Protect natural areas before they're gone forever

By Peter Bray of Portland, Oregon. Peter blogs at LandUseWatch.com and is a volunteer for the Natural Areas bond measure.

Within the next 25 years, over 1 million more people will move to the Portland area. Growth is inevitable. But preservation of core natural areas is not.

This year -- with the Natural Areas, Parks, and Streams Bond Measure -- we have a unique opportunity to permanently protect vital lands before they're gone forever.

This Bond Measure will raise $227.4 million to buy -- from willing sellers -- regionally significant rivers and streams, natural areas, trail corridors, and neighborhood parkland throughout Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties. For less than $3 per month for the average homeowner, we can protect over 4,000 acres in regional acquisitions in 27 target areas including 140 local trail and parkland projects.

Target areas are not picked arbitrarily; they were selected by 40+ scientists and experts to maximally protect the most valuable, endangered, and cost-effective lands, including:

• Acquisition of wetlands and streams along key waterways such as Tualatin River, Clackamas River, Johnson Creek, Tryon Creek, and the Columbia Slough. Preserving these sensitive lands will protect our clean water, reduce flooding impacts, and save endangered fish and wildlife, including endangered salmon and migratory birds.

• Expand and complete key bike and hiking trails, such as the Gresham-Fairview Trail, the Willamette Greenway, the West Side Trail, and the "Sellwood Gap" of the Springwater Corridor Trail.

• Purchase and permanently protect forest habitats in and around Forest Park, in the Chehalem Mountains, and in the buttes and lava domes of SE Portland, Gresham, and Damascus. Secured as nature preserves, these areas will permanently guarantee a place for nature in our growing communities.

Of course, to ensure that the money is spent as promised, accountability provisions are built into the measure, including a citizens' oversight committee and review by an independent auditor.

In the past, citizens of Portland consciously decided to preserve Forest Park, Mt Tabor, Tryon Creek State Park, and other parklands that significantly contribute to our unique quality of life.

More, in 1995, voters carried this tradition of stewardship forward with the passage of an Open Space Bond Measure. With this, Metro and local governments carefully purchased and protected over 8,200 acres of greenways and natural areas around the region, 30% more than promised. (This is an area 1.5 times the size of Forest Park added to our regional greenspace system!)

Nevertheless, today development still outpaces protection. Over the last decade the region has lost over 16,000 acres of urban natural areas (an area larger than the City of Gresham). And with the influx of new people, there will be enormous pressure to develop environmentally sensitive lands.

In the face of this challenge, we have the opportunity to continue our successful tradition of protecting our clean water, wildlife, and sense of place in this magnificent region. We can invest now in protecting natural areas, while land is still relatively cheap, and leave an historic gift to future generations.

Passage of this Bond Measure relies on you. There are many initiatives on this year's ballot. Please help bring attention to this outstanding opportunity by telling your friends.