Oregon Football Team volunteers to plant trees
1
Eugene Parks and Open Space
FISCAL YEAR
ANNUAL REPORT
2023
EUGENE PARKS AND OPEN SPACE
FISCAL YEAR
2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
From the Director ..............5 Guiding Principles ..............6 Values...............6 Parks and Recreation System Plan...............7 Parks by the Numbers...............7 Financial Statement...............8 CREATING COMMUNITY............ 11 Community Engagement.............11 Equity and Inclusion.............16 CREATING YOUR PARKS............ 19 Completed Projects.............20 Projects in the Works.............23 CARING FOR YOUR PARKS AND NATURAL AREAS............ 26 Ongoing Maintenance............ 26 Levy Work Update............ 28 CREATING A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT............ 32 Trees............ 32 Waterways............ 36 Natural Areas............ 38
2
Eugene Parks and Open Space
Whilamut Natural Area
3
Eugene Parks and Open Space
4
Eugene Parks and Open Space
Eugene Pride, Alton Baker Park
From the Director This report shares highlights from Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) and our vision of beautiful, inspiring places that foster personal, community and environmental health. Eugene is beloved for its parks, natural areas, and urban forest.
Our dedicated staff steward these special green spaces that make Eugene such an incredible place to live, work and play. From the parks and paths along the Willamette River and Ridgeline Trail System to our tree-lined streets, rain gardens and wetlands. These spaces make our environment and community healthier. Not only providing space for activities like picnics, hiking, running, water sports, music and festivals, but also making our community stronger and more resilient in the face of climate change. Last year was another busy, highly productive year for Eugene Parks with the opening of new parks, renovation of existing ones, habitat enhancements, trail work, supporting community events and volunteers, planting trees and of course
5
Eugene Parks and Open Space
the day-to-day work critical to maintaining greenspaces across the city. The passing of the Parks and Rec Operations and Maintenance Levy in May by more than 66% was a huge vote of confidence in the hard work staff do every day to make sure Eugene has a safe, clean and green park system for everyone to enjoy. We deeply appreciate the community’s support.
Our focus remains on how we can best serve residents and visitors. We are striving to increase access to parks and recognize underserved communities. We appreciate the hard work of staff, partners and friends throughout the community who support Eugene parks. Together we are better positioned to meet the challenges and opportunities our city’s greenspaces face. Thank you, Craig Carnagey Division Manager, Parks and Open Space
Guiding Principles
Our daily and long-term strategic work is guided by four core principles: • Care for and make the most of what we have • Serve the entire community • Create more connections
• Build better partnerships
Values
In our daily work we uphold these values • Be Safe – Safety is paramount. We work every day to make our workplace, parks and open spaces safe for staff and the community.
• Be Well – Actively engage in ways to make our workplace, parks, open spaces and community vibrant, healthy and inviting. • Be a Team – Build unity and work together for success. Blur the lines, remove barriers, rely on expertise, encourage playfulness and celebrate wins.
• Be Resourceful – Foster strategic partnerships to leverage resources and maximize efficiencies. Be resilient in an ever-changing world, remain steadfast in preserving Eugene’s exceptional quality of life. • Be Innovative – Aim high. Combine the best of public policy, technology, science and new ideas to deliver the highest quality services and experiences possible.
• Be Ambassadors – We are advocates for the value of healthy green spaces. Share our stories, build relationships and engage the community in meaningful ways.
6
Eugene Parks and Open Space
Parks and Rec System Plan
Our work is guided by a 30-year system plan created in 2018 with input from over 12,000 community members. While the 2018 Parks and Recreation Bond has provided funding for developing parks in underserved areas and reinvesting in existing parks throughout the city, the 2023 Operations Levy provides for the ongoing care and maintenance to these facilities.
