By Miko Ruhlen.
Video: “A Bird’s Eye View of Morrison Park.”
Morrison Park sits on a 5.33 acre parcel owned by the City of Hood River. For over a decade it has been a public park that contains a popular disc golf course. On October 17, 2016 the Hood River Planning Commission will review an application by the City of Hood River to rezone it in order to? build an affordable housing complex. Land use is always a complicated issue with a variety of stakeholders and public needs.
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We visited Morrison Park this October and decided to make this video to bring awareness of the plants and wildlife residing there now. Wildlife and beneficial insects are drawn by native plants like the Oregon white oaks (Quercus garryana), important for wildlife, and increasingly scarce. A small stream provides water year-round for wildlife, enabling birds to nest there and feed their young as well as survive the harsh winter and the heat of summer. This space offers people too a natural setting within a city.
Love the video and the rapturous bird calls. It is a difficult balance to find places where humans, wildlife and plants can coexist. I agree with the author about the importance of White Oaks and also that they are such majestic trees. We are lucky enough to live near several 100 year old + Heritage Oaks whose branches are so long that they rest on the ground. The property they are on is now a park where they can continue to grow and share their beauty with the rest of the world.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. According to an oak restoration guide (hyperlinked in the article where it says habitat is growing increasingly scarce) less than 1% of oak-dominated habitats are protected in parks or reserves and private landowners hold the key to maintaining this important natural legacy.
Update- the decision on this parcel has been postponed until January.