Resolution 22-32: City Council Approves Natural Areas Natural Habitat Plan

At the December 20, 2022, City council meeting (agenda and video), Lake Oswego City Council adopted Resolution 20-32: Natural Areas Habitat Management Plan.

Per the Natural Areas Management Plan:

The Natural Areas Habitat Management Plan (Plan) focuses on improved ecological resiliency for 27 of the City’ s natural areas and provides a framework for the management of other City-owned natural lands. This Plan seeks to achieve an overarching management goal for Lake Oswego’ s natural areas:

Enhance and restore Lake Oswego’ s natural areas to provide safe and healthy ecosystems.

The purpose of the Plan is to provide a framework for consistent management of natural area parks managed by the City of Lake Oswego:

Enhance and restore Lake Oswego’ s natural areas to provide safe and healthy ecosystems that can support a wide diversity of native plants and animals and adapt to change amidst the increase of recreation, encroachment by invasive species, climate changes, changes to natural water flows, and threats posed by wildfire and climate change.

The Plan is focused on developing habitat- and area- specific management objectives and strategies that are tailored to the existing habitat conditions observed within the City’ s various natural areas.

Anticipated benefits of the Plan include:

  • Providing the City with a framework for planning and prioritizing restoration activities;
  • Providing a framework that can be applied to other smaller or future natural area sites;
  • Ensuring transparency in how natural areas are managed;
  • Providing background information to help support land use approvals for necessary enhancement activities, particularly within areas identified by the City’ s Sensitive Lands Atlas (LOC Article 50. 05. 010); and
  • Streamlining project development for habitat enhancement grant applications.

Section 2 Background, Page 2, of this plan contains the following excerpt:

The recommendations of this Plan are consistent with the City Charter(Chapter X. Section 43. Limitations of Development) which states that” the City of Lake Oswego shall be allowed to maintain ( or allow any person to maintain) a Native Preserve for the purposes of ecological restoration that provides a safe and healthy natural area that is accessible for public enjoyment, provides a healthy habitat for wildlife, eliminates invasive species, restores native species, and mitigates fire hazards.”

Additional Background: