Portland, Oregon: Green Streets in a River City

Abstract

The city of Portland, Oregon, is situated in the US Pacific Northwest at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. The city is known for its close proximity to an abundance of beautiful natural scenery, including the Columbia Gorge, Mount Hood, the high desert, and the Oregon Coast. Portland also has an impressive amount of nature within city limits, and many people and organizations there are dedicated to stewarding this nature. Like many US cities, Portland also has a significant amount of impervious surface in the form of pavement, buildings, and other hardscaping. Throughout the city’s history, many efforts have been taken, with more under way, to find places for vegetation and wildlife, even in the densest areas, fostering biophilic urbanism at multiple scales across the city.