EUGENE PARKS AND OPEN SPACE
Trail repair work in the Ridgeline Trail System
Eugene Parks and Open
West Eugene Wetlands
Tree hazard work following the ice storm
Introduction
Eugene’s parks and natural areas are the heart of our community—places where people come to play, connect and find peace in nature. In Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), Parks and Open Space remained committed to stewarding these special places, improving access and enhancing the environment for future generations.
From vibrant community parks to miles of multi-use trails, we strive to provide spaces that support health, recreation and ecological resilience. This year’s accomplishments reflect the hard work of our dedicated staff, volunteers and community partners who make it possible to maintain and improve Eugene’s cherished green spaces.
One of the year’s significant challenges came in the form of a devastating ice storm that heavily impacted Eugene’s parks, trails and urban forest. Following the storm, our teams, along with contractors and incredible volunteers, worked tirelessly to clear debris, restore trails and ensure safety for park users. Local groups like the Obsidians, Disciples of Dirt and the Scorpions Trail Crew joined forces with City staff to remove fallen trees, repair trail beds and restore access to some of our most beloved natural areas. Over 50 miles of trails were assessed, cleared and reopened, while urban forestry crews tackled hundreds of damaged street trees and removed hazardous debris. The response was a testament to the resilience of our community and the value we all place on our outdoor spaces.
Restoring and maintaining our parks continues to be a central focus of our work. Projects like the Amazon Creek restoration highlight the importance of balancing transportation, recreation and ecology. This multi-year effort will transform
a deteriorating concrete channel into a thriving natural waterway, stabilizing creek banks, improving water quality and creating an inviting habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife. Similar efforts across the city, including habitat restoration and management in wetland prairies, are fostering ecosystems that support rare species like the Great Copper butterfly and Willamette navarretia. These initiatives remind us that our parks are not only places of recreation but also havens for biodiversity and critical natural resources.
In addition to ecological efforts, FY24 saw significant improvements in park maintenance and security, funded in part by the 2023 Parks and Recreation Levy. Parks expanded its nighttime private security presence to include several other parks including Washington Jefferson, Maurie Jacobs, Monroe and Scobert Gardens. Our teams also addressed challenges along high-use corridors like the Amazon and Fern Ridge Paths, increasing graffiti removal and garbage cleanups.
Community engagement has remained at the heart of our work. Through volunteer programs, public meetings and partnerships, we continued to provide opportunities for residents to contribute to the health and future of Eugene’s parks. More than 19,000 volunteer hours were dedicated to planting trees, removing invasive species and restoring natural areas, showcasing the strong connection our community has to these spaces.
As we look forward, we remain focused on connecting residents to Eugene’s natural beauty, addressing emerging challenges and building resilience in the face of a changing climate.
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 making our workplace, parks, open spaces and community vibrant, healthy and inviting for all.
• 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 parks and open spaces. Share our stories, build relationships and engage the community in meaningful ways.
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
11 community parks
61 neighborhood parks
4,844 acres of natural areas
53 playgrounds
27.25 miles of trails
44 miles of multi-use paths
45 miles of off-street bike paths
30 miles of waterways
6 community gardens
5 dog parks
47 athletic fields
25 tennis/pickleball courts
6 skate parks
170+ miles of irrigation pipes
65,000 street trees
582 public rain gardens
29 acres of vegetated medians and ROW
70 miles of roadside ditches
Financial Statements
Operating Programs
Community and Administrative Services
Green Infrastructure
Park Planning, Development
Park Operations and Maintenance*
Total FY24 Parks & Open Space Operating Budget by Program
*including $573,833 in FY24 grant funds
$3,118,421
$4,618,039
$489,920
$11,274,440
$19,500,820
Operating Revenue (Budget) by Fund TOTAL Budget
General Fund (property taxes & park rental fees)
$4,800,607 2023 Levy (Special Revenue Fund)*
Operating Road Fund (State Hwy Fund, tree related permits)
Stormwater Fund (user fees, grants)**
Wastewater Fund (user fees)
Wetland Mitigation Fund (credit sales)
$2,997,535
$2,600,855
$8,594,693
$25,053
$452,081
Fleet Services (set-aside funds) $(4)
Operating Systems Development Charges (SDCs)
$30,000
Total FY24 Parks & Open Space Operating Budget by Fund $19,500,820
*Does not include Levy funds allocated to LRCS and EPD
**including $573,833 in FY24 grant funds
Budgeted Operating Expense by Type TOTAL Budget
Operating Personnel
$11,720,307
Operating Materials and Supplies $7,780,513
Total FY24 Parks & Open Space
Budgeted Operating Expenses
$19,500,820
Revenue (Budget) by Fund
Operating Expense by Type
Americorps volunteer working at Gillespie
Butte Park
Skinner Butte Park
CREATING COMMUNITY
Community Engagement
Community engagement is at the core of everything we do. From public planning meetings and volunteer events to community gardens 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.
