Policy Work

The Institute engages in policy work at all landscape scales to ensure that parks- trails- and greenspaces are viewed- and funded- as essential urban services.

Local and Regional Urban Greenspace Policy Committees

The Urban Greenspaces Institute is represented on local- regional- and national advisory groups that relate to urban park- trail- and natural resource issues. The Institute's Director sits on Metro's Reserves Steering Committee which is responsible for advising the Metro Council on policies related to future expansions of the region's Urban Growth Boundary. Institute Director- Mike Houck- has taken a lead role in developing maps that delineate regionally significant natural landscapes that are critical elements of the region's parks- trails- and natural areas system and contribute to maintaining the region's biodiversity.

In 2005 the Institute helped craft Metro's Greenspaces Policy Advisory Committee (GPAC) vision document for the creation of a bi-state regional system of parks- trails- and natural areas. This document now informs the efforts of The Intertwine Alliance to create the "greatest parks- trails- and natural areas system in the world."

The Intertwine Alliance Core Group

The Institute is a founding member of The Intertwine Alliance and our Director- Mike Houck- participates in the CGA's core group which provides guidance to the Alliance regarding its structure and priorities.

Mike Houck serves on the City of Portland's PLanning and Sustainability Commission a joint Portland-Multnomah County advisory group on issues related to sustainable development issues within the city and county. Mike chairs the ecological indicators project which is focused on identifying indicators that can track the impacts that individual citizens and business can make regarding moving the city and county toward a sustainable future.

These advisory groups are key to establishing public policy that elevates urban greenspaces as an essential urban service throughout the metropolitan region.