Parks by the Numbers – We cover a lot of
12
community parks
46
developed neighborhood parks
4,844
aces of natural areas
53
playgrounds
44
miles of multi-use paths
45
miles of off-street bike paths
7
Eugene Parks and Open Space
6
community gardens
5
dog parks
47
athletic fields
25
tennis/pickleball courts
6
skate parks
170+
miles of irrigation pipes
TOTAL Budget
Community and Administrative Services
$3,147,533
Green Infrastructure
$3,987,878
17%
$503,355
Park Planning, Development
60%
$11,259,780
Park Operations and Maintenance* Total FY23 Parks & Open Space Operating Budget by Program
2%
21%
$18,898,546 3% Operating Programs
*including $734,815 in FY23 grant funds
Operating Revenue (Budget) by Fund
29% 42% 0.1% 16% 11%
0.0% 0.2%
Operating Revenue (Budget) by Fund
$5,437,399
2023 Levy (special revenue fund)
$3,038,227
Operating Road Fund (state hwy fund, tree related permits)
$2,104,750
Stormwater Fund (user fees, grants)*
$7,883,171
Wastewater Fund (user fees)
$22,833
Wetland Mitigation Fund (credit sales)
$373,666
Eugene Parks and Open Space
$30,000
Operating Systems Development Charges (SDCs) Total FY23 Parks & Open Space Operating Budget by Fund
$18,898,546
*including $734,815 in FY23 grant funds
TOTAL Budget $10,970,986 $7,927,560
Operating Materials and Supplies Total FY23 Parks & Open Space Budgeted Operating Expenses
Total FY23 Parks & Open Space Capital Program Budget
$8,500
Fleet Services (set-aside funds)
Operating Personnel
Capital Program
TOTAL Budget
General Fund (property taxes & park rental fees)
Budgeted Operating Expense by Type
8
2023
Operating Programs
FISCAL YEAR
Financial Statements
42%
58%
Budgeted Operating Expense by Type
$18,898,546
Budget
FY23 Grant Funds
Total Budget
Actual Expenses
$8,022,164
$10,093,252
$18,115,416
(10,497,098)
9 Eugene Tugman Park Parks and Open Space
Mangan Park
Amazon Park
10 Eugene Parks and Open Space
C R E AT I N G C O M M U N I T Y Community Engagement
Community engagement is at the core of everything we do. From public planning meetings and concerts in parks to volunteer events and park rentals, we provide a multitude of ways for people to get involved and inform decisions about the future of the park system. Get plugged in by following us on social media or subscribe to our monthly email newsletters.
508
park events including shelter rentals, weddings,
@eugparks
@eugparks
Annual Parks Survey
Eugene parks are very important to survey respondents’
In the summer of 2023, we conducted a survey to better understand how community members view their parks and the improvements made possible through the 2018 and recently passed 2023 Operational Levy.
quality of life, with
90% indicating parks are
extremely or very important. Almost all respondents
(83%) highlighted the importance of funding for parks, and 78% found the changes funded by the 2018 Levy to be worth the added expense, marking an
8% increase from the previous year.
Park Watch helps make our parks safer with easy mobile reporting for information related to safety and maintenance issues.
2,032
eugene-or.gov/parkwatch
11 Eugene Parks and Open Space
In FY23, we received Park Watch reports.
Community Gardens
Irlanda Hernandez is cultivating her roots in the community gardens with Huerto de la Familia. Originally from Guatemala, she brought black bean seeds from her homeland. Her bean bushes are thriving alongside an array of fava beans, corn, squash, carrots and tomatoes at Skinner City Community Garden.
Over 400 garden plots in six parks provide gardeners space to grow their own food and connect with community. This year, our gardens saw much-needed repairs. At Whiteaker Community Garden, the perimeter fence was replaced, and additional fence improvements and irrigation maintenance are coming soon.
Skinner City Community Garden Alton Baker Community Garden
Skinner City Community Garden also had a new fence line installed and utilized some of the original metal artwork in the gates to the garden. Eight raised beds were replaced at Alton Baker, improving durability and accessibility. Volunteers across the garden system hosted a record number of community events, including repainting the tool shed at Amazon Community Garden and hosting a seed swap at Mathews Community Garden.