Park Rentals
Our park rental program facilitates a variety of events throughout the park system, fostering community engagement, outdoor activities and special gatherings.
In addition to taking reservations for the public, the park rental program plays a supportive role for other City departments, such as Recreation and the Eugene Library, who activate the parks by offering events and classes to the public.
Annual Parks Survey
In the summer of 2024, we conducted an annual survey to better understand how community members view their parks and the improvements made possible through the 2018 and recently passed 2023 Operational Levy.
Read the full survey report at eugene-or.gov/4262.
eugene-or.gov/parkwatch
488 shelter reservations
10 neighborhood association celebrations
286 activations of neighborhood parks
200+ public events across developed parks and natural areas
Eugene parks are very important to survey respondents’ quality of life, with 91% indicating parks are extremely or very important. More than half of respondents indicated that parks are extremely or very well-maintained and 43% feel parks are extremely or very safe. Almost all respondents highlighted the importance of funding for parks, and 76% found the changes funded by the levy to be worth the added expense.
Park Watch helps make our parks safer with easy mobile reporting for information related to safety and maintenance issues.
In FY24, we received
2,518 Park Watch reports.
6 community gardens
394 plots
7 partner organizations
52 new gardeners
29 scholarships offered
Photo submitted by Alison Mildrexler
Amazon Community Garden Shed
Helen Liu, community gardener and visual artist, is the creative mind behind the gorgeous new sunflower mural on the Amazon Community Garden Shed. Gardeners raised their own funds for materials and supplies and Helen enlisted the help of a fellow gardener, Diane, for the installation.
Helen’s inspiration for the mural stems from an appreciation for sunflowers and the vibrant life they support. The mural also features iconic hummingbirds, bright orange nasturtiums, ladybugs, and the vivid blue sky—all elements that reflect the beauty of the garden.
A visual artist by training, Helen has a background in graphic design but now focuses on her personal projects, including growing indigo at Amazon. She shares her art on Instagram (@helenliu45), where you can explore more of her creative work.
“It was such a wonderful community-building project,” says Gwen Gibbons, Amazon Garden Site Coordinator. “It makes me smile every time I arrive at the garden.”
We are Bethel Celebration, Petersen Barn
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.
Though the outreach meetings in FY24 were limited to only three projects – Mattie Reynolds, University Park and Scobert Gardens – Parks Planning staff were still actively working on public engagement and gathering community input on additional projects including Golden Gardens Park and Sports Complex and Suzanne Arlie Park.
7 meetings/events
101 attendees
613 survey responses
Volunteers
The park system thrives with the support of a vibrant network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds. In FY24, volunteers contributed 19,445 hours at public events.
4,753 trees, shrubs and forbs planted
39 adoption groups
19,445 hours
1,000+ events
45 community partners
Volunteer planting along the Amazon Creek
Weeding Out Invasives at Westmoreland Wetlands
Volunteers from Friendly Area Neighbors, Beyond Toxics, WREN, 4J NATIVES and the Unitarian Universalist Church helped weed out the invasive meadow foxtail at Westmoreland Park’s wetlands.
Meadow foxtail threatens our native plants by outcompeting them early in the growing season. It crowds out precious species like camas, buttercup, barestem biscuitroot and other flowering species, like slender lcinquefoil and Willamette gumplant. This could have cascading effects on the food chain, starting with declines in the native pollinator community.
