The name speaks for itself — Sitka Spruce Park on Amaknak Island has dozens of spruce trees Regional lands are known for their tundra valleys filled with grasses But that changed in Unalaska during the 1800s when Russian colonizers planted many Sitka spruce trees on the island cultural anthropologist with the National Park Service said that the spruce tree plot became North America’s first afforestation project introducing trees to an area that didn’t have them before “The Russians needed a lot of trees for boats and then also to burn for wood,” Mason said they liked to bring the environment that they needed with them.” the Russians transplanted Sitka spruce trees from Southeast Alaska because of their hardiness and ability to withstand challenging conditions It’s hard to grow trees in the Aleutians because of regular strong winds but Mason said the Russians didn’t know how to live without wood I think is the best estimate of when they were planted,” Mason said “The idea of becoming self-sustaining was that they would have the trees right there.” For thousands of years before Russian arrival the Unanagax̂ people lived in the Aleutians without trees Mason said the land was like bread and butter to them; they relied on marine resources for nearly all aspects of their lives “The Unanagax̂ did not use much wood at all before the Russians came there,” said Mason although they might use driftwood in building the semi-subterranean houses Sitka Spruce Park is managed by the City of Unalaska’s Department of Parks The trees surround the park’s pirate-themed playground and small field Department officials said the original spruce trees from the 1800s are all gone but their offspring are standing high today The other spruce trees dotted around Amaknak and Unalaska islands likely came from the original tree’s seedlings Copyright 2025 • The Bristol Bay Times is a publication of Anchorage Daily News its design and contents are © 2025 and may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher and owner including duplication on not-for-profit websites Anchorage Daily News may not own copyright to portions of articles published; those sections are reproduced here with permission and Anchorage Daily News makes no provisions for further distribution The Bristol Bay Times - Serving Dillingham King Salmon and Southwest villages - A publication of Anchorage Daily News Louis nonprofit that provides nature-based education to city kids is losing almost a half-million dollars in federal funds The organization, Gateway to the Great Outdoors was awarded more than $490,000 in grants from AmeriCorps that are getting cut The largest grant totaled more than $430,000 and went into effect in September the organization received an email from AmeriCorps saying the grants were being terminated because “the award no longer effectuates agency priorities.” The letter said this was a final decision and could not be appealed Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency ordered AmeriCorps to cut almost $400 million in grants, affecting programs across the country, according to the Washington Post AmeriCorps did not immediately respond to a request for comment Gateway to the Great Outdoors had hired additional staff to expand its programming with the promised funds Nadav Sprague started the work that would become Gateway to the Great Outdoors in 2015 as a partner with Lift for Life Academy students would be taught “these fun environmental science lessons really taking what they're learning in their textbooks and bringing it to life,” Sprague said of the early days of the program he learned nature was often unavailable for city students and wanted to change that the organization became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Now, the program offers environmental education in classrooms and brings low-income, urban youth into nature on field trips the Ferguson-Florissant School District and Chicago Public Schools Louis Public Schools named the organization its community partner of the year “It's not a controversial thing,” Sprague said interactive outdoor science education to students in city public schools and that's what we want to continue doing.” “We found great benefits of nature-based education particularly for these students,” Ekenga said “We've seen improvements in academic performance We've seen improvements in mental health and emotional well-being they promote social skills and collaboration.” Louis students involved in the program were experiencing nature for the first time “We found that 50% of the students had never visited a zoo prior to the program 20% of them had never been to an outdoor park 45% of them had never visited a garden,” Ekenga said Sprague also said many of their trips are the first time city kids are seeing things like lakes and woods or sleeping away from home on camping trips “I remember having this really deep conversation with one of the students ‘GGO is the only time that I feel like I have my childhood,’” Sprague said Ekenga said she doesn’t know why the program would be targeted for a cut “I am having a little bit of trouble understanding the politics of providing additional educational experiences to children,” Ekenga said This is a program that is shown to be a benefit to the children.” One of the grants is structured as a reimbursement so Sprague said if the federal government does not honor that commitment the organization will lose close to $70,000 Sprague was looking forward to expanding the program to reach more classrooms he said the organization is focused on surviving but we're really going to need our community's help.” This story has been updated to include that Christine Ekenga is on the board of directors The Library is proud to participate in this annual celebration of jobs On Monday, May 5, from 10 a.m. - noon, CHPL is joining the celebration by hosting a Training Fair for anyone interested in switching careers or learning a trade will feature the following employers and organizations:  This event is made possible through a partnership with OhioMeansJobs Cincinnati-Hamilton County and staff are available year-round to guide you through your job search And the Library’s caring staff can’t be beat “A customer has been visiting the Covedale Branch to work on getting his GED and more One of the first steps was getting his driver's license and starting a new job,” said Covedale Branch Manager Seth Longland “He came back into the Library about a week later,” Seth continued “He walked down the stairs beaming and said ‘I have a surprise to show you!’ He pulled out his successfully completed driver's license test and was praised by staff He then mentioned how he was starting his new job the following week!”  