Parks and nature funding | Metro

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Six times during the last two decades, voters across greater Portland have approved funding measures to support a network of regional parks, trails and natural areas. Learn how Metro uses the money to protect water quality, restore fish and wildlife habitat, and improve access to nature.

photo of family at Cooper Mountain

Explore your big backyard

Visit parks and natural areas

Whether you’re in the mood for a short hike or a weekend camping trip, a boat ride or a picnic, Metro has a destination for you.

Explore your big backyard

photo of woman walking at Newell Creek Canyon

Newell Creek Canyon

Thanks to voters, Metro is investing a bond measure to purchase wildlife habitat and a levy to help care for regional parks and natural areas and improve them for visitors – including Newell Creek Canyon in Oregon City.

photo of people in nature

Nature grants

Metro nature grants reward innovative ideas that connect communities with nature. Could your project be next?

Learn more

photo of the Clackamas River

18,000 acres and counting

Voters asked Metro to buy the region's most special land, before it's too late. Habitat is protected across the Portland metropolitan area, ensuring that nature is always close to home. Two bond measures have preserved 18,000 acres and 90 miles of river and stream banks, and supported hundreds of community projects.

Video

Go behind the scenes at three places protected by Metro's Natural Areas Program, and learn how voters have made a difference for the region’s water quality, wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation.

photo of family at Cooper Mountain

Explore your big backyard

Visit parks and natural areas

Whether you’re in the mood for a short hike or a weekend camping trip, a boat ride or a picnic, Metro has a destination for you.

Explore your big backyard

photo of woman walking at Newell Creek Canyon

Newell Creek Canyon

Thanks to voters, Metro is investing a bond measure to purchase wildlife habitat and a levy to help care for regional parks and natural areas and improve them for visitors – including Newell Creek Canyon in Oregon City.

photo of people in nature

Nature grants

Metro nature grants reward innovative ideas that connect communities with nature. Could your project be next?

Learn more

photo of the Clackamas River

18,000 acres and counting

Voters asked Metro to buy the region's most special land, before it's too late. Habitat is protected across the Portland metropolitan area, ensuring that nature is always close to home. Two bond measures have preserved 18,000 acres and 90 miles of river and stream banks, and supported hundreds of community projects.

Video

Go behind the scenes at three places protected by Metro's Natural Areas Program, and learn how voters have made a difference for the region’s water quality, wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation.

photo of family at Cooper Mountain

Explore your big backyard

Visit parks and natural areas

Whether you’re in the mood for a short hike or a weekend camping trip, a boat ride or a picnic, Metro has a destination for you.

Explore your big backyard

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Metro operates a unique park system with nature at its heart.

Voters have repeatedly trusted Metro Parks and Nature to protect clean water, restore fish and wildlife habitat, provide opportunities for people to experience nature close to home, and maintain a focus on equity and inclusion in their work.

Thanks to two decades of voter investments, Metro has built and operates 17 parks, manages 14 cemeteries and offers three boat ramps. Metro also manages more than 18,000 acres of parks, trails, and natural areas across every community in the region – from Chehalem Ridge on the west to the Sandy River Gorge on the east, from Blue Lake and Smith and Bybee Wetlands on the north to Graham Oaks on the south.

Voters have repeatedly trusted Metro to protect clean water, restore fish and wildlife habitat and provide opportunities for people to experience nature close to home.

Metro scientists rehabilitate damaged habitat purchased by Metro. By removing invasive plants and planting native trees, shrubs and flowers that support animals big and small, Metro’s Parks and Nature department helps critical and rare habitats across the region.

Racial equity is a key focus at Metro. The department is committed to making Metro’s parks and natural areas safe and welcoming places for people of color, connecting immigrant and refugee communities to nature, providing job training to young people of color and honoring the ongoing connection of Native people to the ceded lands Metro manages.

Across greater Portland, Metro supports community nature projects, from park building to stream restoration to pollinator gardens. By connecting residents and community organizations to each other, Metro helps build a greater sense of community as the community helps nature.

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Calendar

News

Helping frogs cross Route 30, one hop at a time

March 21, 2025 11:37 a.m.

A new underpass allows frogs and other pond-breeding amphibians to safely cross busy Highway 30. The project, which connects Metro- and state-owned natural areas, involved years of collaboration between multiple organizations.
Metro makes historic 553-acre purchase in Clackamas County

By Hannah Erickson
Feb. 25, 2025 9:02 a.m.

