Regional Plants & Local Wildlife
Plant Articles
Western Redcedar - 01/01/2010
Western redcedar has been used by Native Americans for thousands of years, and the wood and bark is still valued highly by our modern society. Learn about one of the most majestic tree species found in the Northwest. Read More...
Non-native Plants - 01/01/2010
Managing non-native plants, especially in an urban ecosystem, is an ongoing effort, requiring proactive approaches, innovative methods, and lots of hard work. Learn about a handful of the most pernicious weeds found in TPRD parks. Read More...
Native Plant Alternatives - 01/01/2010
Naturescaping with native plants is one of the best ways to attract native wildlife to your yard. Here's a list of native plants as alternatives to non-native/invasive plants. Read More...
Lilies in THPRD Parks - 01/01/2010
The lily family is a large and very diverse group of flowering plants, and many different species can be found in THPRD parks. Learn about a handful of our Northwest favorites and where to find them during the year. Read More...
Geocaching in THPRD Parks - 01/01/2010
Geocaching? Learn about this fun, new park activity in THPRD parks: what to do, where to find more information, and the guidelines for placing or seeking a Geocache in our parks. Read More...
Weed Information
Spurge Laurel - 01/22/2008
Spurge laurel is an invasive evergreen shrub with poisonous sap. It is invading upland forested areas. Read More...
American Pokeweed - 09/07/2007
American Pokeweed is a new, non-native invasive plant that could become a big problem in our natural areas unless controlled now. Read More...
Parrotfeather - 06/22/2007
Sweet fennel - 05/19/2007
Lesser Celandine - 04/20/2007
Tree of Heaven - 02/21/2007
Yellowflag Iris, Wetland Invader - 01/09/2007
Clematis - 11/14/2006
Garlic Mustard - 03/28/2006
Japanese Knotweed - 03/16/2006
English Ivy - 03/16/2006
Native Plant Of The Month
Salal - 05/20/2008
Salal is a native everygreen shrub that is very common in Pacific Northwest forests. Read More...
Tall Oregon grape - 03/07/2008
Tall Oregon grape is a prickly native evergreen shrub that bears bright yellow flowers in early spring. Read More...
Pacific Madrone - 01/18/2008
Pacific madrone is a broadleaf evergreen tree that is native to the Pacific Northwest area. Read More...
Oregon White Oak - 10/19/2007
Oregon white oak is a slow-growing native tree. Read More...
Pacific Aster - 09/10/2007
Pacific aster is a native plant that displays beautiful purple flowers in late summer and early fall. Read More...
Local Wildlife
Winter Hummingbirds? You bet!
Our winters are mild enough that there's food for resident, year-round populations of Anna's hummingbirds. Spiders and other insects make up the bulk of their winter diet. Read More...
Yard Debris In The Woods
Yard debris in the natural areas reduces the value of those habitats. It's best to compost yard debris or have it picked up with the weekly garbage service. Read More...
The Nutria That Ate My Yard!
With so many streams, small ponds, and wetlands in the Willamette Valley, it is not surprising that our water-loving wildlife neighbors do so well. One of the most successful of these is the nutria, an exotic rodent from South America. Read More...
Squirrels in the Parks
Did you know we have six species of squirrel and one chipmunk in the Portland Metro area? Read More...
Living With Urban Wildlife
What can we do when wildlife conflicts arise in our yards? Read More...
Hyland Forest Park
Songbirds, a wide variety of native herbs, shrubs, and trees, and meandering woodland paths...all can be found at Hyland Forest Park. Read More...
Fishing in District Lakes
The Park District has two lakes that are open year-round for fishing: Commonwealth Lake and Bethany Lake. Read More...
Bread and Ducks and Geese, oh my!
Feeding the ducks may be fun, but it's really not very healthy for them. Read More...
Birding in District Parks
The Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District has many natural areas which are wonderful birding locations. Many of these have trails and benches where the observant birder can sit for hours and enjoy the songs of many songbirds. Read More...
Turtles
So you're walking along the edge of one of the local ponds and you see what appears to be a flattened dome-shaped brown lump on a log on the far shore. But when it drops off the side of the log, disappearing beneath the water, you realize you've just seen a turtle! Read More...
