Below is a news release from Trust For Public Land. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation offered grant funding in support of the project. “We salute and appreciate our partners for their efforts in conserving this important habitat that benefits elk, deer, bears, mountain lions and other wildlife,” said Jenn Doherty, RMEF managing director of mission operations. “We look forward to supplying input on a recreational and forest management plan to guide the types of activities to take place within the forestland.”
Trust For Public Land (TPL) and Oregon State University (OSU), in partnership with Metro, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and local community organizations, announced the acquisition of 3,110 acres of timber land from Weyerhaeuser Company.
Located 10 miles west of Portland and within proximity of the beloved Forest Park, the Tualatin Mountains are where many local residents go to recreate and revel in Oregon’s natural wonderland.
TPL and OSU, in partnership with Weyerhaeuser, have permanently conserved 3,110 acres of actively managed forestland, ensuring this incredible forest remains a resilient and accessible natural resource for all. Continued management as a research forest will ensure future access to an extensive network of trails, 20 miles of creeks and headwaters, and open up nature-based educational experiences for youth with limited exposure to managed and accessible forest landscapes.
“Conserving and opening access to the Tualatin Mountain Forest is an investment in the health and well-being of communities across the Portland metro area, for those here now, and for future generations,” said Kristin Kovalik, Oregon Program Director for Trust for Public Land. “We’re deeply grateful for the collaboration between partners, which will help ensure that everyone can connect with the outdoors and experience the benefits of nearby nature.”
The newly acquired land will be owned by Oregon State University and managed by the College of Forestry. With the acquisition of the Tualatin Mountain Forest, the College of Forestry now manages 10 research forests across Oregon, comprising more than 18,000 acres. The forest, which was previously managed for commercial timber production, will serve as a living laboratory for researchers from Oregon State and other institutions, agencies, Tribes and organizations to advance research in forest resilience, habitat restoration, sustainable timber production and wildfire risk reduction, with learnings applicable across Oregon and beyond.
“The Tualatin Mountain Forest will offer incredible opportunities for educational programming, public access, and the co-identification of research and management priorities with Tribes, including the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, whose ancestral lands the forest is on,” said Tom DeLuca, dean of the Oregon State University College of Forestry. “We’re so thankful to our partners who helped establish the Tualatin as an OSU Research Forest. This forest gives us the rare chance to research and demonstrate new and different approaches to active management, and to showcase how timber harvest, research and access to nature-based recreation and education can beautifully support our economies, urban communities and our understanding of forest ecosystems.”
OSU Research Forests serve as living outdoor classrooms for students, faculty and staff, and provide demonstration sites for Extension faculty to educate and engage with forest owners, managers, educators and youth across the state. They are also financially self-sustaining, with all research, education, outreach and recreation activities funded through revenue generated by sustainable timber harvests, grants and philanthropy.
“We have a long-standing relationship with Oregon State University and the Oregon Department of Forestry, as well as a shared interest in advancing the science and understanding of sustainable working forests and all the benefits they provide,” said Alex Littlejohn, Conservation Director for Weyerhaeuser. “This project presented a compelling opportunity to support long-term forest research and enhanced outdoor access for the greater Portland community, and we appreciated the collaboration with all our partners to make sure this area remains a thriving forest ecosystem.”
Beyond important research and education, public access is a key part of OSU’s vision for the Tualatin Mountain Forest. In the coming years, the College of Forestry will develop a visitor use and recreation plan that ensures ecological integrity of the forest and community benefit, as well as alignment with active forest management. OSU is partnering with Northwest Trail Alliance (NWTA) to provide public access and outdoor recreation opportunities to the Rocky Point trail system. Previously fee-based and limited to mountain biking, public ownership will allow free and close-to-home access to over 40 miles of trails, including underserved communities within 12 miles. Additionally, OSU plans to explore new partnerships focused on K–12 nature-based education, particularly for Portland-area and Tribal youth, providing outdoor learning experiences tied to climate, science and natural resources stewardship.
Providing public access will also contribute to Oregon’s outdoor economy, which generates billions in revenue each year and relies on healthy ecosystems. As an important wildlife corridor, this property provides aquatic habitat that supports salmon and other fish downstream, which are essential to the local economy, and hold cultural significance to many Tribes in the area. The acquisition ensures that 24 miles of water resources important for fish and wildlife habitat will remain stewarded and protected as part of a thriving and actively managed forest ecosystem, including creeks in the Multnomah Channel headwaters that contribute to downstream critical habitat for federally threatened Chinook salmon, Coho salmon and steelhead.
“This project has been an incredible undertaking with hard work and dedication from the project teams to see the project through to completion,” said ODF’s Forest Legacy Program Coordinator Christina Helige. “The Tualatin Mountain Forest legacy project will continue to provide beautiful, accessible forests close to Portland for decades to come. It’s really an exciting next chapter for these lands and everyone involved.” Helige added, “Projects like these play a key role in fostering healthy, resilient landscapes that can help improve wildfire mitigation through responsible forest management that benefits our economy and ecosystems.”
“This is exactly the kind of deeply impactful project that voters entrusted us to support when they passed the 2019 parks and nature bond,” said Metro Council President Lynn Peterson. “This acquisition will help preserve the natural beauty that makes our region so special.”
The acquisition of the Tualatin Mountain Forest was made possible at no initial cost to Oregon State University by Trust For Public Land with grants from the U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program and funding from Metro’s voter-approved 2019 parks and nature bond. Additional partners on this project include the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, the West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, Northwest Trail Alliance, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and other community organizations.