Check out these free resources for job hunters at the Library:  Check out In Demand Jobs Week events across the state on Ohio’s interactive event map BiblioWeb: webapp01 Version 4.26.1 Last updated 2025/04/27 07:55 A search is underway for a missing 15-year-old who was last seen Monday evening in Forest Park The Forest Park police Department says Grace Langkeit-Hammon was last seen at around 8:30 p.m Langkeit-Hammon is a frequent runaway but has not been missing this long Langkeit-Hammon has been without her medication since leaving her home you are asked to contact your local law enforcement or the Forest Park Police Department at (405) 424-1212 Christian Hans is a Digital Content Producer for News 9 He joined News 9 full-time in July of 2022 after graduating from the University of Oklahoma and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox RAPID RIVER — Four Forest Park athletes won individual events and the Norway boys captured the 400- and 800-meter relays to lead local competitors at the rainy Rapid River Invitational on Thursday Cole Davy and Mason Trudeau won both the 400 relay (49.87) and the 800 relay (1:42.27) to pace local finishers The Trojan boys posted three wins and the Lady Trojans added another senior Kevin Giuliani won the discus (124 feet sophomore Vic Giuliani won the high jump (6 feet) and sophomore Dietrich Rasner captured the 300-meter hurdles (48.15) Rasner added a second in the 110 hurdles (18.47) while Kevin Giuliani finished runner-up in the shot put (39-3) and Izaiah Tarter placed second in the 3,200 (11:49.65) The Trojans also received second-place points from their 1,600 relay team of Rasner Joey Mainville and Max Mainville (3:56.83) Anthony Pineda brought home thirds in the 200 (25.21) and the 400 (58.8) while Trudeau added a third in the long jump (17-2) Miles Lindholm (19.39 in the 110 hurdles) led the North Dickinson boys with a fourth-place finish North Central senior Lane Gorzinski paced the Jets with a fourth in the 100 (12.52) Newberry won the team boys title with 89 points The host Rockets finished second with 79 and Forest Park took third with 75 North Dickinson tied for ninth with seven and North Central finished 11th with six points Forest Park junior Elsie Williams captured the long jump in 13-10 to lead local girls Forest Park’s Ava Fischer finished second in the 100 hurdles (18.27) while North Dickinson’s Aubrey Applekamp placed second in the high jump (4-10) The Nordics recorded four third-place results — Aunika Lindholm in the 1,600 (6:14.58) and the 3,200 (14:24.74); Aly Steinbrecher (2:48.38) in the 800; and the 3,200 relay team of Steinbrecher Taylor Dennocenzo and Raina Ledzian (11:49.22) Norway registered individual third-place finishes by Abby Richter in the 200 and Lauren Adams (1:06.99) in the 400 Mary Cavagnetto and Jessa Rossler also placed third (58.64) Forest Park’s Lily Sarder finished third with a 13-5 in the long jump Natalie Willa led North Central with a fifth-place finish with a 22-5 in the shot put in front of Stephenson with 72 and Munising with 52 the Knights wound up ninth with 24 and the Jets placed 13th with two points Copyright © 2025 Ogden News Publishing of Michigan | https://www.ironmountaindailynews.com | 215 E 2025 at 6:13 am PDTA controversial proposal by Portland General Electric to cut down nearly 5 acres of trees in Forest Park will go before the Portland City Council at 2 pm Thursday as residents and environmental advocates prepare to protest outside City Hall The project would remove approximately 376 trees—some decades or even centuries old critics say—to make way for a transmission line PGE says is necessary to meet growing energy demands The plan has drawn criticism from conservation groups and members of the public who say the environmental cost is too high An earlier review by city permitting staff recommended denying the project’s environmental review including areas known to support at-risk species like the northern red-legged frog and Roosevelt elk the project was approved by hearings officer Marisha Childs who dismissed the environmental concerns of staff at Portland’s Permitting and Development Office the Forest Park Conservancy appealed that decision to the City Council It will be one of the first major policy decisions weighed by the new 12-member body “This is a great step backwards in our city’s efforts to promote climate resilience and proper use of our critical greenspaces,” Scott Fogarty executive director of the Forest Park Conservancy “We plan on working with other organizations and local community partners to continue to push back on PGE’s efforts.” Protesters are expected to gather outside City Hall around noon ahead of the hearing calling on the city to reject the plan and demanding greater oversight over development in Portland’s largest natural area says there is some misinformation and misconceptions about the proposed land use action “This is not an old-growth forest,” Platt says This is something we have looked a great deal into and hired board-certified arborists to go and look through over 700 trees This allows us to protect the maximum number of trees and to remove the minimum number for safety’s sake.” Platt says there were “no other feasible projects” that would meet the energy needs and expectations that have changed greatly over the years “Our needs have changed and so has the climate,” Platt says “We have to plan to meet the extreme needs there is more demand than our system can deliver.” Platt says that while PGE looked into alternative paths for the transmission line the utility ruled those out because they’d impact private property and could expose PGE to legal battles Platt says PGE plans to plant over 400 Oregon white oak as well as 500 smaller trees and shrubs and some 8,800 native plants in order to protect the biodiversity of Forest Park The public may testify at the hearing in person or submit written comments through the City Council’s website Correction: This story initially misstated the day of the week when the hearing will occur Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today. Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today. FELCH TOWNSHIP — Both the Forest Park boys and girls track teams earned team championships in the North Dickinson Booster Club Invitational Wednesday in Felch Township The Trojan boys won six events and totaled 122 points on the day while Florence-Niagara finished third with 99 Wilson Hannahville-Nah Tah Wahsh (15) and Republic-Michigamme (6) rounded out the field The Lady Trojans posted three victories and eight runner-up finishes to record 131.75 points Bark River-Harris was next up with 112.75 and the host Nordics took third at 96.75 Wilson Hannahville-Nah Tah Wahsh (3) filled out the field sophomore Vic Giuliani paced the Trojans by winning two events Izaiah Tarter was victorious in the 3,200 (11 minutes Gabe Quevedo topped the field in the pole vault (9-6) and the 3,200-relay team of Tarter William Hoffman and Max Mainville (9:29.44) posted a victory as well Both Florence-Niagara and North Central recorded two event wins Truth Settner won the 400 (55.96) and Christian Anderson crossed first in the 800 (2:12.20) Lane Gorzinski (25.29 in the 200) and Spencer Willa (39-5.5 in the shot put) scored wins for the Jets Florence-Niagara won the 800 relay (Luke Deterville Cameron Schiefelbein and Ely Marefke in 1:46.43)) and the 1,600 relay (Anderson Trenton Kramer topped the Nordic boys with runner-up finishes in the high jump and the long jump while Miles Lindholm took second in the 110 hurdles FP junior Elsie Williams led her team with victories in the 200 (28.7) and the long jump (14-8) while Vienna Price added a win