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Green has a smell—it’s April in Portland. It’s misty rain falling on the last of the daffodil bloom, dirt softening to make way for reaching buds, brown-edged camellias littering the sidewalks like slippery pastel lily pads. There’s an abundance of new life bursting out of every corner right now, and over at WW, we decided to shine a spotlight on our city’s nature—the good, the grand and the at risk.
Did you know you don’t need to hike all the way out to the Gorge to feel full-on immersed in the earth’s bounty? We’ve got your guide to natural spaces in town erupting with wild greenery below (the volcanoes at Powell Butte and Mount Tabor are both extinct, so roam with ease). Even our smaller city parks have big-time charm, but they need your help as Mayor Keith Wilson gears up to propose a new budget impacting Portland Parks & Recreation. Maybe take a note from the Sellwood neighbors of Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge—they’ve been keeping diligent watch as a new apartment complex and amusement park ride are set to butt up against the critter paradise. And if you just prefer to gawk at our town’s gorgeous nature, we’ve got a roundup of our most famous trees with their celebrity look-alikes. You heard us—it’s a map to the arboreal stars.
This is supposed to be a hot summer. The tree leaves might slightly bleach, the grass will crisp, the land will get a little parched—but right now, the green is still bountiful. Go take a whiff. —Robin Bacior, Arts & Culture Editor