6 403 8 77 37
community gardens
plots
partner organizations
new gardeners
scholarships offered 12 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Martin Luther King Jr Park Public Meeting
Planning Meetings and Outreach Public involvement is a critical piece of our work. Public meetings provide an opportunity for residents to voice their opinions and contribute valuable insights during the planning and design process. These gatherings, both online and in person, help ensure that the park development process aligns with the diverse needs and preferences of the community. Parks planning staff held outreach meetings in FY23 to gather community input on projects ranging from the future Golden Gardens Park and Sports Complex and Mattie Reynolds Park, to upcoming park renovations at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, University Park and Scobert Gardens. 13 Eugene Parks and Open Space
23 734 2,297 meetings/events
attendees
survey responses
Rachel Carson volunteers
Volunteers The park system thrives with the support of a vibrant network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds. In FY23, volunteers contributed over 19,000 hours at public events.
19,000 hours
700+ events
725 trees
planted with volunteers throughout parks and natural areas.
33
adoption groups
A dedicated group regularly picks up trash around Delta Ponds for an average of 40 hours per week, year-round. They find so many “treasures” along the way that they have created a cheeky and informative e-journal of their adventures, including activities to put a positive spin on an unfortunate reality. Visit bit.ly/deltaponds to see what they’ve picked up over the years. We thank them for their work and attitude!
14 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Trash pick-up at Delta Ponds
50
community partners
Partnerships Eugene’s parks sit within a larger context of public and non-profit agencies, recreation providers and landowners. This web of agencies and service providers is critical to meeting the needs of the community and region. • In partnership with City of Eugene Athletics, we are providing free rental equipment at our pickleball court locations - Churchill Sports Park, Sheldon Sports Park and Westmoreland Park. Players can access nets, paddles and balls at no cost. • For the last eight years, we have been selected to host a visiting group of AmeriCorps NCCC in winter or spring (sometimes both). This year, our stellar six-person crew contributed 1,248 hours to our parks system, valued at $37,377.60!
Westmoreland Park
15 Eugene Parks and Open Space
• The Friends of Hendricks Park steward Eugene’s oldest park through volunteerism and fundraising. Funds are used to improve trails, open up viewpoints, expand the plant nursery, create interpretive displays, and enhance volunteer and community educational activities. • Across the system, we have more than 150 partner organizations committed to helping us care for our parks and natural areas.
Parks is working closely with the Eugene Parks Foundation to add new trails and amenities to parks such as spray play areas, nature play and exercise stations. One of their current initiatives plans to expand the Ridgeline Trail System with a 3-mile trail starting at a new 50-vehicle trailhead parking lot at South Willamette near E. 52nd Ave.
Oregon Asian Celebration, Alton Baker Park
Mangan
Equity and Inclusion Equity Training
Staff members from Parks and our partners in Recreation Services continue to learn, grow and change through training, discussion and integration of concepts of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice. In FY23, we continued some facilitator-led training and then shifted to internal discussions and assessments of our programs, facilities, engagement with the community and workplace culture. This work is guided by a framework developed by the National Recreation and Parks Association.
Black Community Advisory Group
We know that Eugene’s public spaces have too often been white-centered and exclusionary to historically marginalized groups. Parks staff have convened a Black Advisory Committee to advise on upcoming projects with the goal of making parks more inclusive. The new committee met several times in FY23 and provided support on the upcoming Martin Luther King Jr Park renovation and the development of Mattie Reynolds Park. 16 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Art in the Parks Community-driven events and programming are needed now more than ever to build connections, uplift the soul and share stories and experiences from our diverse city. We partnered with Cultural Services to launch Art in the Parks; a grant program invested in helping community members produce their own quality programming in Eugene’s parks. Dozens of applicants were reviewed this year with consideration for their programming quality, capacity, long term impacts and equity, inclusion and diversity. The awardees for 2023 included: • Whiteaker Community Market: Cultural Celebrations • Eugene Juneteenth Celebration
• Celebration with Obon and Taiko Festival • Eugene Pride Festival
• Black Cultural Festival
New Mural at Owen Rose Garden Working with Cultural Services, Parks staff helped plan a mural for the exterior of the Owen Rose Garden restroom. Artist Esteban Camacho Steffensen was selected for the project and painted a beautiful mural reflecting the garden with runners and cyclists in the background. Many may already know Steffensen’s work as he painted two large murals at the north end of the WJ Skate Park near the kidney bowl in 2015.
