"Situated in the rugged hills west of downtown Portland, Forest Park is the nation's premier urban natural sanctuary. It supports essential habitat for hundreds of native plants and animals, including species at risk, and is one of the largest city parks in the world. While extending critical ecosystem services to the region, it covers miles of outstanding hiking trails, all within minutes of the downtown core. Forest Park: Exploring Portland's Natural Sanctuary showcases this treasure in a new light, offering a compendium of the most up-to-date and comprehensive information available. Twenty-one hikes covering seventy-five miles bring a full awareness of the park's outstanding attributes. Hikes are grouped by theme to encourage people to explore Forest Park's watersheds, geology, lichens and mosses, vegetation, amphibians and reptiles, pollinators, native wildlife, and wildlife corridors. Beautiful photographs and full-color maps accompany each trail description. Forest Park is a shining example of the Pacific Northwest western hemlock community-an ecosystem unique among all temperate forests of the world. It is also an exciting model for a future Urban Biodiversity Reserve, a concept that would recognize the park's scientific, natural, and cultural qualities. Forest Park will help all visitors discover the beauty and wonders of this extraordinary natural resource"-- Provided by publisher

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Foreword / by Kathleen Dean Moore Geology of Forest Park History of Forest Park Watersheds of Forest Park Vegetation of Forest Park Wildlife of Forest Park Amphibians and reptiles of Forest Park Pollinators of Forest Park Lichens of Forest Park Fungi of Forest Park Mosses of Forest Park Trails of Forest Park Great hikes for families and kids Great hikes for wildflowers Great hikes for birdwatching Great hikes to get to know your ecosystem Great hikes for getting in shape Forest Park : urban biodiversity reserve