Metro purchased 553 acres along the Clackamas River north of Estacada. The property, half of which operated as a golf course, will be restored into a natural area thanks to funding from the voter-approved 2019 parks and nature bond.
Metro funding helps Tualatin close trail gap and expand river access

Oct. 28, 2024 1:44 p.m.

In October, the City of Tualatin closed one of the last gaps in its section of the Tualatin River Greenway Trail with the purchase of a 2.8-acre property made possible with funds supplied by Metro.
Restoring Coffee Lake Creek

By Andrea Berkley
Aug. 15, 2024 12:10 p.m.

The once-and-future wetland in Wilsonville offers a front-row seat to see Metro’s conservation work in action.
Protecting the Pudding River

By Hannah Erickson
June 26, 2024 6:40 a.m.

With a 109-acre acquisition near Canby, Metro plans to turn former farmland into a living sponge to help clean up pollution.
Metro conserves more than 100 acres along the Pudding River

By Hannah Erickson
Feb. 29, 2024 11:14 a.m.

Metro has protected more than 100 acres along the Pudding River near Canby, thanks to funding from the voter-approved 2019 parks and nature bond.
Metro Council awards 15 grants to community-designed parks and nature projects

By Cory Eldridge
Feb. 22, 2024 3 p.m.

The grants amount to $2.3 million.
Parks and nature 2023: Promises made, promises kept

Nov. 3, 2023 5:54 p.m.

Metro continues to build upon the vision of voters to protect water and habitat and connect people to nature.
Parks and nature 2023: Historic cemeteries

Nov. 3, 2023 5:48 p.m.

Sources of history, arboretums and parks, Metro’s historic cemeteries continue to serve as the final resting place for people in the region.
Parks and nature 2023: Diversity, equity and inclusion

Nov. 3, 2023 5:44 p.m.

Metro's commitments to racial equity stay strong.

More parks and nature news

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Abernethy and Newell creeks

In the 1990s Metro began protecting land along Newell Creek, which originates near Clackamas Community College and supports native fish.
Adelante Conservación

Metro’s Nature in Neighborhoods restoration and enhancement grants have helped restore streams and floodplains while providing conservation education with Adelante Conservación.
Backyard Habitat Certification

Grants from Metro’s Nature in neighborhoods program have supported efforts by homeowners to restore native wildlife habitat on their own properties.
Baltimore Woods corridor

Metro awarded Friends of the Baltimore Woods multiple capital grants to restore and protect this stretch of white oaks.
Barton Park

Barton Park, on the Clackamas River, is an outdoor playground perfect for fishing, rafting, picnicking or camping.
Blue Lake Regional Park

Whether you want serious exercise or a lazy day on the water, a kid-friendly romp or a grownup picnic, find it at Blue Lake Regional Park in Fairview.
Blue Lake Regional Park disc golf course

Test your skills on Oregon’s largest disc golf course. Just across the street from the main park, this world-class, gold-level, 18-hole course provides plenty of challenge in a beautiful natural setting.
Broughton Beach

Throw on your swimsuit and flip flops, grab your towel and head to one of Portland’s best urban beaches.
Canemah Bluff Nature Park

Gaze at the Willamette River below, marvel at oak trees overhead, photograph colorful spring wildflowers and learn about this historic area in Oregon City.
Cazadero Trail

Soon, nature lovers will traverse the four-mile stretch of this former train line between Boring and the rural wayside of Barton.
Chehalem Ridge

Perched above the town of Gaston, the forested Chehalem Ridge Natural Area is the largest property ever purchased by Metro’s voter-approved Natural Areas Program.
Chehalem Ridge Natural Area

Perched above the town of Gaston, the forested Chehalem Ridge Natural Area is the largest property ever purchased by Metro’s voter-approved Natural Areas Program.
Chehalem Ridge Nature Park

Offering an array of wildlife habitats and stunning views of the Tualatin Valley and the Coast Range, Chehalem Ridge is the perfect place to enjoy the wonders of nature.
Chinook Landing Marine Park

With six launching lanes on the Columbia River, Chinook Landing is one of Oregon’s largest public boating facilities.
Clear Creek natural area

The Clear Creek natural area provides habitat for endangered coho and Chinook salmon, rainbow, steelhead and coastal cutthroat trout.
Columbia Slough

