Portland is updating its Tree Code (Title 11) to protect and expand the city's urban canopy, focusing on equity and climate resilience. The Urban Forestry Commission will brief the public on May 21 and staff expect a multi-year process.

An early‑morning blaze destroyed the Grand Shelter at Lewisville Regional Park in Battle Ground, forcing an indefinite closure while investigators work the scene.

Multnomah County River Patrol warns of fallen and submerged trees on the Sandy River between Oxbow and Dabney after a December storm. Boaters and swimmers are urged to avoid the main channel.

Portland has hired London-based Malcolm Reading Consultants to run a national design competition for the Bowl at Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The move advances plans backed by Metro funding.

Oregon State Parks expanded day‑use parking and raised peak camping rates starting May 1, 2026. Here’s who’s affected and what to expect at the gate.

Nearly 120 wildland firefighters say rescinding the Roadless Rule would invite more human starts and put crews in harm’s way.

Nearly half of Washington County will decide whether to renew funding for Tualatin Hills parks and facilities with a $280M bond on May 19. THPRD says taxes would stay near current levels; opponents warn of stacked asks.

ODFW proposes a seasonal, limited‑entry parking permit for Walton, Collins and North Unit beaches from June 15 to Labor Day; island businesses warn of lost summer sales.

A juvenile gray whale appeared this week in the north fork of the Willapa River near Raymond; Cascadia Research and partners are monitoring the animal and asking the public to keep back.

Portland renamed Custer Park 'Scht Wiwnu, an Indigenous name meaning "path of the huckleberry," and marked the change with a naming ceremony and volunteer plantings.

BEA’s new figures show outdoor recreation made up 2.7% of Oregon's GDP in 2024, underscoring its role in jobs, tourism and gear manufacturing.

BLM seeks to revise western Oregon plans to expand logging on roughly 2.5 million acres; public comments close March 23, 2026.

A $22 million federal grant and a first‑of‑its‑kind tribal‑state co‑management plan unraveled after the Harry A. Merlo Foundation walked away from a proposed 11,438‑acre wildlife area in Eastern Oregon.