Owen Rose Garden
17
Eugene Parks and Open Space
Striker Field 18 Eugene Parks and Open Space
C R E AT I N G Y O U R P A R K S In 2018, Eugene voters overwhelmingly passed a five-year capital bond. In FY23, Park staff continued to oversee the completion of new parks and major renovations at existing parks with the use of bond funds. Of 37 bond-projects, 30 (80 percent) are complete or underway. Projects with a green checkmark are bond-funded.
Downtown Riverfront Park
Downtown Riverfront Park We are thrilled to share that the Downtown Riverfront Park won three awards.
• 2023 Design and Construction Award – Oregon Recreation and Park Association
• 2022 Honor Award, General Design – American Society of Landscape Architects, Oregon
• 2022 People’s Choice Award, Landscape – American Institute of Architects, Willamette Valley
These professional associations recognize and celebrate landscape design and architecture throughout the Willamette Valley and beyond. We are grateful for the recognition of this complex project that transformed a private, post-industrial site into a waterfront park reconnecting downtown to the river. 19 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Projects with 2018 bond funding
Completed Projects Churchill Tennis Courts
Pipe Dream
Eugene’s First Mountain Bike Trail Churchill Tennis Courts The courts, which serve as a shared community resource between the 4J School District and the City of Eugene, have undergone a transformation to provide an improved playing experience for all.
Upgrades include a brand-new court foundation, surfacing and nets on the four tennis courts, new fencing and gates, sidewalk improvements for ADA access, court drainage improvements and updated furnishings. The renovation also added striping for four pickleball courts to support the growing popularity of the sport. 20 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Pipe Dream trail is the work of trail building volunteers from local groups lead by the Eugene Mountain Bike Stewards and Disciples of Dirt, as well as Parks staff and the City’s levyfunded seasonal trail crew.
Pipe Dream takes off from the multi-use section of the Ridgeline Trail between the Fox Hollow and Dillard West trailheads, winding its way through the forest down to the end of Center Way. Unlike most trails in the Ridgeline, Pipe Dream is surfaced primarily with native soil to provide a better mountain biking experience. The trail is designated as a downhill only mountain bike trail and is closed to pedestrians and uphill traffic to ensure the safety of all.
Ridgeline and Skinner Butte Habitat Restoration These projects focus on removal of invasive species and reduction of heavy vegetation to reduce wildfire hazards. Ongoing work at Ridgeline sites treat highly invasive weeds that disrupt native ecosystems. Over 500 native trees, shrubs and ferns were recently planted in Skinner Butte Park along the river following the removal of blackberry, ivy and other invasive species. These new plants will provide habitat for insects, birds and small mammals.
Striker field
Striker Field Park This newly opened eight-acre park site now serves the recreational needs of northeast Eugene with a large playground, sand play, restrooms, picnic shelter, spray play, walking paths, open lawn, parking lot and space for community gatherings and small performances. The park also features a full-sized basketball court, two pickleball courts, and a pétanque court. The park opened in September 2023, which is FY24. 21 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Projects with 2018 bond funding
Washington Jefferson Park
Washington Jefferson Renovation At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the area outside of the skatepark and plaza in Washington Jefferson Park became a temporary stay-in-place shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Following many months of closure for site restoration and improvements, Washington Jefferson has largely reopened.
Restoration work included removal and replacement of turf and topsoil, irrigation and electrical repair, graffiti removal, and repainting of hard surfaces. In addition, much needed improvements were made to the park while it was closed including new sidewalks, lighting, garbage cans and park rules signs.
Total restoration and improvements cost $1.2 million, of which $1 million was covered by federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and State of Oregon Homeless funding. 22 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Ongoing, the park will be monitored for safety and security issues by park ambassadors and police park resource officers. Both of which are made possible by the recently passed 2023 Parks and Recreation Levy.
At this time, a portion of the park between 5th and 6th will remain fenced as we work to construct a new dog park to serve the Whiteaker and Downtown neighborhoods in this section.
Other Completed Projects: • Monroe Park restroom restoration
• Churchill Community Center site acquisition
Projects in the Works
Delta Ponds Loop Trail This project completes the last segment needed for a barrierfree 1 mile loop trail around Delta Ponds. Planned construction includes a new pedestrian bridge and a 1000’ trail extension to the north, creating a new access point at Goodpasture Island Road. Construction began in July and is expected to continue through Winter 2024.
