West Hayden Island

West Hayden Island--Portland's Forgotten Greenspace

West Hayden Island

When people think about Hayden Island the first things that come to mind are shopping malls, boat marinas and bridge controversies. However, Hayden Island is also home to one of the region's largest and most important unprotected natural areas.  The 826-acres of cottonwood-ash bottomland forest, riparian habitat and wetlands located on West Hayden provide habitat for over 100 wildlife species including federally listed salmon and steelhead. It also provides important connectivity between a complex of surrounding natural areas including Smith and Bybee Lakes, Vancouver Lake Lowlands, Sauvie Island and Government Island.  The Us Fish and Wildlife Service has written:

 “In light of these conditions West Hayden Island would be considered an important conservation asset regardless of its location. Its presence on an otherwise highly urbanized urban landscape accentuates its importance.”
    Kemper McMaster, Oregon State Supervisor,
    US Fish and Wildlife Service, March 3, 20005

However, West Hayden Island is threatened by development. The Port of Portland took West Hayden Island under condemnation proceedings in 1992 for the purpose of building a giant 500-700 acre marine industrial complex. The Port is currently in the process of attempting to annex and rezone West Hayden Island to pave the way forward for this development. Audubon Society of Portland opposes this unnecessary destruction of critical wildlife habitat. Bob Sallinger  is currently representing Audubon on a public advisory committee that will be reviewing the proposed annexation over an 18 month period extending from February 2009 through the spring of 2010.

This is not the first time that the Port has initiated efforts to annex and rezone West Hayden Island. The Port wasted hundreds of thousands of public dollars in a failed annexation effort in 1999, but withdrew its application in the face of strong criticism from the community over deeply flawed economic and environmental analyses and its failure to work with other Ports in the region to maximize use of the existing industrial land base. This criticism came not only from the environmental community but also from organizations such at the Portland Business Journal:

"We are relieved to learn that the Port of Portland has decided to re-examine its West Hayden island project. The Port wants to rend the island’s fragile environmental fabric so that marine cargo facilities…can be built there...We are not convinced it’s a good trade-off.”
            Portland Business Journal Editorial---September 25th, 2000

“The Port of Portland should be commended for reconsidering the West Hayden Island terminals. We’re not convinced that the plan to develop the island acreage shouldn’t be permanently scrapped, But at least by putting it on the shelf for a while, it can be given further study from cost-benefit and environmental standpoints”
            Portland Business Journal Editorial-- December 18th, 2000

There are many reasons to oppose marine industrial development on West Hayden Island:

1)  West Hayden Island is a critically important natural area:
•    It contains 826-acres of intact habitat including 39 acres of wetlands and 4% of the remaining intact cottonwood bottomland habitat between rivermile 12 and rivermile 145.
•    It is home to at least 81 species of birds, 9 mammal species, 4 amphibian species  (including sensitive western painted turtles, and provides critical habitat for federal listed salmon.
•    It is designated as Class 1 riparian habitat and a "Habitat of Concern" under Metro's Title 13
•    US Fish and Wildlife Service State Supervisor Kemper McMaster has written the West Hayden Island is considered "an important conservation asset regardless of its location. Its presence on and otherwise highly urbanized landscape accentuates its importance."

2) The Port of Portland has not justified destroying West Hayden Island to build a marine industrial facility.  It cannot say what exactly it intends to build or when it will be built, but insists that annexation and rezoning a necessary. it also has completely failed to address issues raised by Audubon and the Business Journal of Portland in 1999 regarding collaborating with the Port of Vancouver. There is no excuse for destroying critical wildlife habitat when the two Ports are not already maximizing use of the existing industrial land base.

3) The city should facilitate a fair and impartial review of the facts in deciding the outcome of the Port's application.  The city's recent use of public dollars to distribute Port of Portland propaganda and promote Port of Portland public relations events related to West Hayden Island undermine a fair and open process. The city would not fund the outreach activities of any other applicant and it should not do it for the Port either!  Destroying between 50% and 80% of the habitat on West Hayden Island to build giant parking lots is not a "Win-Win" situation for the environment and the economy as it was recently described in a City of Portland - Port of Portland Press Release.

4) Hayden Island is currently one of the most park deficient areas in the City. (The Port does not allow access to West Hayden Island) Protecting West Hayden Island as a natural area would create outstanding recreational opportunities to enjoy nature in North Portland and it would undoubtedly become one of the regions premier natural areas.


Links:
For more information or to get involved in Audubon's efforts to protect West Hayden island Contact Audubon Conservation Director, Bob Sallinger

Technical Information:
•    Map of West Hayden Island and Surrounding Natural areas
•    Summary of natural resources on West Hayden Island


Current Information:
•    Letter from Audubon to Portland City Council regarding West Hayden Island, December, 2007
•    Letter from Audubon and other Conservation Organizations offering to purchase West Hayden Island from the Port, February 15, 2005
•    Letter from US Fish and Wildlife Service re West Hayden Island, arch 3 2005 Part 2

•    Oregon Public Broadcasting Story on West Hayden Island, March 2009

Information on the failed 1999-2000 annexation
•    Port of Portland announcement regarding cancellation of 1999-2000 Annexation Process
•    Portland Business Journal Editorial: "Thorne Hasn't Lost His Touch", December 18, 2000
•    Portland Business Journal Editorial: "Rethinking West Hayden Island", September 25, 2000
•    Portland Business Journal Article: "Issues Cause Port to Delay West Hayden Island Project", September 22, 2000
•    Portland Business Journal Editorial: "Having it Both Ways", March 27, 2000
•    Letter from Audubon Society of Portland and Vancouver Based Conservation Organizations encouraging Port of Portland and Port of Vancouver to collaborate, March 10, 2000
•    Letter from Audubon Society of Portland to Port of Portland announcing Audubon opposition to West Hayden Island Development, December 3, 1999
•    Computer simulation of what the proposed 1999 development would have looked like