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.

The Washington DNR warned this week that budget cuts could force closures at nearly 20 recreation sites, including campgrounds and an ORV area in Southwest Washington. Officials say staffing losses and lost crew partnerships have stretched maintenance thin.

PP&R released final designs for the North Portland Aquatic Center at Northgate Park and opened a short survey. The plan shows a 35‑meter pool, mass‑timber structure and site changes.

ODFW is investigating after a woman was bitten by a coyote near Orchard Heights Road on Feb. 11; officials warn residents to secure pets and remove attractants.

Leach Garden Friends warns the 17‑acre public garden could close by mid‑March after a reduction in city funding; the nonprofit says it needs $50K a month to stay open.

After years offline, Portland's Thompson Elk statue and fountain are back on SW Main Street following a multi‑agency restoration. The work adds seismic and water‑saving upgrades.

Metro set aside $50,000 for a geotechnical study as advocates press to restore the Oregon Zoo’s long Washington Park train loop. Community signatures and volunteer work are already in place.

A Netarts-Oceanside Facebook post flagged a satellite-tagged great white nicknamed Kara on a map near the Tillamook coast; experts say sightings need context.

Portland Parks & Recreation closed applications for advisory committee members to help guide the redevelopment of Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park's Bowl area.