in the 1,600 (6:12.19) Forest Park’s depth proved to be the key Junior Ava Fischer registered three individual runner-up finishes (both hurdles Price (800) and Lily Sarder (long jump) placed second as well The Lady Trojans also received second-place results from their 800-relay team (Sarder Audrey Williams) and their 3,200 relay team of Lily Curnow Florence-Niagara senior Kamdan Johnson brought home victories in the 100 hurdles (16.2) and the 300 hurdles (49.53) North Dickinson received wins from Aunika Lindholm (13:37.4 in the 3,200) and Aubrey Applekamp (5-0 in the high jump) The Nordics also posted a triumph in the 3,200 relay (11:26.4) with team members Lindholm Natalie Willa (29-11.75 in the shot put) and Mayce Murray (4-2 in the high jump) topped the North Central girls The Official Guide to Portland With 70 miles (113 km) of trails, aptly named Forest Park is a popular escape for runners equestrians and hikers alike — leashed dogs are even allowed to enjoy its splendor this 8-mile-long (13 km) conservancy covers 5,156 acres (2,086 ha) supporting more than 112 bird and 62 mammal species and acting as a natural air purifier The pathway can be accessed just northwest of the Washington Park MAX station and offers endless loop options with shorter paths so you don’t have to commit to the whole thing The park can also be accessed from several points in the Northwest Portland neighborhood; an entrance up Northwest Thurman Street leads to Leif Erikson Drive a favorite road for exploring the park’s wooded hills with its free interpretive center and wildlife rehabilitation facility housing owls For the final leg, continue across Northwest Cornell Road and stay on the Wildwood Trail, which snakes upward on a .5-mile (.8 km) climb through a quiet canopy of towering firs to reach Pittock Mansion Set nearly 1,000 feet (304 m) above the city the 100-year-old home of 10th-century newspaper tycoon Henry Pittock features immaculate gardens and sweeping downtown views — a fitting reward for an afternoon on the trail More about Forest Park Map of Forest Park the Pittock Mansion offers picture-perfect views of the city and interesting insights into Portland’s history Discover outdoor fun for the whole family — plus thousands of blooms — at Oregon’s oldest public rose garden Just north of Portland’s Belmont neighborhood sits Laurelhurst Park one of the city’s most scenic escapes with over 300 trees a duck pond and an array of free public events visitorinfo@travelportland.com1-888-503-3291 (toll free)503-427-1372Monday–Sunday 1132 SW Harvey Milk St #104,Portland, OR 97205 Get the guide Local BusinessesMediaMeeting PlannersTravel Industry ProfessionalsEvent Organizers We are a promoter and steward of this evolving city and its progressive values which have the power to transform the travelers who visit us Police know few details about the shooting on Sunday except that a ‘verbal altercation’ had taken place Two people were killed and at least two others wounded at a large gathering of motorcycle riders just south of Atlanta The shooting happened around 5pm on Sunday in Forest Park Numerous motorcyclists were speeding away when officers arrived and police had to navigate a “large and chaotic crowd” of 100 to 150 people to reach the victims The two people wounded were hospitalized on Monday in critical condition “We do know that there was a verbal altercation and that’s all I can speak of as it relates to what transpired during the altercation,” Criss said Police are “very close on bringing those that are responsible for this crime to justice” One of the men who died was from Philadelphia Few other details about the victims were immediately released Criss said the gathering involved motorcycle clubs 919-996-5800 Joel Bateman Park Managerjoel.bateman@raleighnc.gov Get DirectionsKnow Before You Go For more information about access at the park please call the 919-996-5800 The Welcome Center at Forest Ridge has a selection of loaner equipment available for use! All loaner equipment is available on a first-come, first-served basis. A RecLink account is required to check out items. Learn how to create an account online. Learn more about the explorer backpack program. Fishing is allowed during park hours. Check out our loaner fishing equipment free of charge. A RecLink account is required to check out items. Learn how to create an account online. Plan for your trip; bank fishing areas are subject to environmental conditions and bait is not available at the park office Call the park office for up-to-date conditions at 919-996-5800 our playgrounds feature adventure elements for ages 5–12 Multi-element design engages both younger and older children View other playground locations. It was installed in the winter of 2017 and has undergone numerous transformations to address stormwater issues and to provide more sustainable habitats and food for wildlife  There is an emphasis on establishing NC native plants plants that can withstand deer browsing and maintenance that supports a variety of food sources and habitat year-round  Contact the Forest Ridge Park office to learn more about our maintenance strategies or how you can incorporate wildlife-positive landscapes in your own yard Learn more about the volunteer program Both paved and unpaved trails are available Single-track trails may close because of adverse weather and environmental conditions Please view the trail status or contact the park office for trail conditions View other trail opportunities with the City of Raleigh Our seasonal disc golf course is currently closed Disc Golf Course Map Enjoy the seasonal 18-hole disc golf course during regular park hours from Oct The first tee box is located just south of the main parking lot Please follow all course guidelines to ensure the enjoyment and sustainability of the course Loaner discs are available at the park office Why does the course close seasonally? Closing the course allows time for the trees and plants to repair and grow without sustaining impacts from discs and foot traffic This practice helps maintain a healthy and sustainable course and ecosystem Thank you for assisting us in keeping this course sustainable Request your rental online using RecLink Take note: Requests will be subject to staff approval payment will be required to confirm the reservation Your reservation is not finalized until you receive confirmation of your payment Park gates will close promptly at the closing time listed below. Please plan your visit accordingly This feedback widget is not intended for customer service issues This feedback is reviewed monthly to help us improve our site. For immediate customer service please refer to our staff directory. 