Downtown Riverfront Plaza The Downtown Riverfront Plaza is a one-acre expansion of the new Downtown Riverfront Park with space for ongoing park programming as well as a playground and water play for all ages. A tree grove, interactive public art, a water feature and splash pad, nature play area, event space and more will serve to activate the heart of Eugene’s new Downtown Riverfront neighborhood. Construction is expected to begin in Spring of 2024 with the plaza opening in 2025.
Lincoln School Park Renovation
The renovation of this park began in winter 2023 and construction is expected to continue through summer 2024. New park amenities will include paths, park furniture, a new playground, an adult fitness area and more.
Golden Gardens Park Golden Gardens is a large, 223-acre park on the northern edge of the Bethel neighborhood. Proposed features include neighborhood park amenities, habitat protections and sports fields with vehicle access coming off Clear Lake Road. A master planning effort kicked off in 2022 to plan the full build-out of this park, including preservation of the existing natural resources on the site. Public engagement and planning will continue in 2024. 23 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Projects with 2018 bond funding
MLK Park
Santa Clara Community Park
A public engagement process that began in May 2022 identified goals around renovation, activations and community art opportunities for this small, neighborhood park. The renovation improvements will include an updated playground, a plaza with game tables and seating for small group gatherings, accessibility improvements including van accessible parking, a looped walking path, and a beginner’s level skate friendly curb and seat wall. Interpretive elements will celebrate and honor diversity and Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2024 or 2025.
The Santa Clara Community Park development project was awarded a grant of $528,000 by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department through the Local Government Grant Program. The awarded funds will go toward supporting phase one construction of the soft-surface walking trails and the bike/pedestrian path connectivity through the park. Additional features for phase one include: large playground, restroom, parking lot, outdoor community gathering space, picnic shelter, open lawn and tree planting. The Eugene Parks Foundation will fund a spray play feature for the park. Construction will begin in the winter of 2024 with the anticipated park opening in late 2024.
Mattie Reynolds Park
Mattie Reynolds Park This neighborhood park is named for the matriarch of one of Eugene’s first Black families. An additional 7.5 acres was acquired to expand the total park acreage to 12.5 acres and provide a location for a future community center and pool for southwest Eugene. Public engagement began in 2022 with an Advisory Committee of Black residents providing focused input and guidance into the planning process. Construction is planned for 2024 or 2025. 24 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Scobert Gardens Park
Scobert Gardens Park Renovation Park staff have been leading community conversations and a design process for the renovation of Scobert Gardens Park which will continue into 2024. Construction is expected in 2025 or 2026.
Suzanne Arlie Park Phase one of development is underway and will include a two-mile extension of the Ridgeline shared-use trail, new mountain bike-optimized trails, along with a mountain bike skills park. The design team from Ptarmigan Ptrails is currently working on the concept design while City staff continue to work on wetland delineation and cultural resource surveys. A Mountain Bike Advisory Committee is meeting regularly to provide input on mountain bike trail design. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2024.
Looking ahead: • Amazon Creek Restoration
• Amazon Park Stretching Station • Fern Ridge Path Lighting
• Ridgeline Trailhead Parking Expansion
• South Eugene Meadows Trail • University Park Renovation
Skinner Butte Park 25 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Projects with 2018 bond funding
CARING FOR YOUR PARKS AND NATURAL AREAS Ongoing Maintenance Our 46 full-time and 30 seasonal operations staff maintain park assets while creating a safe and welcoming environment. Mowing grass, emptying trash, cleaning restrooms, monitoring playground safety, repairing irrigation, and removing leaves are all part of a day’s work. Trail building and maintenance, invasive species control, habitat improvements, roadside and waterway pruning, graffiti removal and cleanup of urban campsites complete the daily round.