These efforts also honor the land and its history. Wetlands are important to the Kalapuya People who have always lived on these lands and use many wetlands plants for food, medicine, basketry, ceremony and relationships. Westmoreland Park has two wetland prairies on the east and west sides of the park. Less than 2% of the wetland prairie that once covered the Willamette Valley remains.
Westmoreland Park Wetlands
Partnerships
Eugene’s parks sit within a larger context of public and nonprofit agencies, recreation providers and landowners. This web of agencies and service providers is critical to meeting the needs of the community and region.
• The City of Eugene has been a member of the Rivers to Ridges Partnership from its beginning, now 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. In March 2023, Rivers to Ridges Partnership received Lane Council of Governments’ Outstanding Intergovernmental Team award recognizing their long-range planning efforts and ongoing collaboration.
• For the last nine years, we have been selected to host a visiting group of AmeriCorps NCCC in winter or spring (sometimes both). This year, our stellar eight-person crew contributed 1,416 hours to our parks system, valued at
$47,422! They had a big hand in our ice storm recovery work, helping to haul debris, prune trees and blaze trails.
• 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.
Rotary Club of Eugene Volunteers at Skinner Butte Summit
Equity and Inclusion
NRPA Health Equity Action Plan
The City’s Parks and Open Space and Recreation divisions continue to make progress on identifying steps to improve health equity outcomes for staff and the entire community of Eugene with emphasis on underrepresented communities.
This year we’ve been working closely with the City’s Office for Equity and Community Engagement to summarize feedback received over the course of the last three years from staff and through community outreach. We have a draft action plan in review. In the meantime, we continue to integrate lessons learned and information gathered into our daily work.
For the second consecutive year, we partnered with Cultural Services to support community-driven cultural events throughout the park system. The Art in the Parks Fund awarded grants ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 to fund both small- and large-scale events selected by a public committee. In addition to the grant dollars, we waived rental fees and collaborated with event organizers to bring these community events to life. Together, Parks and Open Space and Cultural Services created inclusive spaces that celebrate the city’s vibrant cultural diversity, foster a sense of belonging where residents can connect, share, and honor their unique identities.
Art in the Parks funded events that took place between July 1, 2023 and June, 30, 2024 (FY24) included:
• Black Cultural Festival
• Oregon Asian Celebration
• Eugene Pride Festival
• Suddenly Sleepy Sleepwalk
• Into the Fey Realm Festival
• Art-For-All
• Awbrey Park Concert
• Whiteaker Community Market Cultural Celebrations
• Scobert Gardens Park Concert Series
Art in the Parks
Awbrey Park Concert
Lincoln School Park Grand Reopening
CREATING YOUR PARKS
Completed Projects
Amazon Park Sand Volleyball Courts
Renovation
At the City-owned sand volleyball courts, Parks collaborated with the Recreation division to contract for the renovation and expansion of two of the four courts. The renovation improved drainage and added new volleyball-specific sand, new poles and nets.
In 2018, Eugene voters overwhelmingly passed a five-year capital bond. In FY24, 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, 31 are complete or underway.
Projects with a blue checkmark are bond-funded.
Bond Lane Park Trail
A new 1/4-mile loop trail through the neighborhood natural area of Bond Lane Park was completed this year. This addition is not just about enhancing the scenery; it’s a testament to thoughtful design and community inclusivity. The trail was constructed with flat or very gentle grades, making it an easy walk for people of all ages. The compacted gravel base and fine gravel cap provide a smooth walking surface and make the trail more accessible for park patrons from the adjacent retirement community.
Bond Lane Park
Completed Projects
Fern Ridge Path Lighting
This project added solar powered lighting to the previously unlit section of Fern Ridge Path between City View Street and Bailey Hill Road. It also included replacement of several missing lights along the path just east of Chambers Street.
Hendricks Park Gates
In response to community feedback and increasing safety concerns, access gates were installed at either end of Fairmount Boulevard through Hendricks Park. A 2023 survey of over 300 nearby community members showed support for temporary road closures during extreme fire conditions or for maintenance, and to control illegal camping. Following consultation with the Eugene-Springfield Fire Department, the gates were installed to allow closures under these specific circumstances. This proactive measure aims to enhance safety while maintaining accessibility for park visitors.
