Baltimore Woods is one of the few remnants of the vast native forest that once blanketed the Willamette Valley and then was logged at the turn of the 20th century. The stretch of white oak habitat that is Baltimore Woods is a crucial link for wildlife movement and bird migration along the Willamette bluff, stretching from Willamette Cove north to Smith and Bybee wetlands. Friends of Baltimore Wood
s (FoBW) volunteers strive to preserve and restore the woods and improve its ecological capabilities as wildlife forage and shelter, and as a healthy, functioning watershed. The southern half of Baltimore Woods is situated on the steep slope along unimproved North Decatur Street between Baltimore and Catlin streets. The northern end of Baltimore Woods contains a large meadow that was depaved in 2012 and a 10-acre wooded area. The total area is around 40 acres. We are gradually helping facilitate the purchase of the lots that are still privately owned, or negotiating their protection by interested property owners. When we started this project, most of Baltimore Woods was degraded by erosion and vulnerable to invasive non-native plants such as English ivy, Himalayan blackberry, and wild clematis – perfect tinder for explosive, fast-spreading fires. Our goal is to restore a healthy, balanced forest, which will benefit the entire neighborhood by making destructive fires less likely in the future. Once established, native plantings like Oregon grape, snowberry, red-flowering currant, and sword fern will anchor the denuded sloped areas, stabilize mature trees, and enrich the soil, enabling it to absorb and filter storm water runoff from the Cathedral Park neighborhood. FoBW volunteers, working with SOLVE, have been working on restoration of various sections of Baltimore Woods for several years. Many residents along this corridor are seizing the opportunity to join us in restoring the native understory and plant young white oaks. This kind of participation is one of the most rewarding ways to get involved in a project that will make a real quality-of-life difference for local residents, nature lovers, and our wildlife friends.
