Urban Ecosystem Research Consortium

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 Connecting Green Alliance to create the "greatest parks- trails- and natural areas system in the world."

Connecting Green Alliance Core Group

Meryl Redisch- Executive Director of the Audubon Society of Portland 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.

Coalition for a Livable Future

The Institute's Director- Mike Houck- Mike was a co-founder of the Coalition for a Livable Future CLF in 1994 The Coalition's mission is to protect- restore- and maintain healthy- equitable- and sustainable communities- both human and natural- for the benefit of present and future residents of the greater Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region.

The Coalition for a Livable Future's newsletter- Connections- provides regional perspectives on issues related to affordable housing- parks and greenspaces- transportation options- and regional growth management.

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.

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.

Wild in the City, Exploring The Intertwine Launched!

Wild in the City, Exploring The Intertwine has launched!

Go to Audubon Society of Portland website

http://audubonportland.org/news/wic

Ross Island Vision Team: Envisioning Ross Island

The Institute has produced, with its partners at the Willamette Riverkeeper, Audubon Society of Portland, Greenworks landscape architecture, architects, and landscape architects a plan for Ross Island, Envisioning Ross Island (.pdf)

Bi-State Trail Plan

Unveiled The long awaited Bi-State Trail Plan was released at a meeting of The Intertwine Alliance on April 9th in downtown Vancouver, Washington.

Oregon Public Broadcasting features Portland Memorial Mausoleum mural project

On April 15th OPB's Art Beat Program ran a 10 minute special feature on the 50,000 square foot wetland mural that the Urban Greenspaces Institute collaborated with ArtFX Murals to produce on the Portland Memorial Mausoleum overlooking 160-acre Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. Click here to view OPBs video.

Metro Urban and Rural Reserves planning map

A coalition of nonprofit organizations representing the region's agricultural industry, nurseries, and conservation organizations including the Urban Greenspaces Institute released a consensus map that outlines areas this unique coalition considers appropriate for consideration as future Urban Reserves and areas