How is the city restoring and enhancing local natural resources?

The city restores and enhances local natural resource areas through volunteer tree planting events, stream restoration projects, and invasive species control, to name a few. Friends of Trees and the City of Wilsonville hold several tree planting events each year in an ongoing effort to restore riparian areas affected by erosion and to reduce invasive plant species in the parks.

In 2006, the city removed two culverts on Boeckman Creek that blocked fish passage and was causing extensive erosion. A pedestrian foot bridge was installed, and the stream and surrounding riparian area was restored.

In addition to these efforts, the city has partnered with Metro in the restoration and opening of Graham Oaks Nature Park. Metro and the City of Wilsonville worked with landscape architects, engineers, and interpretive specialists to develop detailed designs for Graham Oaks Nature Park. The park has several trail heads, one with parking, restrooms, and a covered shelter, along with other local neighborhood access points.

A trail system takes visitors through a variety of natural habitats including wetlands, conifer forests and the Oregon white oak woodlands and savanna that are growing at the site. The trail system will also connect to the proposed multiuse regional Tonquin Trail, envisioned to one day connect Graham Oaks Nature Park to Wilsonville neighborhoods and, eventually, the cities of Tualatin and Sherwood.