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

GPAC members discuss the future regional greenspace vision.

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 Greenspaces Policy Advisory Committee (GPAC) which is responsible for advising the Metro Council on policies related to the regional parks, trails, and Greenspaces. GPAC was charged by Metro Council to develop a vision for a bi-state regional system of parks, trails, and natural areas.

Metro Council adopted GPAC’s recommended vision for a Portland-Vancouver comprehensive, interconnected system of parks, trails, and natural areas that builds reflects John Charles Olmsted’s 1903 parks master plan, writ large. The GPAC vision states:

Chris Carlson, Metro Regional Parks and Greenspaces planner leads discussion with GPAC System Committee, which is charged with developing a plan for the bi-state regional parks, trails, and Greenspaces system.

"We envision an exceptional, multi-jurisdictional, interconnected system of neighborhood, community, and regional parks, natural areas, trails, open spaces, and recreation opportunities distributed equitably throughout the region. This region-wide system is acknowledged and valued here and around the world as an essential element of the greater Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area’s economic success, ecological health, civic vitality, and overall quality of life.

As the region grows and develops, this region-wide system also expands, diversifies, and matures to meet the needs of a growing and changing population. All residents live and work near and have access – regardless of income – to nature, areas for recreation and leisure, and public spaces that bring people together and connect them to their community.

This region-wide system of parks, natural areas, trails, open spaces, and recreation opportunities:

• Drives the region’s economy and tourist trade
• Preserves significant natural areas for wildlife habitat and public use
• Enhances the region’s air and water quality
• Promotes citizens’ health, fitness, and personal well-being
• Connects the region’s communities with trails and greenways
• Provides sense of place and community throughout the region
• Supports an ecologically sustainable metropolitan area

There is a powerful, shared ethic that a region-wide system is essential. There is widespread recognition of its value from economic, personal health, community, and ecological perspectives. Tools for its support are well established, including partnerships, policies, and funding. Individuals and organizations from all parts of the region appreciate and champion the system through education, advocacy, and stewardship."

	The Institute is also represented on Metro’s Metro Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC). MTAC is charged with making recommendations to the Metro Council via the Metropolitan Policy Advisory Committee (MPAC) on issues related to Metro’s Regional 2040 Growth Plan.
Metro’s Region 2040 Growth Concept lays out how the Portland metropolitan region will grow and includes provisions for park, trails, Greenspaces. One of the most important projects underway at Metro now is the New Look, an assessment of successes and failures of implementation of the Region 2040 Growth Concept. The New Look process is one of the Institute’s highest priorities for 2006 and 2007.

Institute Director, Mike Houck, is also a member of the City of Portland’s Park Board which advises Portland City Council on park and recreation issues. The Park Board meets monthly and is charged with being the keepers of the Parks 2020 Vision document.
	Joey Pope and Mike Houck discuss issues on Portland Park Board.

Mike Houck serves on the City of Portland’s Office of Sustainable Development, 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.

The Office of Sustainable Development, Portland Bureau of Environmental Services and Sustainable Development Commission promotes projects such as this rain garden at the New Seasons grocery on SE Division.

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

Local and Regional Fish and Wildlife Habitat Issues

Mike Houck continues to work with the Urban Conservation Program at the Audubon society of Portland, which is leading the regional effort to protect and restore fish and while of habitat throughout the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan region.

The Institute partners with other NGOs to ensure public participation in local and regional policy discussions. Here citizens testify before Metro Council on the regional Nature in Neighborhoods program.