Whitaker Ponds Nature Park
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| Whitaker Ponds Nature Park | |
|---|---|
 Park signage in 2008 | |
 | |
| Location | 7040 Northeast 47th Avenue |
| Nearest city | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Coordinates | 45°34′26″N 122°36′43″W / 45.57384°N 122.6119°W |
| Area | 24.75 acres (10.02 ha) |
| Created | 1998 |
| Operated by | Portland Parks & Recreation |
Whitaker Ponds Nature Park is a park located in northeast Portland, Oregon, United States. The park is maintained by Portland Parks & Recreation and volunteers from the Columbia Slough Watershed Council.[1]
In 1995, Metro and the City of Portland each purchased several land parcels at Whitaker Ponds for use as a public park.[2] Members of the local EnviroCorps program planted native species and removed garbage from the site over the summer of 1995.[3] The park was expanded by more land purchases in 1997 and 2004.[2]
The Whitaker Ponds are two shallow freshwater ponds connected by a metal culvert. In 1995, their combined size was estimated to be 11 acres. A black cottonwood forest grows around the ponds.[2] Mammals seen in the park include beavers, coyotes, and river otters. Bird species include downy woodpeckers, great blue herons, osprey, and willow flycatchers.[2][4]
Nearby is Neerchokikoo, a pre-colonial Chinookan village revitalized as a gathering site for Native Americans in Portland.[5][6]
