Thank you to Friends of Gabriel Park, SOLVE, and Portland Parks City Nature for spending a sunny Saturday morning to clear some entrenched ivy from the Gabriel Park natural area near the pollinator meadow. There were trilliums poking through, along with shooting star wildflowers in the nature patch. We hope to add native plants this fall to prevent the ivy from growing back. Come and see the beautiful wildflowers.
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Volunteer Work Party, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, 9 am – 12 pm:
Join Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) and Friends of Gabriel Park to help remove invasive ivy from the Gabriel Park natural area on Saturday, February 11 from 9 am to 12 pm. Restore the park’s natural area and get it ready for spring!
PP&R will provide tools, gloves, water, coffee, snacks and project instruction. Please dress for the weather, wear layers, wear sturdy shoes, bring rain gear, water bottle and coffee mug .
Pre-registration is required, and you can sign up at:
https://www.portland.gov/parks/nature/events/2023/2/11/gabriel-park-volunteer-ivy-removal-event.
Thanks for helping take care of our park!
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Gabriel Park Volunteer Planting Event, 1/14/2023:
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• Gabriel Park volunteer event with Portland Parks & Recreation, Dec. 10, 2022:
Project details: Join Portland Parks & Recreation, Friends of Gabriel and SOLVE to help remove ivy in Gabriel Park. Please dress for the weather, wear layers, wear sturdy shoes, bring rain gear, personal water bottle and snacks. Tools, gloves, project instruction will be provided. Volunteers will be hiking to the project site and will be working off trail and on uneven ground. This event is family-friendly and all ages are welcome to participate. However, children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult for the duration of the event. There is a porta-potty near the project site to use.
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• The Birds & Bees of Gabriel Park, 1-3pm, Tues, June 7, 2022:
Join the Friends of Gabriel Park to learn about birds and pollinators living at the park. Project details: Join the Friends of Gabriel Park at Gabriel Park to enjoy the beautiful 90+ acre park! Friends of Gabriel Park will lead a FREE workshop on pollinators and birds in the local area. There is no registration for this event. Just show up. Face coverings are optional to wear at the event. Kids are welcome.
Address: Meet at the Gabriel Park entrance off SW Canby St at the covered shelter just past the community garden on the right. MAP
Parking: There is a parking lot just off SW Canby St. as you turn into the park entrance. Please park in this lot and walk to the meeting location. Parking lot MAP
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• Gabriel Park Play Date, Saturday, May 14, 2022:
Come celebrate the new inclusive playground at Gabriel Park on Saturday, May 14, 10:30am – 12:30pm. Parks Commissioner Carmen Rubio and Director Adena Long will lead a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by free cupcakes and activities. All are welcome!
The new playground is located at the northeast corner of the park near SW 37th Avenue and SW Vermont Street and is about three times larger than the old play area. Inclusive playgrounds provide a rich play experience, addressing physical, sensory, and social needs of all children and their caregivers, and are designed with universal accessibility in mind, accommodating everyone and challenging them at their own developmental level. This project was funded by the 2014 Parks Replacement Bond and System Development Charges.
More info at: https://www.portland.gov/parks/construction/gabriel-park-inclusive-playground-project
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• Spring 2022 is all a-buzz:
Bumblebee photo by Nathan Schulte
• Work Party: November 13, 2021:
Friends of Gabriel Park volunteers pulled invasive English Ivy and cleared debris.
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• July 5, 2021:
Friends of Gabriel Park partnered with SOLV and organized a work party to clean up litter and fireworks debris in the park!
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• May 22, 2021: FREE Nature Walks!
• Work Party, 11/14/20:
Friends of Gabriel Park volunteers and Portland Parks & Recreation joined forces for a morning of invasive plant removal in the park’s natural area. Thank-you volunteers and PPR organizer Mary Verilli! mary.verrilli@portlandoregon.gov
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Pollinator Meadow and Nature Patch Signs: August 2020:
Click the photo below to see all 15 new signs!
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“Pop-up Arboretum”: July 2020:
Click the photo below for more information!
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“Spring in Gabriel Park, 4/2020”, (c)2020 Peter J. DeCrescenzo
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Pollinators are very “beesy” in the new Pollinator Meadow in Gabriel Park!
3/18/20 photos by Marita Ingalsbe of FOGP.