2025 2:48 p.m.The ongoing fight over a proposed upgrade to the electrical grid in Northwest Portland’s Forest Park has entered another round Portland General Electric’s Harborton Reliability Project could remove about 400 mature trees to upgrade one transmission line and build a stretch of new line That work would happen on 5 acres of parkland in an area that’s had some transmission lines since before the park was founded Portland General Electric plans to install and upgrade transmission lines in Portland's Forest Park marked here as the blue and orange dotted lines The project entails removing about 400 trees between these two lines Image courtesy of Portland General Electric PGE officials say it’s necessary to meet the region’s growing demand for electricity – a demand that’s driven by clean energy projects and other efforts to address climate change Conservationists and the local neighborhood group say it will damage one of Portland’s most important ecological assets city permitting staff first recommended against the project in January and then a city hearings officer determined earlier this month that it should be allowed to proceed Now the Forest Park Neighborhood Association and the Forest Park Conservancy have appealed that decision to Portland City Council A senior project manager from Portland General Electric and the executive director of the Forest Park Conservancy separately spoke to OPB’s “Think Out Loud” to make the case for each side Here are highlights from those conversations Much of the region’s transmission infrastructure was built in the 1960s and ‘70s including existing PGE-owned lines in Forest Park Bonneville Power Administration transmission lines in the same area of the park date to the 1940s Portland General Electric's transmission corridor on the northern edge of Forest Park The utility's plan to remove roughly 400 trees from the park to make way for new power lines has drawn backlash from neighborhood and conservation groups Data centers – which opponents to PGE’s plans say are the company’s main reason for seeking to expand the grid through Forest Park – are one force driving up use of the grid cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence – has spurred steady growth of these operations which includes a move away from natural gas appliances toward electric stoves and water heaters as well as an increase in new wind and solar farms PGE determined transmission through Forest Park had become a bottleneck for the region and needed to be upgraded The company looked at digging to lay underground lines - and determined that it would be too disruptive to tree roots and subterranean water flow PGE then considered reconfiguring the grid “The project’s necessary to make sure we can continue reliably serving electric loads in the city of Portland into the future,” Franks said there’s the risk of outages when we are trying to serve peak load in increasingly extreme weather.” Forest Park is one of the largest urban forests in the United States home to more than 100 bird species and more than 50 mammal species It’s used by thousands of people every year and is beloved by many Portlanders and visitors to the city Some opponents of PGE’s Harborton Reliability Project say they’re worried both about the environmental consequences of the proposed work and the precedent of allowing that work “It will remove 5 acres of trees that are 100-plus years old it will fill into wetlands that have species that are on the decline for future expansion by PGE,” said Scott Fogarty has pledged to mitigate the environmental damage the Harborton project might cause by planting 400 Oregon white oaks But Fogarty pushed back against those promises and against the argument that a 5 acre project in a 5,200 acre park is small given the forest’s size we’re talking about an era where climate resilience is on the mind of all Portlanders quite frankly of all the countries in the world,” he said “You can’t replace a 150-year-old tree with a 10-year-old tree and expect the same value to come out of that.” Fogarty said opponents to the Harborton project are also concerned about what PGE might do next Future phases of the project could involve another 15 acres of the park to provide electricity to data centers in Hillsboro “Those phases are separate projects” from what’s presently in the works The company has identified a need and is working through its options But he was not able to say when PGE might proceed with more work in Forest Park “They are very early in planning stages and so those time frames are well out into the future,” he said That vagueness has worried conservationists and bolstered opposition to the current effort “We’ve reached out to PGE many times to see what their future plans are and we haven’t really gotten a response,” said Fogarty with the Forest Park Conservancy Tags: Science & Environment, Electricity, Portland, Forest, Parks Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now Courtney Sherwood is editor of OPB's climate and environment reporting team. She began contributing to OPB special projects, filling in as a radio editor, and contributing to the digital team starting in 2012, and served as managing editor for digital content from 2022 through January 2024. Courtney spent a number of years specializing in data journalism, with a focus on business, banking and health care reporting. Her byline has appeared on the front page of the New York Times, as well as on stories for Reuters, Vice, Science magazine, the Seattle Times, the Chicago Tribune and the Portland Business Journal. She previously served as the business and features editor for The Columbian and editor-in-chief for The Lund Report. She is a past recipient of a Wharton Business Journalists Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, and is a graduate of Grinnell College. News “They are separate projects (one just about complete, the other just about to launch) but together will make the eastern end of Forest Park another of the park’s wonders,” says Dominik Jansky, Forest Park Forever’s director of communications and marketing. Subscribe to the St. Louis Daily newsletter for a smart, succinct guide to local news from award-winning journalists Sarah Fenske and Ryan Krull. With an invitation to “experience Forest Park like never before,” the Glade is described as a sustainable, community-led project to restore Steinberg Rink and transform its 22.5-acre surroundings into an all-seasons destination, rather the winter-centric one it’s been since 1957. Jansky describes it as a complex construction plan with several phases, including a new building, the renovated rink, hillside, water feature, restaurant, and more. The Glade will stretch from Kingshighway to the Taylor Kindle River and from Klein Prairie to Jefferson Lake. Much of the project was influenced by public engagement, which yielded such requests as keeping the rink’s large size, upgrading the facilities, offering more dining options and programming, and providing more warming areas.  