Action Alert: Help Us Permanently Protect West Hayden Island

Please take a few moments and email the Metro Council to let them know you support protecting West Hayden Island as one of the most significant natural resource sites and important habitats in the region with the funds from the Greenspace Bond Measure that Metro Passed in 2019. 

Metro is currently in the process of refining the bond measure acquisition priorities. The great news is that West Hayden Island is specifically listed among those priorities. However, it is important that Metro Council hears from the community that it strongly supports Metro investing in this site.

West Hayden Island action alert

For decades the 826-acres of wildlife habitat on West Hayden Island has been one of the most conflicted parcels in the Metro Region. Bird Alliance of Oregon has been working since the 1980s to protect this habitat and Bird Alliance of Oregon activists have repeatedly played a key role in opposing industrial development on West Hayden Island. 

Over the past couple of years, the site’s owner, the Port of Portland, has recognized that the site is not needed for marine industrial development and has endorsed protecting the island as a natural area while continuing to use a portion of the site as a dredge disposal area. After decades of disagreement, the Port and Bird Alliance of Oregon have been working collaboratively to advance a permanent protection strategy. Both the Port and Bird Alliance of Oregon support making West Hayden Island a priority for acquisition with 2019 Greenspace Bond Measure Funds.

West Hayden Island is one of the largest and most significant and unique unprotected natural resource sites in the region. At 826-acres, West Hayden Island is almost entirely in the floodplain and contains one of the largest intact stands of bottomland cottonwood and ash forests on the Lower Columbia River. It provides important shallow water habitat for federally listed salmon. Its complex mosaic of bottomland forest, wetlands and meadows provide habitat for more than 100 species including several species of concern. When fully protected, it will be one of the largest additions to the regional system of natural areas in decades. 

Coho Salmon, photo by BLM

This is a win-win. After decades of conflict, the stars have aligned on West Hayden Island and protection of this amazing natural area is within reach. Please let Metro Council know that you support inclusion of West Hayden Island in the 2019 Greenspace Bond Measure Refinement and urge Council to work expeditiously with the Port to permanently protect this natural area.

Send emails by noon 4/14 to the following:

lynn.peterson@oregonmetro.gov 

shirley.craddick@oregonmetro.gov

Christine.Lewis@oregonmetro.gov 

gerritt.rosenthal@oregonmetro.gov 

duncan.hwang@oregonmetro.gov

mary.nolan@oregonmetro.gov

JuanCarlos.Gonzalez@oregonmetro.gov

anne.buzzini@oregonmetro.gov

robyn.stowers@oregonmetro.gov

victor.sin@oregonmetro.gov

eduardo.ramos@oregonmetro.gov

ramona.perrault@oregonmetro.gov

kristin.dennis@oregonmetro.gov

 

Talking Points/Key Messages:

  1. Urge the Metro Council to adopt the refinement plan for the 2019 Greenspace Bond Measure.
  2. Express your strong support for inclusion of West Hayden Island in the 2019 Greenspace Bond Measure Refinement.
  3. Urge Metro Council to prioritize working with the Port of Portland and other stakeholders to permanently protect West Hayden Island.
  4. This represents an amazing opportunity to move forward together to protect one of the region’s largest and most valuable natural areas and to transcend decades of conflict.
  5. The 826-acres of wildlife habitat on West Hayden Island
      • Provide critically important shallow water and off channel habitat for federally listed salmon and steelhead
      • Include a complex mosaic of wetlands, meadows and one of the largest stands of intact bottomland forest on the lower Columbia
      • Provide habitat for more than 100 species of terrestrial wildlife including several imperiled species
      • Sits almost entirely in the floodplain and was almost completely submerged during the 1996 floods
      • Will provide amazing and unique opportunities for the public to enjoy nature
      • Have tremendous restoration potential, in particular to increase and improve salmonid habitat
  6. Provides an incredible opportunity to advance Metro’s goals related to habitat protection, access to nature and equity.