Whitaker Ponds Nature Park

Last updated
Whitaker Ponds Nature Park
Whitaker Ponds Nature Park.jpg
Park signage in 2008
Whitaker Ponds Nature Park
Location7040 Northeast 47th Avenue
Nearest city Portland, Oregon, United States
Coordinates 45°34′26″N122°36′43″W / 45.57384°N 122.6119°W / 45.57384; -122.6119
Area24.75 acres (10.02 ha)
Created1998
Operated by Portland Parks & Recreation

Whitaker Ponds Nature Park is a park located in northeast Portland, Oregon, United States. The park is maintained by Portland Parks & Recreation and volunteers from the Columbia Slough Watershed Council. [1]

In 1995, Metro and the City of Portland each purchased several land parcels at Whitaker Ponds for use as a public park. [2] Members of the local EnviroCorps program planted native species and removed garbage from the site over the summer of 1995. [3] The park was expanded by more land purchases in 1997 and 2004. [2]

The Whitaker Ponds are two shallow freshwater ponds connected by a metal culvert. In 1995, their combined size was estimated to be 11 acres. A black cottonwood forest grows around the ponds. [2] Mammals seen in the park include beavers, coyotes, and river otters. Bird species include downy woodpeckers, great blue herons, osprey, and willow flycatchers. [2] [4]

Nearby is Neerchokikoo, a pre-colonial Chinookan village revitalized as a gathering site for Native Americans in Portland. [5] [6]

See also

References

  1. "Whitaker Ponds Nature Park". Portland Parks & Recreation. Archived from the original on February 7, 2011. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Whitaker Ponds Master Plan (PDF) (Report). Portland Parks & Recreation. 2006. p. 4-5. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  3. White, Brian (1995). "Cultivating the city". PSU Magazine. pp. 8–10. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  4. Ferrara, John Ross (1 May 2023). "Man captures up-close beaver encounter at Whitaker Ponds". KOIN . Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  5. "Our watershed: a tapestry of waters, cultures, and wildlife". Archived from the original on 2023-08-06. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  6. Altman, Leah (13 April 2024). "Ancient Village Site is Reborn Again". Underscore Native News. Retrieved 22 September 2024.