Work will begin at the Steinberg pavilion once the ice-skating season concludes in March, with a projected completion in fall 2026. Steinberg will be closed for the 2025–26 ice-skating season, so Jansky warns that the next few weeks are the final opportunity to skate at Steinberg until fall 2026. According to the release, Forest Park Forever is leading a $100 million fundraising campaign, “Imagine the Glade.” Lead gifts, which enabled the project’s launch, have raised more than 60 percent toward the goal. The City of St. Louis and Forest Park Forever have spearheaded a major project, with management assistance from H3 Studio Inc. The team includes design architect Snow Kreilich Architects, known for their work on St. Louis CITY SC’s Energizer Park, as well as landscape architect Hoerr Schaudt, St. Louis-based Christner Architects, and BSI Constructors. The recent renovation, which was largely driven by community input, completes that original goal, Jansky says. “There were a lot of benefits of it: improved water circulation reduced the amount of water that needed to be created to fill the lakes and ponds that existed before; better storm runoff management; it creates a wildlife corridor; and it’s yet another beautiful spot for people to kind of get close to nature and get close to the water.” Jansky explains that this will allow for more spots for people to fish the shoreline of Jefferson Lake, in addition to overlooks that include a waterfall feature and a pedestrian bridge showing off newly cleared angles of the water curving among the trees. “You’ll even get a reflection of the planetarium in the distance and some of the buildings in the Central West End,” Jansky says. For even casual visitors, Jansky says, the project will improve the park’s enjoyability. “A lot of spots we’ve redone, like Art Hill, the Grand Basin, and Victorian Bridge, become instant photo ops for people,” he says. “This is a spot that used to just sort of be a pass-through between the lakes and the recreational path or Steinberg, but now it’s going be another one of those, ‘Oh, wow!’ spots.” Jansky says the final touches to the donor-funded waterways project, such as etchings on the donor plaza at the Clayton overlook, will be completed in April. Listen Here Listen Here Listen Here Listen Here DAILY NEWSLETTER Start your mornings with a fresh take on the day’s top local news from Sarah Fenske and Ryan Krull. No spam, you can unsubscribe anytime you want. Our award-winning content brings readers revealing profiles Start your mornings with a fresh take on the day’s top local news Glenshaw has studied Charles the great horned owl in Forest Park the owl has fathered 27 owlets with seven mates “Charles just keeps unfolding new chapters in his life,” said Glenshaw, who visits the park daily to observe Charles and the other great horned owls that call the park home and the dynamics of the owls and their interactions in the park are complex and ever-growing.” Glenshaw was excited to see Charles pair with his seventh mate, Tess, in 2023 Glenshaw expected they would begin to nest the only real conclusion I can draw from her disappearance is that she most likely died,” he said a new female great horned owl entered the scene and her head bobbing behavior indicated that she’s about a year old as she and Charles are in a “May-December romance.” the mating season has come and gone with no sign of mating and nesting from Charles and May Glenshaw said it’s likely due to May being so young and inexperienced in mating behaviors “Charles really knows what it takes to have a successful parenting partnership and I think Charles looked at her and said and I'm not going to go there with you yet,’” Glenshaw said but it's still clear that she's still learning about the birds and the … birds.” Glenshaw added that unusually warm temperatures last fall were likely a contributing factor to the couple’s ongoing courtship owls will hoot together with growing intensity as they build to mating and nesting in the early winter These duets are how they court and bond with each other — and how they declare and defend their territories and I think this threw off the owls,” he said “Instead of duetting intensely on brisk autumn nights they hooted together less intensely — and on some nights not at all When temperatures finally began to decline they had less time to build up to mating and nesting through duets.” Related EventsWhat: Forest Park Owls: Hiding In Plain SightWhen: 1 p.m March 16Where: Ballard Nature Center (5253 E What: Forest Park Owls: Hiding In Plain SightWhen: 6:30 p.m April 9Where: University City Public Library (6701 Delmar Blvd. What: Forest Park Owls: Mating, Nesting and OwletsWhen: 6:30 p.m Louis Community College-Forest Park campus (5600 Oakland Ave. The Politically Speaking Hour makes government and politics understandable and accessible at this crucial point in history. On select Fridays, host Jason Rosenbaum will question elected officials, and shine the spotlight on the issues that matter. And we’ll empower your voice into the conversation about the future of our community and states. The Politically Speaking Hour is sponsored by the Sue & Lynn Schneider Charitable Fund. 2025 9:34 p.m.A Portland hearings officer has approved a utility company’s plans to cut through almost 5 acres of Forest Park the city’s highly protected and locally beloved urban forest Portland General Electric plans to log about 400 trees within a section of intact mature forest to relocate an existing power pole install two new power poles and wire 1,400 feet of transmission lines Forest Park is one of the largest urban parks in the nation spanning 5,200 acres in Northwest Portland It provides important habitat for vulnerable species particularly Northern red-legged frogs — as well as more than 80 miles of trails for Portlanders seeking easy nearby access to the wilderness PGE’s proposal has drawn fierce opposition from environmental groups and many residents, as well as the city of Portland itself. Earlier this year the Portland Permitting & Development office recommended a hearings officer deny the project Portland permitting staff said PGE failed to fully assess alternatives to cutting through Forest Park They also highlighted PGE’s plans to pursue additional grid projects that could impact another 15 acres within the park An undated photo of Forest Park in Portland A Portland hearings officer has approved a utility company’s plans to cut through almost 5 acres of Forest Park PGE says this project is needed to meet future energy demands particularly as the company moves away from fossil fuels and prepares the grid to carry more renewably generated power After the poles and transmission lines are installed PGE says it will plant Oregon white oaks and other native shrubs and it will leave some cut trees behind as habitat for insects and animals Portland hearings officer Marisha Childs called this case a “legal quagmire.” “It is both true that as a society our energy needs have increased and it is also true that Forest Park is a highly valued environmental resource,” Childs wrote Childs found the city’s analysis “confounding and inconsistent” with local environmental and land use rules PGE demonstrated that energy demands make this project necessary and cutting into Forest Park is “the best practicable” and “least environmentally detrimental” option Childs' decision means PGE can move forward with its transmission project in Forest Park PGE vice president of policy and resource planning calling it “the most significant finding of facts about this project coming out of an extraordinarily detailed application process that included extensive public involvement.” Some environmental groups disagreed with Childs' assessment “We do not think this project should move forward through Forest Park because you cannot mitigate the destruction of an ecosystem that has been growing since