After filling out an application and having a criminal background check (were they afraid I was going to steal a tree?), we met with Bonnie, who told us a little about our patch and gave me my "uniform" and supplies. Next was to set up a meeting with the Natural Resource Technician for the site.
We met Adam, a Metro employee, at the site for our first visit. Finding the site was a surprise, since I have lived within a few miles of it for decades and had never noticed it. This made me wonder about the many other little treasures hidden at the end of roads and within neighborhoods, isolated little islands of green in suburbia.
Adam showed us around the patch and told us what he knew about it. He showed us where crews had worked on taming invasive species. He commented on two well worn paths through the patch, telling us that people had been using the forested area as an unofficial campground.
After walking a bit, we saw someone on a bicycle bumping along the rough dirt path. Then we created a small dam for the flow of dog walkers who just happened to all pick the same time for their constitutional today. (For the record, Metro's policy is to ban dogs from its properties, but while this patch is undeveloped, the policy is not being enforced.) We had a nice chat with the "regulars," Adam doing a little PR work for Metro.
Although this patch is not big and not wilderness by any means, I am excited to be underway!
1 Metro is a regional government in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. Metro's agenda includes preserving green space and supporting regional trails. Metro purchases properties with bond-supported funds from willing sellers. The particular property that is mine was acquired so that a regional trail connection could be put in.
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