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1/25/20: Major construction on the new shelter in the Gabriel Park Nature Patch is complete!
1/25/20: Major construction on the new shelter in the Gabriel Park Nature Patch is complete!
1/25/20: Major construction on the new shelter in the Gabriel Park Nature Patch is complete!
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11/30/19: Construction of the new shelter in the Gabriel Park Nature Patch continues! The foundation concrete and vertical corner posts are in, and the roof rafters are in place. Weather permitting, construction should be completed soon. Very exciting!
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Aug. 30, 2019: The Gabriel Park Nature Patch in bloom!
Rare Sinuous Snaketail dragonfly (Ophiogomphus occidentis) visits the Nature Patch! This is only the second recorded siting ever of this species in Multnomah County. — Photo by Susan Masta
I want to share that the community gathering shelter for the nature patch across from the orchard will be moving ahead. Construction is likely to occur around mid-October through mid-November 2019. There may be materials/equipment staged in the parking lot temporarily but it shouldn’t be very long. Let me know if you have activities happening this fall that we should be aware of avoiding impacts to. Thanks!
Eric Rosewall
Program Coordinator | Ecological Landscapes
Portland Parks & Recreation, 6437 SE Division Street, Portland, OR 97206
portlandoregon.gov/parks/eco
https://youtu.be/UqoBSK0KYqg
503-341-0855 (mobile)
The Gabriel Park Nature Patch structure will be similar to the one at Sabin School.
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PLANTING THE GABRIEL NATURE PATCH, MARCH 9, 2019:
Volunteers helped put the finishing touches on the Gabriel Park Nature Patch – a new natural landscape for pollinators and people.
Parks staff have been busy moving earth, placing logs and boulders, and installing fencing to create this cool space. Once complete, the Gabriel Nature Patch will feature native and ornamental flowering shrub beds, natural seating, and interesting habitat elements. The patch overlooks a beautiful pollinator meadow brimming with native forbs, grasses, and wildflowers to support wildlife. At this event, we’ll install hundreds of plants to bring life to the nature patch.
WHERE: South Gabriel Park – across from the community garden and orchard – off of SW 40th Avenue and SW Canby Street. Google Map here.
Parking: is available at two small parking lots and on adjacent streets. Transit options include nearby Trimet bus stops on lines 44 and 45.
Learn more about the project and please RSVP to attend online at: www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/eco
- Eric Rosewall
Ecologically Sustainable Landscapes
Portland Parks & Recreation
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POLLINATOR MEADOW “NATURE PATCH” CONSTRUCTION (as of Nov 2018):
PAST MEETINGS & EVENTS of note (click photos to enlarge):
• WORK PARTY: 11/4/17: Portland Parks & Recreation hosted a volunteer event at Gabriel Park restoring the upper pollinator meadow with leaf mulch, invasive removal and mulching the fence line. A family friendly event and all ages are welcome (children must be supervised by an adult). Instruction, tools, gloves and snacks were provided. Thanks-you volunteers!
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• WORK PARTY, 10/5/17: SW Trails work party in Gabriel Park from 9AM to Noon. Volunteers worked on SW Trail #3 as it exits Gabriel Park heading West to the Presbyterian Church. Trail grading, a short bit of new trail construction, brushing, and trail closure of some demand trails in the area. Guided by the Portland Parks Lands Stewardship folks. Tools, gloves, and materials provided by Portland Parks & Recreation. Thank-you volunteers!
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• MULTNOMAH DAYS, 8/19/17: : Friends of Gabriel Park volunteers hosted an information table in the SW Watershed Resource Center Environmental Tent. Many of our neighbors stopped by to say hello to our volunteers and learn more about Gabriel Park and FOGP.
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• MEETING: 8/7/17: Gabriel Park Pollinator Meadow informational meeting at the SW Community Center to learn about the Gabriel Park Pollinator Meadow Project. Share your thoughts about this project. Read the Gabriel Park Pollinator Meadow FAQ (PDF)
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• WORK PARTY, 6/10/17: Volunteers installed fencing along Gabriel Park’s new Pollinator Meadow. A family friendly event. Tools, gloves, water, coffee and snacks provided by PP&R.