before we even had electricity in homes,” Damon Motz-Storey Motz-Storey did not say if the Sierra Club would appeal the hearings officer’s decision though they may be free for some neighborhood associations PGE will need to monitor its white oak and native shrub plantings for two years It will need to submit maintenance reports to the city that include a count of the number of plants that have died and photographs of the restoration area PGE is then responsible for the ongoing survival of the trees and plants after this two-year period Tags: Science & Environment, Portland General Electric, Forest Park, City Of Portland Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone. 2025 12:48 a.m.A utility company wants to cut through 5 acres of mature Doug fir and big leaf maples in a massive Portland urban forest to make way for new transmission lines Forest Park spans 5,200 acres in the Tualatin Mountains of Northwest Portland One of the largest urban parks in the United States it provides important habitat for vulnerable species FILE - Tucked into the northwest corner of Portland the Wildwood Trail weaves for more than 30 miles through Forest Park Portland General Electric executives say the company needs to improve its infrastructure to meet Portland’s electricity demands particularly as it moves away from fossil fuels and prepares the grid to carry more renewably generated power The company plans to meet that goal by removing 400 trees through intact mature forest to install new power poles and 1,400 feet of transmission lines The proposal has drawn fierce opposition from environmental groups That opposition was on display during a public hearing Wednesday where city staff recommended a hearings officer deny PGE’s plan Portland environmental planner Morgan Steele said PGE failed to meet “several approval criteria,” including a construction plan that minimizes environmental impacts Earlier this month, the city permitting department issued a report highlighting multiple other flaws in PGE’s plan The report showed at least two other alternatives PGE could pursue that would avoid cutting hundreds of trees in Forest Park Staff also worried about future phases of PGE’s project which could impact another 15 acres of Forest Park PGE officials criticized Portland’s report for including “opposition testimony” from environmental groups and neighborhood associations the staff report is based on a flawed premise that Forest Park is a hands-off time capsule that must be protected from impacts at all costs,” PGE attorney David Peterson said the area the company intends to log is mostly free of invasive species except near the forest edges of existing transmission line corridors PGE says it will plant a variety of tree species in the project area including over 300 Oregon white oaks and 400 other plant species It’s unclear how the company will conduct this work or how it will ensure the new trees take root and survive PGE staff said removing old trees from this forest will benefit it in the long run since they will plant native oaks instead of conifers which tend to dominate and shade out other tree species “So this is good mitigation,” company senior project manager Randy Franks said “It addresses a crucial and critical need to expand and conserve oak habitat.” PGE will also pay fees to Portland Parks and Recreation — amounting to about $2.5 million — to go toward the bureau’s conservation work in Forest Park During a watch party on Wednesday at Sierra Club's Oregon chapter office in Portland chapter director Damon Motz-Storey writes on white boards where people can sign up to testify A few dozen people gathered at the Sierra Club’s Oregon chapter office Wednesday to watch a live stream of the virtual hearing Some attendees said they feared PGE’s project primarily benefits energy-heavy data centers “Hearing them talk about how this would somehow be good for the environment — I just don’t buy it,” said Saoirse Cox “I just think this is another instance of profit being prioritized over the people and over the planet.” Tags: Portland General Electric, Forest Park, Forest, Development Contact: Linda Hamilton, 703-441-4109 Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go. March 27Portland General Electric's transmission corridor on the northern edge of Forest Park A proposed utility project in Forest Park has caused a monthslong clash between environmental groups and Portland General Electric. The Harborton Reliability Project would remove roughly 400 mature trees on 5 acres of parkland to make way for new power lines PGE says the grid upgrade is necessary to meet the region’s growing demand for electricity but conservationists say it will damage one of Portland’s most important ecological assets Randy Franks is a senior project manager for PGE. Scott Fogarty is the executive director of the Forest Park Conservancy They both join us to share their perspectives on the plan and what it could mean for Portland’s largest park Note: The following transcript was transcribed digitally and validated for accuracy readability and formatting by an OPB volunteer Dave Miller: This is Think Out Loud on OPB We start today with the fight over a proposed electrical grid project in Portland’s Forest Park The Harborton Reliability Project would remove about 400 mature trees on a little under 5 acres of parkland to make way for new power lines PGE says it’s necessary to meet the region’s growing demand for electricity There’s already been a seesaw in the approval process City permitting staff recommended against the project in January a city hearings officer determined that it should be allowed to proceed the Forest Park Neighborhood Association and the Forest Park Conservancy have appealed that decision to the City Council We’ll hear from the executive director of that conservancy in a few minutes Miller: Why are you arguing that this Harborton Reliability Project is necessary Franks: The project’s necessary to make sure we can continue reliably serving electric loads in the city of Portland into the future there’s the risk of outages when we are trying to serve peak load in increasingly extreme weather Miller: I want to give you a chance to respond to some critical comments that we got on Facebook Faun Hosey wrote this … and we got other folks who said versions of this: “It’s not about affordable power it’s about meeting the current and future extreme demands of data centers and this 5 acre cut is just a current request that we don’t want to sacrifice these trees as habitat for data centers Franks: PGE is not unique among utilities across the country that are facing the need to improve our transmission infrastructure Most of what was built in this area was in the 1960s and ‘70s we also need to update that grid so it continues to occur reliably The need for this project was actually identified in 2015 so before the surges and usage that folks are are mentioning in those comments and it is in fact to serve equipment in Portland that’s at risk of being overloaded in certain reliability scenarios that we can foresee coming as soon as 2028 Miller: So you’re saying that you would need to do this even if it weren’t for an increase in demand from data