The Margolis Property at Forest Park

Parks, trails, and natural areas define the character of the Portland metro area, and bridging gaps in the system is one of the core objectives of the Intertwine Alliance, a local coalition working to nurture green spaces. How fitting, then, that one of the goals Trust for Public Land helped Intertwine achieve was creating a key connector extending into a previously inaccessible 300-acre natural area at Forest Park, a cherished green space and one of the largest urban forests in the country.

Only minutes from the northern entrance to the Wildwood Trail, the Margolis property included over 50 acres of mixed meadow and woodland that had not been actively farmed for years, instead becoming a haven for wildflowers and wildlife. Its natural resources include undisturbed wetland, and its native plants and animals are abundant.

As a public access point to an isolated area of beautiful land, this property is invaluable. But of course, there was a price to conserve it. Using funding from a public bond measure that dedicated over $225 million to conserving land for water quality and recreation—and with help from the Friends of Forest Park—TPL transferred the Margolis property into the care of Metro, the area’s regional government authority, in 2007. Now, Portlanders and visitors alike have access to more of one of this verdant landscape.