Umso Park (Striker Field Park)
In September of 2023 more than 800 people showed up to celebrate the opening of Eugene’s newest developed park, Umso Park, formerly Striker Field Park*. The new 8-acre park includes a large playground, restroom, open playing field, walking paths, parking, picnic shelter, spray play, courts sports and an informal amphitheater for community gatherings.
*In September 2024, City Council voted unanimously in favor of renaming the park Umso Park. Umso is the Kalapuya word for “it is good.”
Umso Park
Washington Jefferson Dog Park
Since opening in March 2024, the dog park at Washington Jefferson Park has been a tail-wagging success. Located between West 5th and 6th Avenues, this 1.3-acre dog park features double entry gates, park benches, doggy bag dispensers, and garbage service. The community response has been overwhelmingly positive, with neighbors and dog owners expressing their gratitude for a dedicated space to let their pups run leash-free in the heart of the City.
Washington Jefferson Park
Projects in the Works
Amazon Park Creek Restoration
Work on the northern half of the Amazon Creek restoration project has been completed. In June 2025, construction work will resume on the south half of the project. This stream construction phase is expected to wrap up by October 2025, with landscape contractors returning to finish planting next winter. These enhancements will improve water quality, stabilize the creek banks, and create an inviting habitat for fish, birds, and other wildlife.
Delta Ponds Loop Trail
This project completes the last segment needed for a barrierfree 1 mile loop trail around Delta Ponds. In January 2024, a 100’ pedestrian bridge was installed at Delta Ponds. The bridge spans Debrick Slough and is the penultimate construction project needed for the completion of a 1.4-mile loop trail around the ponds. Construction of the boardwalk on the east side of the bridge continued through the summer and fall*.
*The loop trail construction was completed in December 2024 and a grand opening celebration will be held in the spring.
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 future of this park. Public engagement and planning continued in 2024.
Lincoln School Park
The renovation of this park began in winter 2023 and construction continued through summer 2024. New park amenities include paths, park furniture, a new playground, an adult fitness area and more. Preservation of two large Big Leaf Maples were central to the design of the project which opened to the public in September of 2024.
Lincoln School Park
Amazon Creek
Delta Ponds
Martin Luther King Jr. Park
Public engagement for this project began in May of 2022 to identify renovation goals, community art opportunities for this small, neighborhood park. Improvements will include a new and updated playground, a plaza with game tables and seating, accessibility improvements, 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 began in late 2024 and the park is expected to reopen in 2025.
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 2026.
Riverfront Park Plaza
The Riverfront Park 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. In early June 2024, crews began laying the groundwork with subgrade utilities. Since then, deck frames and tree planters have emerged as the site takes shape. The plaza is expected to open in 2025.
Santa Clara Community Park
Phase one of construction began in March of 2024 and includes a large playground, restroom, parking lot, outdoor community gathering space, picnic shelter, open lawn, multipurpose field and tree planting. A new pedestrian bridge connects the north and south sections of the park and soft-surface walking trails loop the north end of the site. A new bike/pedestrian paved path will eventually meet the West Bank bicycle path extension project connecting the neighborhood to the Ruth Bascom Bike system along the Willamette River. This phase of construction is expected to be complete with the park opening in 2025.
Martin Luther King Jr. Park
Riverfront Park Plaza
Santa Clara Community Park
Scobert Gardens Park Renovation
Park staff have been leading community conversations and a design process for the renovation of Scobert Gardens Park. Public outreach, site planning and historic site research are ongoing and construction is expected in 2026.
Suzanne Arlie Park
Phase one of park development is underway and will include a two-mile extension of the Ridgeline shared-use trail, new mountain bike-optimized trails and a mountain bike skills park. Significant progress has been made on pre-construction tasks, including securing permits, finalizing construction plans and obtaining state and federal approvals. Construction is scheduled to start in early 2025.
Trainsong Park Remediation
In FY24 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identified $1.526 million in Brownfield Cleanup Grant funding for the City of Eugene to remediate dioxin-contaminated soils in Trainsong Park. Since this unexpected discovery more than two years ago, portions of the park have been closed to public use. These grant funds will replace much of the soil in the park so families and visitors can again safely enjoy use of the full park. Formal government agreements must be finalized before funding is awarded and work is estimated to begin in 2025.