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• MEETING 3/20/17: PARKS BOND: SUPPORT THE GABRIEL PARK PLAYGROUND RENOVATION: During the Parks Bond Town Hall meeting at the MAC, we learned renovation of the playground in Gabriel Park is on the list of proposed projects. However, it’s not a sure thing yet! Please register your support and comments before April 4th using the online comment form!
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• WORK PARTY 2/18/17: Mary Verrilli of Portland Parks & Recreation reports: Thank you for spending your Saturday morning volunteering in Gabriel Park in partnership with FOGP and SOLVE to help restore this natural area for our future pollinator meadow! Today we collectively planted 435 native plants, removed 250 sq. ft. of ivy and mulched about 500 sq. feet along the meadow. Thanks to all your hard work, we got a lot done today. We can’t do this work without your volunteer efforts. I hope to see you next time. Below are some photos from today. To learn more about our stewardship program and to find out about other volunteer opportunities with PPR, visit www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/stewardship
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WORK PARTY 10/22/16: Portland Parks’ “Parke Diem” program held an event at Gabriel Park to spread mulch along the edge of the future Pollinator Meadow! See: http://www.portlandpf.org/parke-diem-1/gabriel-park
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• WORK PARTY 9/1/16: SW Trails held a Work Party in Gabriel Park guided by Parks Lands Stewardship Soft Surface Trails folks. Volunteers did a trail reroute on SW Trail #3 as it passes through the park and some additional brushing and tread work. It was a fine day to get some exercise and help SW Trails improve the Urban Trail System!
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• WORK PARTY 6/11/16: Neighborhood volunteers worked with Parks staff to extend a new split-rail wood fence along one of the forested nature trails. Everyone had a great time! Admire their work next time you’re on the trail!
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• 4/20/16: PRESENTATION: “The bumble bees of Gabriel Park”: Spring is here and the construction of Gabriel Park’s pollinator meadow is underway, so it’s a great time to learn more about the native pollinators in our neighborhood. At our April meeting Dr. Susan Masta gave a presentation on the bumble bees found in Gabriel Park. We learned about their biology, life cycle, and how they pollinate plants. Dr. Masta is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at PSU, and curates the Dept.’s insect collections of the Museum of Natural History.
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• 4/23/16: EARTH DAY Work Party: Our wonderful volunteers began the process of spreading mulch along the entire length of the new Pollinator Meadow in south Gabriel Park, between the new wire fence and gravel walkway. To be continued!
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Western Screech Owl
Susan Masta (LL) dissects an owl pellet.
• 2/17/16: Jay Withgott and Susan Masta gave a presentation on the owls of Gabriel Park at the Friends of Gabriel Park monthly meeting at SW Community Center.
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• 1/30/16 WORK PARTY: Volunteers built constructed brush piles using invasive trees cut from the natural areas. We planted 300 plants of several native species, and created a number of brush piles from two invasive trees that were cut down. Brush piles create great habitat for wildlife in areas that don’t have a lot of cover. Volunteers also planted native trees and shrubs in areas that have been cleared of ivy in the central forest behind the new sections of volunteer-installed split rail fence. Everyone had a blast, and it felt like we really made some good progress!
“After” photo, showing new plantings & brush piles.
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Sledding in Gabriel Park, 1/3/16.
Snow in Gabriel Park, 1/3/16.
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• 11/15/15: Work has started on the new Pollinator Meadow nature area in Gabriel Park! Click the photo to enlarge. Click here for more info.
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• Sat., 10/24/15, No Ivy Day Work Party: PP&R and Friends of Gabriel Park removed ivy in the natural area to help restore our beautiful park. A family friendly event. Tools, gloves, water, coffee/tea and snacks were provided. Site Coordinator: Nathan Schulte. For more information please contact Mary Verrilli at 503-823-9423 or mary.verrilli@portlandoregon.gov
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• Thurs., 10/22/15: Janelle St. Pierre, Staff Ecologist with Portland Parks & Recreation conducted a tour of the Gabriel Park Southern Park Concept Plan project area (see above) from 4:30- 5:30 starting at the parking lot next to the Community Garden.
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• Tues., 10/13/15: SW Trails & AARP conducted a guided walk through Gabriel Park and Multnomah Village. Walkers followed routes through the park and village strolling on sidewalks, trails, and roadways. Aprox. 2.4 miles, 1 hour 15 min., 4,800 steps. Hashtag: #wearewalkinghere
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Friends of Gabriel Park 
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