centers Portland permitting staff said your company failed to fully assess alternatives to cutting through Forest Park What alternatives did you consider and how fully did you do that Franks: We considered over 20 alternatives. There’s a detailed analysis. We actually have all of our application materials that led to the approval by the hearings officer posted on our website, portlandgeneralprojects.com Those 20 alternatives started at the very highest level When those were not adequate to solve the bottleneck that exists in Forest Park we moved to the next level of what sorts of projects could we build to configure the grid differently We found none of these projects actually solved the bottleneck issue what can we build in the vicinity of Forest Park or in Forest Park that resolves it And through that process we exhaustively showed that no options except the proposed project are possible And this is fully in keeping with the Forest Park Natural Resources Management Plan which is a 300-page document that governs how land in Forest Park is used It was one of the very first things I did when I joined the project And the process of developing this project was really about proving with my team that we would be able to comply with that plan and show that there was no other alternative available Miller: A few people on our Facebook page brought up a specific version of an alternative “So it can burn in a fire when winds take out the lines “Bury the lines to avoid forest fires and reduce tree removal.” What’s wrong with this idea of burying the lines Franks: We hear this a lot in our public meetings and in comments that we received to our project mailbox I’ve been involved with multiple underground transmission line projects and they are significantly different from what most people will think of when they hear an underground line one of these projects I was involved with had to cross habitat where there were federally endangered species and the line transitioned to be an overhead project to reduce the impact on the environment Underground transmission lines involve more impact because it involves trenching along the entire length and making significant disruptions to the root zones That’s in addition to the fact that this is a very steep hillside so it’s even more complicated and more impactful to the environment than the project that we’ve proposed And I’ll also note that that underground option is evaluated in our alternatives analysis You said there were 20 options that you considered and I think the report that I saw was from April of 2024 – so about a year ago there are four or five that merited from your team’s perspective What is the next best one that you said still was not good enough The next best alternative is actually what we proposed in 2022 when we sat down with the city for an early assistance meeting And that project proposed constructing two 1,400 foot new segments up that hillside which is an existing utility corridor fully surrounded by utility lines It’s probably the furthest thing from folks’s minds when they envision Forest Park Miller: There are existing BPA lines and one PGE line Franks: There are several transmission lines through that corridor The Bonneville lines predate the existence of Forest Park as far back as the ‘40s The Portland General lines there have been there since the 1970’s And the project that we’ve been approved to build here is located entirely within an easement granted by the city of Portland to PGE in the ‘70s Miller: What would it mean for this project for the habitat of the northern red-legged frog and is the recipient of a lot of love and attention in the form of something that people call the “frog taxi” Franks: This project would result in substantial improvements for the northern red-legged frog habitat because one component of our substantial and robust mitigation plan is to fund Portland Park’s improving breeding habitats that they’ve identified inside the park And these are medium quality wetlands that they can improve well outside the project area and establish a way for frogs to breed inside the park and not need to cross Highway 30 to reach the Willamette River Miller: You said that’s one part of the mitigation plan Franks: This would be a great place for folks to check the website and review it there are existing stands of Oregon white oak which is part of a conservation strategy habitat We’re proposing to expand that along the outer edges of the new power line corridor Miller: So places where it’s more Doug firs or conifers those would be one tree you’d be cutting down and you’d be putting white oak in its place and about 8,000 total smaller shrubs and native plants throughout that area Miller: And what is the upkeep that you’re committing to The other important element of that mitigation plan that we’re proposing to fund through the Portland Parks is the removal of invasive species and ladder fuels throughout the park So these are the ivy vines that are growing up trees and causing the potential for fire to spread anywhere in the park So I think that’s another really important part of that Coming back to your question about the upkeep what we proposed in the plan and what’s been approved is two years of monitoring and annual reporting and then the project would transition to our routine annual vegetation management processes that take place throughout the PGE service territory every year Miller: City staff and environmental groups have also expressed concerns about future phases of this project … and we heard a little bit of that and at the end of one of those Facebook comments I read You’ve said that they could impact another 15 acres of the park and provide power to data centers in Hillsboro What can you tell us about the later phases of this project I think the first thing that’s important to know is that those phases are separate projects It does not make those projects more or less likely and it does not predetermine where those projects might be built if those needs are substantiated The two components there that we’ve identified in our long range planning studies are that we may need to move more power west through Forest Park on the existing lines that are there more modern conductors that can carry power The other potential future phase is to actually bring significant new capacity from the north they would go through the same detailed planning process rigorous alternative evaluation of alternatives and if they are to be located in Forest Park comply fully with the Forest Park Natural Resources Management plan When do you think it’s likely that you’d be at the stage you are with this Harborton plan for those future ones Franks: I don’t actually have the exact time frames in mind They are very early in [the] planning stages so those time frames are well out into the future and I don’t have them with me Miller: Randy Franks is a senior project manager for PGE The project has received a lot of pushback from the Forest Park Neighborhood Association and the Forest Park Conservancy Scott Fogarty is the executive director of that conservancy Miller: It might be obvious to a lot of listeners Forest Park is the largest urban forest in the nation and the community