University Park Renovation
This 2.81-acre park is often busy with activity and includes a ball field, shelter, restroom and performance space. In fall 2023, staff wrapped up the public engagement process and initial renovation design work. The design was refined to a higher level of detail through 2024. Park construction is anticipated to start in 2025 with the park reopening in 2026.
Looking ahead:
• Ridgeline Trailhead Parking Expansion
• South Eugene Meadows Trail
Suzanne Arlie Park
Trainsong Park
CARING FOR YOUR PARKS, NATURAL AREAS AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
Park Maintenance
Our 47 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.
10,060 route checks in developed parks (bathroom, sanitation, trash removal and safety checks)
2,047 custodial visits to high-use natural areas and trailheads
756 times turf was mowed
936 playground inspections
5,200 feet of gravel and bark trails resurfaced
228 irrigation site inspections and repairs
1,324 plants watered during establishment cycle
290 instances of tree pruning and landscape maintenance
Ridgeline Trail System
Green Infrastructure Maintenance
Our 22 full-time and up to ten seasonal staff maintain green infrastructure while providing multiple environmental benefits, including stormwater treatment, flood mitigation, improved air quality, energy savings, traffic calming, temperature reduction and climate resiliency. Managing the urban forest through proactive pruning, hazard mitigation, and tree planting along 563 miles of right-of-way contributes to a connected network of green space and quality of life for all Eugeneans. Stormwater and median maintenance efforts focus on mowing grass, removing invasive weeds and debris, repairing and enhancing treatment facilities, and ensuring visual clearance on transportation corridors.
3,268
street trees pruned
335
street trees removed
1,485
street trees watered during establishment cycle
9.5
cubic yards of sediment removed from rain gardens
23
rain garden sites rehabilitated
1,449
Urban Forestry requests for service
615
street trees planted
Ice Storm Recovery
The January 2024 ice storm left a significant impact on Eugene’s parks and trails, particularly in the Ridgeline Trail System. Fallen trees, debris and damaged infrastructure created daunting challenges, but thanks to the tireless efforts of park staff, contractors and volunteers, we were able to reopen closed parks and trails in record time.
Local groups such as the Obsidians, Scorpions Trail Crew and Disciples of Dirt dedicated countless hours to clearing trails, removing large obstructions and restoring access to these cherished natural areas. AmeriCorps NCCC members also played a crucial role, walking over 50 miles in just one week
385 stormwater work orders completed
301 median work orders completed
2,300 new plants in rain gardens and medians
to haul debris, prune trees and blaze trails in some of the most affected areas.
Through the combined efforts of Parks and Open Space and Public Works Maintenance and the support of City contractors, we addressed storm damage throughout Eugene, completing 2,140 work orders. Our efforts included clearing debris from 1,214 locations, pruning 730 trees and removing 149 hazardous or severely damaged trees.
In the Ridgeline Trail System alone, crews tackled extensive damage, repairing trail beds, removing root wads and creating a temporary bridge to reopen access.
A Year in the Life of the Mowing Tractors
With just two mowing tractors, our program manages to mow over 600 acres of park land, road and path margins up to three times per year.
The journey begins each spring, carefully navigating roads and paths to clear overgrown vegetation for improved sightlines and transportation safety. As summer heats up, the tractors shift gears to mow undeveloped park sites, carving out trails and recreational access while taming invasive weeds in highquality natural prairies. By fall, the two tractors help tackle a
critical role: creating fire breaks to mitigate risk of wildfire and support ecological burns.
In 2025, we are adding a third mowing tractor to the fleet to expand efforts in neighborhood natural areas and undeveloped park sites.
Mowing Tractor
Park Safety
Park Safety Team
The 2023 Parks and Recreation Levy funded park safety team is made up of two Eugene Police park resource officers, four full-time park ambassadors, an illicit activity cleanup team and seasonal staff. They are focused year-round on keeping Eugene’s parks, natural areas and waterways safe, clean and welcoming.