Whilamut Natural Area
26 Eugene Parks and Open Space
13,672
763
route checks in developed parks (bathroom, sanitation, trash removal and safety checks)
times turf was mowed
1,824
playground inspections
custodial visits to high-use natural areas and trailheads
1,249
2.16
miles of gravel and bark trails resurfaced
1,074
trees watered during establishment cycle
291
irrigation site inspections and repairs
497
instances of tree pruning and landscape maintenance
Employee Spotlight Junior Arendain has worked for the City of Eugene for over 20 years. Junior, like many of his Park Operations colleagues, spends a significant part of his workday performing route checks in our 71 developed parks. This work consists of opening the park system in the morning by cleaning and restocking restrooms, emptying trash receptacles, inspecting playgrounds, removing graffiti and light infrastructure repair. In the afternoon, Junior and his coworkers return to our busiest parks to ensure everything is safe, clean, and green. In FY23, staff performed 13,672 of these site checks. Outside of work, Junior’s passion for parks extends to his leisure time, visiting local and regional parks with his faithful canine companion. Having traveled to over a dozen countries, Junior finds joy in exploring foreign parks during his travels.
“Working in Parks is important for me because the work accomplished by our maintenance team provides well maintained, welcoming and safe parks for everyone to enjoy.” — Junior Arendain Junior Arendain 27 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Trail Maintenance
Park Ambassador
Voters say “Yes” to Parks and Rec Levy We want to say thank you to community members for passing the Eugene Parks and Rec Operations and Maintenance Levy 20-343 in May 2023. The levy passed by more than 66%, which is a resounding vote of confidence for the work crews do in parks and at the recently expanded and renovated recreation facilities.
This decision builds on the benefits provided by the voterapproved levy of 2018, which keeps parks safer, cleaner and
28 Eugene Parks and Open Space
greener through ongoing efforts of the park safety team, developed park maintenance and trails and natural areas maintenance. More frequent servicing of parks, enhanced trail and natural area maintenance and an increased security presence in parks are the hallmarks of this operating levy. This approved levy renewal maintains the core services provided under the 2018 levy and an increase in funding for recreation fitness and wellness programming, park safety measures and cleanup response for park rule violations.
Operations and Maintenance Levy Progress Park Safety Two year-round Eugene Police park resource officers patrolling parks Two additional year-round park ambassadors for a total of four covering seven days a week Two camera trailers dispatched to parks with illicit activity Expanded cleanup response team providing daily clean-up operations Weekly graffiti removal response Park Maintenance Restrooms reopened remain accessible Increased custodial services during summer Increased mowing frequency Preventative tree maintenance in developed parks Preventative maintenance of irrigation, lighting and park furnishings Seasonal weekend and after-hours maintenance in high-use parks Habitat and Natural Area Maintenance Increased seasonal trash service at high use trailheads Preventative maintenance of roads, parking areas, fences, signs and portable restrooms Vegetation management to reduce fuel loads, manage weeks and add native plants Increased trail maintenance
29 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Park Ambassador using mobile device in the field.
Park Watch The public can report non-emergency park safety issues including illicit activity, graffiti, vandalism, broken park infrastructure, etc., by visiting our Park Watch online reporting tool. Information goes directly into the responsible work teams’ mobile device allowing staff to quickly see where issues are and respond from the field.
Park Safety Team With the passing of the 2023 Parks and Recreation Levy, we were able to hire two additional full-time park ambassadors (for a total of four full-time park ambassadors) and expand services to seven days a week. Park ambassadors work closely with Eugene Police park resource officers to address illicit activity and keep parks safe and welcoming. This team works in collaboration with the cleanup response team across the parks system and along Eugene’s waterways. 30 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Waterway cleanup
Increased Monitoring in Problem Areas
Illicit Activity Cleanup
While the safety team works across the parks and natural area system, there are areas with higher incidences of safety and pollution issues that need to be monitored more frequently. These areas include along Eugene’s waterways like the Amazon Channel and in several urban parks. Here staff are working to create a more welcoming space by visiting multiple times a day, and five to seven days each week.
The cleanup response team, which focuses on the cleanup of abandoned campsites and graffiti removal in parks, removed 2,821 cubic yards of garbage and hazardous materials from parks, natural areas and waterways and abated 595 graffiti instances in FY23.
