Metro’s Natural Area ProgramStewardship lessons from 20 years of building

from the ground up

Zero to 16,000 acres in 20 years teaches some lessons

• Program history• Challenge of land

management• Cost and funding

Greenspaces Master Plan, 1992

Formally adopted by the Metro Council

Supported via resolution by majority of cities and counties in the Metro region

Laid out a vision of a system of connected parks, trails and natural areas

1995 and 2006 Natural Areas Bond Measures

$363 million in total:

– $279 million for regional natural areas

– $69 million local share

– $15 million capital grant fund (2006 only)

Did not address management!!!

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Metro Parks and Natural Areas1990 - 2012

Acre

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Greenspaces Master Plan

Metro parks and natural areas 1990-2012

Bond Program 2

Metro management of Smith and Bybee Wetlands

Multnomah County transfer/ Bond Program 1

Over 400 acquisitions

A diverse portfolio of 16,000 acres

Nature parks (24%)

Cemeteries (0.5%)

Recreational facilities (4%)

Natural areas (72%)

Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area

Mount Talbert Nature Park

Graham Oaks Nature Park

1000 acres on the Sandy River

That was the easy part!

175 sites: 0.5 to 1200 acres

Ecological Challenges

• Invasive species• Altered hydrology• Forest management• Replacing lost diversity

– getting plants, seeds• Direct human impacts• Impacts of past

management

• Subject knowledge• Taxa knowledge• Prescribed fire• Herbicides• Heavy equipment• Farming / farm leases• Monitoring• Engineering• Legal: land use, rental, contracts, boundaries

Knowledge challenges

Informal trail Trail in fragile soil

Poorly constructed demand trail

Unauthorized bridge

And don’t forget people

Oxbow Regional Park

And don’t forget surprises

Oxbow Regional Park

Paying for it.

Volunteers are great but…..

Not all restoration can be done by volunteers

Scale changes everything

RestorationOak restoration

We’ve planted (and cared for!) nearly 2 million trees and shrubs

• Site preparation: mow, till, spray, auger• Planting: planting, staking, tubing in cold weather • 3-5 years of follow-up: spot spray, mow, mulch

Tree planting

The cost of waiting

The nitty-gritty – cost per acre*

Total restoration cost per acre

Annual maintenance cost per acre following

restorationPrairie $7,970 $300Closed canopy forest $5,680 $50Riparian forest $5,500 $50Shrubland $4,700 $50Woodland $1,900 $100Savanna $1,370 $300Emergent wetland $630 $25

* Many assumptions

How Metro pays for management• Funds from the bond program do not

provide for long-term management• Metro funds management from

operation budgets and grants• Total program budget equates to > $200

per acre – but much is not land focused• Maximum total non-grant on the

ground $ for Natural Areas has been around $450,000 ($30/acre)

Until funding is solved• Focus on highest priority habitats• Protect functions tied to key outcomes• Accept many acres will be in poor condition• Try and protect experienced staff to develop and manage projects

A long-term strategy is needed

Metro has relied on

• Operating budget• Temporary fees on services• Now exploring local tax levy (temporary)

Permanent funding even at a modest level will allow more of this

Instead of this