Park ambassadors provide a welcoming presence in parks and remind people of park rules such as keeping dogs on leash, no smoking and no structures. The illicit activity team is focused on cleaning up debris associated with abandoned structures, overnight camping and dumping, and has a particular focus on keeping Eugene’s waterways clean and safe.
In FY24, park staff posted 1,295 structures, removed 799 instances of graffiti and cleaned up 3,391 yards of garbage.
In addition to patrolling parks and addressing park rule violations, the park resource officers provide support to park staff if they are unable to gain voluntary compliance and respond to instances requiring a higher level of enforcement response.
Addressing Challenges Along the Amazon and Fern Ridge Paths
The Park Safety Team has been tackling significant challenges along the Amazon Corridor and Fern Ridge Path, including illicit activity, graffiti and garbage cleanup. With a complex mix of public and private land ownership, staff focus on park maintained areas.
Between April and June, three full-time staff worked five days a week cleaning the Amazon Corridor, filling three to five truck beds of garbage daily, with additional coverage on weekends. The Fern Ridge Path, primarily east of Danebo, suffers from high level of graffiti and to better manage the area, a monthly proactive graffiti route has been added to Meadowlark Prairie.
Park Ambassador
New Nighttime Park Security Presence
In the spring, Parks expanded its levy-funded nighttime private security presence from the Downtown Riverfront Park to include several other parks including Washington Jefferson, Maurie Jacobs, Monroe and Scobert Gardens. This work entails reminding people that parks are closed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., addressing emerging safety issues and letting Parks staff know about vandalism or other park damage.
Natural Areas Park Servicing
The Natural Area Operations team provides litter and trash service at dozens of high use trailheads, mixed use transportation corridors and future developed parks sites several times a week. In FY24, we totaled 2,047 visits to our high-use natural area parks and trailheads.
Employee Spotlight
Marlon Troubnikoff’s position as the Ridgeline Lead for the Parks and Open Space Division is dynamic. Throughout the course of the year, hikers may see Marlon and his team involved in trail repair, building stairs and other features, and repairing storm damage on over 20 miles of trails.
Before joining Parks and Open Space, Marlon built an impressive resume while working on trail crews at Joshaua Tree National Park, Crater Lake National Park and Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments.
The motivating factor for the Ridgeline Trails Team is providing quality trail access for the community and seeing the positive impacts of their work.
Marlon Troubnikoff
Operations and Maintenance
Levy Progress
Park Safety
Two year-round Eugene Police park resource officers patrolling parks
Overnight security presence
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
Trail Resurfacing
The Natural Area Operations team oversaw the resurfacing of 5,200 lineal feet of gravel surface trail at Spencer Butte Park, Delta Ponds and the Ribbon Trail. This work, funded by the 2023 Parks and Recreation Levy, continues to keep our wellused, well-loved trail system in tip top shape.
Amazon Headwaters
CREATING A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT
Trees
615
street trees planted (316 by Urban Forestry, 299 by Friends of Trees)
3,268
street trees proactively pruned to extend lifecycle
75 New Trees Planted Downtown
318 trees planted in parks
185 trees planted along waterways
In April 2024, Mayor Lucy Vinis joined City of Eugene staff in an Arbor Day celebration that served as a kick-off for a planting initiative that added 75 new trees to downtown Eugene.
The tree planting project was a collaboration between our Urban Forestry program and the Planning and Development Department’s Prosperity Team.
Eugene has earned the Tree City USA status for the last 45 consecutive years, but staff and community members have noted that the urban canopy downtown is a little patchy. With this collaborative effort, the City of Eugene brought a needed boost of greenery, investing in a safe and vibrant downtown core that reflects the spirit and values of our community.
Using Urban Renewal funding, 1,000 square feet of concrete has been removed within the downtown district to make room for trees. By removing sections of concrete, existing tree planting locations were improved, new planting sites were added, and trip hazards due to broken concrete were removed.
City staff and community volunteers planted 45 new trees in those new and improved planting sites. Urban Forestry planted an additional 30 trees for a total of 75 across the wider downtown area.
Mayor Lucy Vinis and Parks Staff Heidi Lakics
Seed collection at Mattie Reynolds Park
Planting a New Generation of Oaks at Gillespie Butte and Skinner Butte Parks
After the partial loss of the iconic large white oak on the summit of Gillespie Butte during the ice storm, our staff and volunteers planted the next generation of oaks.