31 Eugene Parks and Open Space
CREATING A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT Trees
776
street trees planted by Urban Forestry
292
street trees planted by Friends of Trees
198
street trees planted by contractors
331
trees planted in parks as part of the climate action initiative
390
trees planted along waterways,
Planting season ended with a bang – a record number of 1,987 new trees planted! Trees are selected by considering the unique needs of each individual location such as soil type, sun exposure, hardscape and utilities, existing tree varieties nearby, planter size and width, and tree procurement availability. Most of this year’s street trees came from our own mini-nursery stock or local Willamette Valley nurseries. However, some trees were intentionally sourced out of California for specific warm climate tree varieties uniquely adapted to our increasing temperatures.
32 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Watering and establishing all these young trees for the first three years is no small feat. This year, 3,000+ trees were watered either weekly, every two weeks or every three weeks depending on the age. Currently, we are caring for 700 trees in the nursery yearround in preparation for upcoming planting seasons.
On-site nursery trees 33 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Oregon Football teamed up with Eugene Parks
Oregon Football Team
The team took a break from the gridiron to give back to the community by mulching trees in Alton Baker Park and planting trees outside Autzen Stadium. Between offense, defense and several coaches, the team made it to the “midfield line,” spreading 50 yards of mulch on the trees and landscaped beds surrounding the main lawn of Alton Baker Park in February. The following month, more than 100 players, staff, and family members worked alongside the Parks staff to plant 32 trees on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Keeping pace with a growing system of rain gardens
11
sites renovated
15
cy of sediment removed
34 Eugene Parks and Open Space
553
total facilities maintained
88
new facilities in FY23 = 18% growth
Equity-Focused Planting The lack of shade from canopy coverage creates heat islands where temperatures can reach more than 10 degrees higher than Eugene neighborhoods with dense tree coverage. Those negative effects can be compounded in areas where other social vulnerability and economic disparities already exist. Focused tree planting can help mitigate the strain on these communities. Utilizing data from multiple sources including Tree Plotter Canopy and Eugene’s American Forests Tree Equity Score, we can determine the highest priority neighborhoods for new tree planting using equity indicators such as average temperature, household income, vulnerable populations, and the health index generated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In FY23, the three priority areas selected for street tree planting were Bethel, Downtown Riverfront and MLK Blvd. Parks tree planting focused on the Bethel and West Eugene areas and included Candlelight, Empire Pond, Petersen, Irwin, and Mattie Reynolds Parks. Waterway plantings were focused on the upper portions of Amazon Creek from Snell downstream to Hilyard Street, and along the Roosevelt Channel in the Bethel neighborhood.
Rain Gardens, continued Federal and State regulations require vegetated rain gardens to be built at the time of new construction. As such, the booming development Eugene has experienced over the last five years has resulted in an average 10% growth annually and is significantly outpacing maintenance resources. To help fill this growth gap, we’ve launched a hybrid approach to maintaining the system by leveraging the use of both in-house crews and contract services. 35 Eugene Parks and Open Space
In January, the program hired a stormwater inspector and contract specialist who hit the ground running by establishing the first $150,000 per year maintenance contract. The local minority-owned Morganic Roots Eco Firm was hired to fill this role and has focused their initial efforts on facilities rated fair to poor with the intent to prevent these public assets from falling further down the condition rating. Eugene Parks and Open Space
35
Waterways Conservation of Eugene’s Northwestern Pond Turtles Golden Gardens Park supports one of the region’s most robust populations of Northwestern Pond Turtles in the Eugene area. Every summer, Ecological Services Team staff and volunteers search for and protect Northwestern Pond Turtle nests at this site. Unusual spring and summer weather patterns this year resulted in lower than usual numbers of nests and only six were protected (as compared to 10 last year). On a more positive note, 31 juvenile turtles emerged from their underground nests earlier in the spring and made their way down to the pond edges, helping to ensure the future of the population of turtles at Golden Gardens. On September 29, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the proposal to list the Northwestern Pond Turtle as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Listing will most likely include a 4(d) rule that will allow land managers and others to carry out activities that support the conservation of this species without the risk of violating the Endangered Species Act. That said, the listing could impact activities near Northwestern Pond Turtles and their habitat, if those activities are deemed to have negative impacts. The proposal is undergoing a public review process and once that is complete there will be additional information available about what impact this may have.
