Forest Park (Portland)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Forest Park is a municipal and public park, located west of downtown Portland, Oregon. It is the largest natural urban forest reserve in the U.S. The park is 5,000 acres (20.23 km²) with 4,873 acres (19.72 km²) of second and old growth forest, threaded by more than 70 miles (112 km) of recreational trails. Forest Park stretches for over eight miles (13 km) on hillsides overlooking the Willamette River.
Forest Park is the third largest urban park (of any kind) in the United States, after Franklin Mountains State Park in El Paso, Texas and South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Arizona.
The area was designated as a park on September 23, 1948 after almost 50 years of citizen advocacy for the City to buy tax-foreclosed properties. By the 1980s, 112 bird species and 62 mammal species had been recorded. An ongoing effort aims to eradicate non-native, invasive species, such as English ivy (Hedera helix).
The Audubon Society of Portland has an adjacent wildlife sanctuary covering 143 acres, which includes more than 4 miles (6.4 km) of trails, as well as a Wildlife Care Center, avian exhibits, and nature store.
