Whitaker Ponds Nature Park

Whitaker Ponds Nature Park
Park signage in 2008
Map
Location7040 NE 47th Avenue
Nearest cityPortland, Oregon, United States
Coordinates45°34′26″N 122°36′43″W / 45.57384°N 122.6119°W / 45.57384; -122.6119
Area24.75 acres (10.02 ha)
Created1998
Operated byPortland Parks & Recreation

Whitaker Ponds Nature Park is a park located in northeast Portland, Oregon. The park is maintained by Portland Parks & Recreation and volunteers from the Columbia Slough Watershed Council.[1]

In 1995, Metro and the City of Portland each purchased several land parcels at Whitaker Ponds for use as a public park.[2] Members of the local EnviroCorps program planted native species and removed garbage from the site over the summer of 1995.[3] The park was expanded by more land purchases in 1997 and 2004.[2]

The Whitaker Ponds are two shallow freshwater ponds connected by a metal culvert. In 1995, their combined size was estimated to be 11 acres. A black cottonwood forest grows around the ponds.[2] Mammals seen in the park include beavers, coyotes, and river otters. Bird species include downy woodpeckers, great blue herons, osprey, and willow flycatchers.[2][4]

Nearby is Neerchokikoo, a pre-colonial Chinookan village revitalized as a gathering site for Native Americans in Portland. [5][6]

  1. ^ "Whitaker Ponds Nature Park". Portland Parks & Recreation. Archived from the original on February 7, 2011. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d Whitaker Ponds Master Plan (PDF) (Report). Portland Parks & Recreation. 2006. p. 4-5. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  3. ^ White, Brian (1995). "Cultivating the city". PSU Magazine. pp. 8–10. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  4. ^ Ferrara, John Ross (1 May 2023). "Man captures up-close beaver encounter at Whitaker Ponds". KOIN. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Our watershed: a tapestry of waters, cultures, and wildlife". Archived from the original on 2023-08-06. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  6. ^ Altman, Leah (13 April 2024). "Ancient Village Site is Reborn Again". Underscore Native News. Retrieved 22 September 2024.