brian have the skill set, and love what they do.  The kids gain confidence and you can tell.”

Just like his father, Brian started coaching over 4 years ago when his son Colby began playing basketball.  While Brian went on to play with other teams all the way through college, he still remembers his youth league days, “To this day, my dad was my best coach.”
Out of all of the basketball teams in Portland, Brian picked coaching with the Portland Parks & Recreation leagues because, “Everyone here gets to play and develop skills.  We keep it light and fun so the kids see playing sports and exercise as something they can do the rest of their lives.”

While the teams change each season, Brian still sees some of his previous players around East Portland Community Center.  “I’ll never forget my first year coaching.  One of my team members was such a sweet kid with a huge passion for basketball, but he didn’t really get the team concept.  It was wonderful seeing him pass the ball and enjoy being part of the team by the end of the season.”

Brian enjoys working at Nike where employees are encouraged to support the communities where they live, work and play.  “We believe in supporting our communities, and to especially help our kids enjoy being active.  I love seeing kids have fun and also grow through these experiences. As a volunteer coach, I also get to show kids how much we care about their growth and wellbeing.”

Portland Parks & Recreation is continually seeking qualified coaches for its sports leagues. Interested volunteers can sign up through the Portland Parks Foundation in the WE Portal or contact Rick Cantu at 503-823-5126 or rick.cantu@portlandoregon.gov to get more information and sign up.