Golden Gardens Park
Enhancing Eugene’s aging street medians
14 203 16
sites renovated
medians maintained
acres of vegetated ROW maintained
36 Eugene Parks and Open Space
In fall 2022, the medians program joined forces with Public Works Engineering to include a much-needed median renovation as part of the South Terry Street pavement project. The medians were excavated as part of the construction project and handed it off to the maintenance team to add the finishing touches. New soil was added, the irrigation system upgraded to ensure plants would thrive in this challenging environment, and beautiful new shrubs, trees and perennials completed the renovation. These enhancements add to the beauty and livability of the Bethel area. They create an attractive entrance into the adjacent residential neighborhoods and help to mitigate negative heat island impacts.
Waterways Conveyance Pruning AKA Greenpiping The Waterways Operation program annually performs pruning for stormwater conveyance in the City’s engineered waterways including Amazon Creek, the North Beltline Floodway, Roosevelt Channel, and A2 and A3 Channels. The work seeks to find an important balance between protecting the stormwater quality, streambank stability and habitat benefits of waterways vegetation such as willows, alders and cottonwoods with the flood protection demands of these waterways. In FY23, the team manually pruned 12 miles of waterways. The graphic below illustrates the work.
S Terry Street Median
37 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Eugene Parks and Open Space
37
Moon Mountain Park
Natural Areas Moon Mountain Wildfire and Fuels Reduction Following the wildfire in July at Moon Mountain Park, staff temporarily closed the park to the public to assess the damage, clear hazards and stabilize the trail. The fire burned 34.4 acres, but the prairie and oak savanna is expected to recover. Regular fire is part of grassland ecosystems in the Willamette Valley. This wildfire was quick moving and likely benefitted the native habitat. Past fuels reduction and habitat restoration at Moon Mountain Park reduced the fuel load and provided firefighters better access during this incident.
River to Ridges Update
Since 2007, we’ve worked on fuels reduction in 16 natural area parks. This work provides major benefits including reducing threat of wildfire, habitat enhancement and safer access for the public and emergency response. Much of this work has been accomplished through an agreement with the Bureau of Land Management who’s provided around $1 million to support these efforts over the last eight years.
After 20 years of growth, collaboration and implementation, the Rivers to Ridges partnership came together over the last few years to revisit and refresh our guiding principles, priorities, and vision for the future of parks and open space in the southern Willamette Valley. Read the report at rivers2ridges.org. The Rivers to Ridges Partnership is comprised of 19 partners representing federal, state and local governments and non-profits. Each organization contributes by working together to protect and enhance the region’s land and water resources and their ecosystem functions and values, and providing environmental education and compatible outdoor recreation opportunities. The City of Eugene has been a member of this partnership from its beginnings as the West Eugene Wetlands Partnership and is looking forward to many more years of collaboration, learning and success.
38 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Fender’s Blue Butterfly Downlisted from Endangered Once thought to be extinct, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the Fender’s blue butterfly (FBB) will be downlisted from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Found in park land in west Eugene, this tiny butterfly is on the road to recovery thanks to the work of many committed partners who have been fostering the species and stewarding its habitat for more than two decades.
FBB habitat in the Willamette Valley had been largely altered by development and decades of fire suppression. A key turning point for this species was when scientists learned that mowing and prescribed fire could be used to help the butterfly. Fender’s Blue Butterfly
Our staff contributed to the recovery by protecting and enhancing habitat for FBB, educating landowners adjacent to areas with FBB, and providing access to restored habitat for research.
Eugene Parks Certified Salmon-Safe (again!)
We have been certified Salmon-Safe since 2017. The certification lasts for five years and is conditional upon continuing to meet Salmon-Safe standards and making progress on conditions agreed upon during the certification process. In September 2023, our recertification was approved with several new conditions and continued monitoring of pesticide, fertilizer and water use required.
“Eugene Parks and Open Space continues to serve as a regional example of environmental innovation in municipal park and natural area management.” - Salmon-Safe Science Team
Delta Ponds 39 Eugene Parks and Open Space
eugene-or.gov/parks