Eighteen seedling white oaks, nurtured from acorns staff collected five years ago, were planted at the summit.
The group also weeded and mulched dozens of tiny oak trees
that seeded themselves under the canopy of the majestic old oaks there. Staff have been protecting these trees with stakes for the last two years and most have survived with no additional care.
Volunteers added some additional oak seedlings at Skinner Butte also grown from acorns collected five years ago at that summit.
Gillespie Butte
Northwest Youth Corps Boosts our Urban Forest
The Northwest Youth Corps is investing $4 million from the USDA Forest Service to help Eugene become more climate resilient while engaging teens and young adults in urban forestry stewardship.
Participants in the grant program got hands-on experience in tree care, pruning, planting and urban forestry maintenance. Projects included:
• Planting trees in riparian and natural areas
• Invasive species removal to help native and ornamental plants thrive
• Tree care (placing water bags, weeding, mulching, and staking)
• Planting native shrubs and forbs in bioswales and rain gardens
They learned teamwork, safety practices and environmental stewardship - building skills that prepare them for future careers. In fact, three participants continued furthering their workforce readiness on the City’s 2024 seasonal street tree watering crew. The USDA grant will fund the program for the next five years.
Habitat Snags are a Unique Strategy to Extend Environmental Value of Trees
As significant street trees reach the end of their lifespan and pose a risk to the community, Urban Forestry must assess and determine the best solution. Occasionally, we are able to retain the main stem as a snag to provide food and habitat for cavity-dwelling wildlife. This was the case with a 7.5’ diameter giant sequoia in the south hills last fall. Arborists spent a week removing the hazardous parts of the tree, filled five trucks with chips, and two 10-yard dump trucks with large wood. The remaining habitat snag will provide a home for all manner of animals for decades to come.
20’ habitat snag in South Hills
Waterways
Conveyance Pruning
The waterways team completed over 12 miles of conveyance pruning in our open waterways. This task, nicknamed “greenpiping,” seeks to balance the needs of stormwater conveyance with water quality and habitat goals.
Amazon Creek Restoration
The City of Eugene is embarking on the next phase of the Amazon Creek restoration project, removing the 65-year-old concrete channel that runs along Amazon Parkway through Amazon Park, from East 24th Avenue to East 20th Avenue. The deteriorating concrete, with portions already coming loose, has started to erode the creek banks, threatening water flow— particularly during storm events.
In its place, the original natural slope of the creek will be restored and replanted with native species, creating a healthier, more resilient waterway. Gently sloped banks, low-flow channels, and native plantings will improve water quality, stabilize the creek, and provide a thriving habitat for fish, birds, and other wildlife. The footbridge south of 20th Avenue will also be reconstructed as part of the project.
Restoration work on the northern half of the creek has already been completed with construction for the southern half of the project expected to wrap up in winter 2025. Once finished, the restored Amazon Creek will offer a revitalized natural space, improving water quality, supporting native species, and enhancing the park experience for all who visit.
38 Eugene Parks and Open Space
Greenpiping
Discover the Magic of Clean Water at Skinner Butte’s New Rain Garden
A new rain garden was installed this year next to the RiverPlay playground intended to treat pollutants running off the Skinner Butte Park parking lot before reaching the nearby Willamette River. The Stormwater and Median Maintenance Team took the opportunity at this site to engage children and families in the urban water cycle and highlight some reasons why clean water matters to people and wildlife alike.
An interactive, playful educational sign was designed that includes interesting facts for young people to learn about.
For example, did you know that the Willamette River runs north, unlike most waterways? Or that several communities downstream get their drinking water directly from the Willamette? They’ll also be challenged to spot the beneficial plants in the rain garden - chosen for their magical abilities to filter out toxins - and discover things they can do to become a clean water hero.
Learn more at happyrivers.org
Skinner Butte Park
Natural Areas
Goats and Sheep Assist with Vegetation Management
In early 2024, we opened up a portion of a natural area for a research project conducted by Long Tom Watershed Council (LTWC).