The Columbia Slough provides an important network of habitat for plants and wildlife, including deer, beaver, river otter and 175 bird species.
Conservation center

Head to the East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District building to get creative green ideas to apply at home.
Cooper Mountain Nature Park

Hike, jog, watch wildlife or simply enjoy views of the Chehalem Mountains and Tualatin Valley at Cooper Mountain Nature Park, just south of Beaverton.
Cross Memorial Park

Gladstone's Cross Memorial Park, named for town founder Harvey Cross, provides a great place to relax, stroll and look out on the Clackamas River.
Crystal Springs restoration

With some help from humans, the fish that once thrived here are returning to Crystal Springs Creek.
Cully Park

With help from a Metro Nature in Neighborhoods grant, this former landfill will become a park rich in amenities for neighbors in Northeast Portland.
Deep Creek and tributaries

Because it flows into the Clackamas River, Deep Creek and its tributaries affect water quality in a major way.
Dirksen Nature Park

More than 40 percent of the funding for this park came from Metro’s voter-approved natural areas bond measure, in the form of a Nature in Neighborhoods grant and “local share” funds.
East Buttes

Standing atop one of the ancient lava domes that make up the East Buttes, you can look out on spectacular valleys, rich farmland and sparkling Cascade peaks.
Fairview Woods Park

If it weren’t for the faint whir of traffic, you’d never guess this 8-acre nature park was nestled in a residential neighborhood close to Interstate 84.
Fanno Creek Greenway

Stretching 15 miles through five cities, the Fanno Creek Greenway will connect dozens of neighborhoods, parks, schools and businesses while providing beautiful scenery along its namesake creek.
Farmington Paddle Launch

Grab your canoe, kayak or paddleboard and see the Tualatin River from a unique perspective. Enjoy a picnic or start a bicycle ride through the flat, rolling terrain of Washington County.
Forest Park connections

Visitors can explore 70 miles of trails and see an abundance of wildlife on these 5,000 acres.
Glendoveer Golf Course and Nature Trail

In the mood for golf, tennis, jogging or walking? Make a beeline for Glendoveer Golf Course and Nature Trail in Northeast Portland.
Gotter Prairie natural area

The more than 120 acres that used to be the Gotter farm are being transformed from agriculture to rare oak savanna and wet prairie.
Graham Oaks Nature Park

Ride your bike through a restored oak woodland, stroll through a conifer forest and spot birds from a wetland overlook at Graham Oaks Nature Park in Wilsonville.
Green Alley at Cornelius Wellness Center

A crumbling alley outside Virginia Garcia Wellness Center in downtown Cornelius has been transformed into a green walkway with funding from a Metro Nature in Neighborhoods capital grant.
Gresham-Fairview Trail

The new Gresham-Fairview Trail serves as a major north-south connection between Springwater Corridor and the Marine Drive Trail.
Hawthorne Park

This one-acre park exists thanks in part to a Nature in Neighborhoods capital grant, a program that uses funds from Metro’s voter-approved 2006 natural areas bond measure.
Howell Territorial Park

Nestled among farms on Sauvie Island, Howell Territorial Park is a great place for picnickers, bird watchers and history buffs.
Humboldt Learning Garden

This project received a Nature in Neighborhoods capital grant and provides access to nature in a park-deficient, urban neighborhood.
I-205 Multi-Use Path

Drive along Interstate 205, or take a stroll or bike ride along the I-205 Multi-Use Path, and you'll see some of the 1,300 native trees and 16,000 native shrubs being planted along the 16.5-mile stretch of freeway.
Jackie Husen Park

Improvements at this park, like a new picnic area, plants and a pathway were paid for by Metro's voter-approved Natural Areas Program.
Killin Wetlands Nature Park

Walk the trails and take in views of the rolling hills and peat soil wetlands while searching for beavers, river otters, elk and hard-to-find birds.
King City Community Park

This park offers neighbors 17 acres of sports fields, trails, grass and nature to enjoy.
Lower Boardman Creek restoration

New bridges to replace culverts will allow fish to travel between Stringfield Park and the Willamette River, thanks to a Nature in Neighborhoods grant.
M. James Gleason Memorial Boat Ramp

Minutes from downtown Portland, the Gleason Boat Ramp provides a convenient public launch on the Columbia River.
Mason Hill Park

