Tualatin Riverkeepers has steadfastly advocated for additional and more equitable public access to the Tualatin River, and we continue to focus education and outreach efforts on underserved communities. Over the course of 2022, through support from the Oregon State Marine Board, we assessed current launches along the river and worked with community partners to better understand current and historic barriers to access of the river.
We reviewed the status of public access, active projects, and plans for future development; discussed what equitable access is and looks like for the Tualatin River; listened to community priorities and needs in terms of access locations and features; and worked on a common vision of what equitable access to the Tualatin River National Recreation Trail means and looks like.
As the map of the river and its launches shows, there are significant gaps, particularly as you move toward the upper watershed. For many of our watershed’s residents, barriers to access don’t show up on a map. These barriers include transportation, fewer parks adjacent to the river, and a historic lack of inclusion in the fields, and decision-making, of outdoor recreation and conservation.
In December 0f 2022, we collaborated with The Intertwine Alliance to convene a forum of stakeholders in the management of public land along the Tualatin River and held in-person and virtual Community Roundtables for those who wade, swim, fish, boat, and float on the river. The work of defining equitable access is slow, challenging, and of the utmost importance, and we are thankful to all of our partners in helping us through the process.
In 2023, the Oregon State Marine Board renewed their support for this work. Over the course of 2024, TRK will be working directly with our partners along the river to plan for specific projects that will lead toward additional launches and – most importantly – access for communities that have not traditionally had it.