LTWC received grant funding from the Natural Resource Conservation Service to test the effects of grazing on invasive and native plant cover, logistics of implementation and costs to landowners.
Grazing raises some concerns around potential impacts to desired plants, soil erosion, management and protection of the grazers, and long-term effectiveness. During the initial six-week period, they were seen eating poison oak, Doug-fir saplings, blackberries, hawthorn, nonnative grasses and downed vegetation from storm damage.
Biologists will evaluate the effects and feasibility of applying this in other places. They will be looking at questions of expense, scalability, and species and habitat impacts (both good and not-so-good).
Upgrades at the Native Plant Nursery
December 2023 marked a month of major upgrades for the raised beds at the Alton Baker Native Plant Nursery.
A total of 37 new beds were constructed with an ecofriendly and durable wood/concrete composite material by Shelterworks in Philomath. These beds are designed to last 30 years and are ADA accessible.
Additionally, the new drip irrigation will provide better coverage with less pressure and water usage than the old system. Metal meshing at the bottom, layered over gravel, will safeguard against pesky rodents.
Staff and volunteers helped to transplant native, seedproducing plants from old beds to new ones as they were built.
Grazing Goat
Parks Expands Wildfire Prevention Efforts with $157,400 in Funding
We received an award of $157,400 from the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Community Wildfire Assistance Program for fuels reduction projects and wildfire preparedness outreach.
Since 2015, BLM has awarded us nearly $1 million in grant assistance. This grant money has supported fuels reduction projects on 1,250 acres in 20 Ridgeline and neighborhood natural area parks.
Projects remove dense and overgrown vegetation on parkland near residential development, businesses, schools and critical infrastructure.
Fuels reduction improves public safety and decreases risks to property, biodiversity and natural resources while also improving safety and ability of wildland firefighters to respond to a fire.
To date, fuels reduction projects have been focused in the densely wooded, large natural area parks of south Eugene’s Ridgeline Park System, and forested neighborhood natural areas including Skinner Butte and Morse Family Farm. With this recent award that work will continue, and staff will also expand the program’s reach to natural areas in west and north Eugene.
Skinner Butte Park
Eugene Parks and Open Space
Before renovation
After renovation
Collaborative Prescribed Fire Efforts are a Success
The City of Eugene and several partners put good fire on the landscape in the South Willamette Valley throughout fall 2023.
In total, Rivers to Ridges partners burned 489 acres across 32 units. The partnership has been collaborating on prescribed fire since 1986.
In recent years partners have been expanding efforts to engage tribal knowledge and cultural practices on the land. Prescribed fire has been used since time immemorial to promote healthy wet and upland prairie habitats, woodlands and forests. Several
now rare plant species require regular fire disturbance to thrive. Prescribed fire can also be used in a comprehensive approach to wildfire risk reduction.
Participating partners included: City of Eugene, Bureau of Land Management, Lane County Government, The Nature Conservancy, Friends of Buford Park and Mt. Pisgah, US Army Corps of Engineers, McKenzie River Trust, Willamalane Park and Recreation District, Ecostudies Institute, Long Tom Watershed Council, Lane Regional Air Protection Agency and local tribes.
Prescribed fire in West Eugene
Restored Wetland Prairies are Home to Rare Species
Wetland prairies restored and maintained by the City of Eugene and partners are helping rare species thrive.
In 2024, staff counted 35 Great Copper butterflies (Lycaena dione) at the City’s Dragonfly Bend wetland restoration. This site was a prior wetland converted to agricultural uses for more than 60 years, which the City restored (from ryegrass production) starting in 2004. Twenty years later it’s a thriving wetland prairie, home to species in decline due to loss of their Willamette Valley wet prairie habitat, such as the Great Copper
butterfly and our Oregon state bird, the Western Meadowlark.
Parks staff also surveyed restorations at the Meadowlark Prairie natural area, jointly managed by the City of Eugene and the Bureau of Land Management, and were excited to find that a small state-listed plant, Willamette navarretia, is growing in more than 12 pools in an area restored about 20 years ago. Willamette navarretia is a vernal pool species found only in the Willamette Valley. It was introduced as seed during the original restoration.
Great Copper butterfly
Westmoreland park pickleball courts
eugene-or.gov/parks