Q: Ever wonder who — if anyone(!) — keeps track of the trees, critters, plant species, wetlands and an assortment of other natural resources in and along the Willamette River?
A: That’s the work of environmental planners, who can’t create effective land use plans without knowing what the conditions on the ground (and water) are.
Inventory of natural resources for the South Reach in the works
As part of the River Plan / South Reach project, the City is updating existing environmental management tools and regulations for the South Reach of the Willamette River. The update will help protect and enhance natural resources in the South Reach and ensure the City's continued compliance with local, regional, state and federal regulations for river health and safety.
The first step in this effort is to produce an updated inventory of existing natural resources. The River Plan / South Reach Draft Natural Resources Inventory is now available for review.
The inventory provides a useful and accessible “status report” on the location of existing natural resource features and their functions. The report includes descriptions and maps of the current condition of riparian corridors and wildlife habitat located within the South Reach, including the river, river banks, flood plains, tributary streams, wetlands and upland features. In the report, the overall River Plan / South Reach study area is broken into five smaller geographic areas for evaluation.
Comment on the draft Natural Resource Inventory
Public comments on the River Plan / South Reach Natural Resources Inventory are welcome. Please send feedback to riverplan@portlandoregon.gov; comments accepted until February 1, 2019.
Questions or comments can also be sent to Jeff Caudill at jeff.caudill@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-4572.