is trying desperately to fight the loss of our urban forest canopy in Portland Portland has recognized this area as important to the city It’s a gem that not only identifies Portland Thousands and thousands of people utilize the park every year which is why it’s near and dear to their heart and which is why we’re here today the city hearings officer wrote that PGE’s plan is “the best practicable” and “the least environmentally detrimental” option for a project that she says is going to address a real need Why did your group decide to appeal her decision she said this project will have a significant impact and we thoroughly believe it will have a significant impact It will remove 5 acres of trees that are 100-plus years old for future expansion by PGE in the park – and we don’t know what that is We’ve reached out to PGE many times to see what their future plans are and we haven’t really gotten a response … you just heard a version of that response now because I did ask some of those questions to Randy Franks who said two things that really stand out that I want to run by you One is that the timeline is still too up in the air; the later stage projects are still in the works is that the approval or denial of this project doesn’t have a bearing on those other projects because they haven’t shared with us that information and because we have requested that information for quite some time it could open a slippery slope to them saying we have this easement here so therefore we need this much more power lines coming over and the options are not feasible so therefore we need to take another 20 acres We need to keep chipping into what is there what has been there for over 100 years and what Portlanders have come to love Miller: It’s possible that the sort of slippery slope argument you’re making here is your answer to this Facebook comment I’m about to read but I want to read nevertheless because we did get a couple that are along these lines This one comes from Hung Wasson who wrote: “5 acres of the 5,200 acre Forest Park getting logged to allow power line placement doesn’t seem all that unreasonable even when you consider they will ask for more permission to log an additional 10 to 15 acres in the future to allow for other projects.” So this is the basic numerical take: 5,200 acres versus 5 acres The right question to ask is 5 acres acceptable an era where climate resilience is on the mind of all Portlanders quite frankly of all the countries in the world we diminish the value of what those trees’ values to the community bring If we are going to start facing climate change head on those ecological values that the park brings to not just us people who are very focused on climate resilience say that we need to have a lot more renewable energy in the grid and we need to have a more robust grid that this all is tied together and if we want a better grid that can handle more electricity for our more electrified future that something is 400-plus mature trees in this beloved park it chips away at our irreplaceable ecosystems you can’t replace a 150-year-old tree with a 10-year-old tree and expect the same values to come out of that We can’t fail to remind people again that this is only phase three So if we knew what future phases were like “this is the plan going forward,” then I think maybe we could think about that in less of a fear mongering way and more of a realistic how do we coexist with this kind of need and this kind of demand next year they predict only a 2.5% increase in power So if we knew more about what PGE was planning to do what kind of power lines they want to put in and what the cost of the alternatives are then I think we could have a more reasoned conversation about this PGE had an $85 million increase in their income Why not put some of that money into some of the alternatives They say they’re going to pass that on to the ratepayers that’s a significant amount of money and investing in our ecology over taking out mature trees is something that we should do Miller: I want to turn to the mitigation plan that I did talk about briefly with Randy Franks So they’re gonna plant white oak and native shrub plantings They’ll submit maintenance reports to the city that include the account of the number of plants that have died and photographs of their restoration efforts they’re going to then be responsible for the ongoing survival of those new oak trees along the places where the then new lines would be he said they were going to monitor for two years is what I heard Miller: My understanding is monitoring for two years but then doing their version of standard maintenance for the trees near the lines in perpetuity but that’s my understanding of what he said and what I’ve read if there were more transparency of what that means Miller: I assume it means that if one of the new white oaks is getting too close to one of the new power lines Miller: And I think that is sort of standard trees that are older and larger provide more ecological There’s been studies done across the country on that issue And if you’re projecting replacing trees that are that old with trees that are 10 to 15 years old you’re not gonna get those ecological values for another 30 to 35-plus years Trees are an accruing asset to the city of Portland The city of Portland has spent millions of dollars in urban forestry to combat heat and to think that taking out trees in a mature forest is actually going to help with climate change and mitigate climate change with smaller trees we feel that this is just a non-starter for us Miller: Let me make sure that I understand your position Earlier you said if they had been a little bit clearer about their future plans … because you said that the question is But let’s say they did come to you now saying that’ll take us to the west side and that’s all we need for the foreseeable future It seems like you’re saying no trees in Forest Park should be cut for electricity projects Am I putting words in your mouth or is that where you are And I disagree with his assertation that the Forest Park Natural Resources Management plan allows this You mentioned buried lines – that’s an alternative There are alternative routes that others have identified and that’s what they argued was it’s too expensive and we have to pass this cost onto our ratepayers these are not contradictory propositions here and I feel like if PGE – I hate to use this phrase – puts their money where their mouth is that we could probably have a solution that satiates all sides of this and doesn’t disrupt an iconic place for the Northwest Miller: Scott Fogarty is the executive director of the Forest Park Conservancy If you’d like to comment on any of the topics in this show or suggest a topic of your own, please get in touch with us on Facebook, send an email to thinkoutloud@opb.org or you can leave a voicemail for us at 503-293-1983 The call-in phone number during the noon hour is 888-665-5865 Tags: Think Out Loud Gemma covered local news for WVPE in South Bend and helped produce a weekly news magazine at WUGA in Athens She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2020 with a degree in journalism and certificates in new media and sustainability.\n