Mason Hill Park provides a scenic wayside for cyclists exploring the rolling hills beyond Forest Park, in western Multnomah County.
Meldrum Bar Park in Gladstone

Metro's Nature in Neighborhoods funding helped two groups partner for much-needed restoration efforts in this park.
Milwaukie Riverfront Park

Thanks in part to funding from Metro's Nature in Neighborhoods program, fish habitat is being restored as part of this city's riverfront revival.
Mount Scott Creek restoration

Restoring lower Mount Scott Creek at North Clackamas Park will balance the needs of people and fish, creating a model for improving habitat at popular destinations in the region.
Mount Talbert Nature Park

A forested oasis, Mount Talbert towers above busy roads, shopping centers and neighborhoods in Clackamas.
Multnomah Channel natural area

Metro and its partners built two water control structures that could hold water from Crabapple Creek and the Multnomah Channel during the winter and spring and allow the wetlands to drain slowly in the summer, as they did 150 years ago.
Music, food and nature on tap Sept. 17 at Metro’s Blue Lake Nature and Culture Festival

Mark you calendars! It’s almost time for the second annual Blue Lake Nature and Culture Festival. This year’s festival, on Saturday, Sept. 17, will mark the end of summer and celebrate the diverse communities who use the park, says Ellen Wyoming DeLoy, senior communications and engagement coordinator at Metro.
Nadaka Nature Park

A Nature in Neighborhoods capital grant helped expand this park to 12 acres.
Newell Creek Canyon Nature Park

From crystal-clear waterways to majestic bigleaf maples, there’s plenty to take in when you walk, bike and picnic at this park in the heart of Oregon City.
Orenco Woods natural area

Metro partnered with the City of Hillsboro to purchase this 42-acre natural area for public use.
Orenco Woods Nature Park

Stroll the gently rolling hills, watch great blue heron at the wetlands or explore the nature play area with your kids at Orenco Woods Nature Park.
Oxbow Regional Park

Oxbow Regional Park provides a perfect launch point for water-based activities in the majestic Sandy River Gorge.
Park Avenue Park & Ride

Metro awarded a $349,305 Nature in Neighborhoods capital grant to improve the aesthetics and reduce water use at this parking structure.
Rock Creek headwaters and greenway

Metro purchased 550 acres in western Multnomah County to protect and improve wildlife habitat.
Sandy River Gorge

The region’s first natural areas bond measure protected more than 1,000 acres in the Sandy River Gorge, and the follow-up bond is helping Metro fill gaps along the Sandy and its tributaries.
Sauvie Island Boat Ramp

Enjoy the quiet waters and wildlife of the Multnomah Channel.
Scouters Mountain Nature Park

Rising above Happy Valley, Scouters Mountain Nature Park offers a lovely vantage point to admire Mount Hood – and slip into a shady forest.
Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area

Surrounded by warehouses and port terminals in North Portland, Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area is one of the region’s best-kept secrets.
Spring Park

Residents of the Island Station neighborhood rally around Spring Park with its new entry path, play structure and other amenities provided by Metro's voter-approved Natural Areas Program.
Springwater Corridor

Metro negotiated with the City of Portland to fill more than half of the so-called “Sellwood Gap,” which allowed the City of Portland to complete the trail through part of the gap’s namesake neighborhood.
Stites Nature Park

Stites Nature Park got a little bigger – and a lot easier to access – thanks to voters across the Portland metropolitan area.
Stringfield Family Park

This park opened in 2009, with improvements funded by Metro's second natural areas bond measure approved by voters in 2006.
Trillium Creek restoration

This project received a 2010 Nature in Neighborhoods capital grant of $55,330, funded through Metro's natural areas 2006 bond measure.
Wapato Marsh at Jackson Bottom

This project received a Nature in Neighborhoods capital grant, funded through Metro's natural areas bond measure approved by voters in 2006.
Westmoreland Park restoration

This project received a Nature in Neighborhoods capital grant, funded through Metro's natural areas bond measure approved by voters in 2006.
White Oak Savanna

The preservation of this land was paid for, in part, with a Nature in Neighborhoods capital grant.
Wildside natural area

This project received a Nature in Neighborhoods capital grant, funded through Metro's natural areas bond measure.
Willamette Narrows

Metro has protected more than 600 acres in the area, spanning both banks of the Willamette River – and some small islands in between.

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