Protect Our Parks is a grassroots  organization formed by concerned local citizens whose goal is to protect ALL Hood River parks. 

​It is crucial that we safeguard our green spaces for present and future generations.

A lost park is lost forever!

Who we are

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​Protect Our Parks Hood River actively promotes the acquisition, use, care, and support of city parks in Hood River, Oregon. We do this in a number of ways:
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Activities We Engage In:

• Campaigning for parks protection by local city government
• Supporting individuals running for public office who will protect parks and open space in the city
• Promoting awareness of city parks through activities in city parks. For example, we may sponsor disc golf activities in a local park – either for the community generally, or for kids at various age levels. During that event, we will about habitat, trees in the park, and urban forest benefits to climate, along with teaching disc golf.
• Educating the public about local parks – their history, tree inventory, size, usage, and value for public recreation.
• Communicating through our social media platforms to inform our followers and the public about our stand on local parks issues, share information on park openings (during the Covid-19 crisis), and publicizing activities in the parks.
• Investigating activities and protections for parks throughout the US that may be of interest to our community.
• Cleaning up parks: We may engage in park cleanup including activities like picking up trash and debris, helping to remove invasive and non-native plant species in parks, or​ assisting in city events that include civic activities within parks.

Protect Our Parks is now working in Morrison Park 

​Protect Our Parks Hood River is now working in Morrison Park to complete the upgrade of the disc golf course. 
New tee-boxes, an updated kiosk, bridge enhancement, and new picic tables will be coming soon. 

Want to contribute?  Checks can be mailed to Protect Our Parks Hood River, PO Box 620, Hood River OR 97031    ​

Why urban parks are so important

Hood River is surrounded by nature, and offers plenty of outdoor activities to local citizens. So why do we care so much about small city parks? Are they really that important? Yes, they are, and for many reasons!

• Health: Numerous studies reveal that contact with nature reduces stress and anxiety, reducing healthcare costs related to chronic diseases. More and more healthcare practitioners have been prescribing walks in nature to their patients. Also, trees remove toxins from the air and filter rain water before it reaches streams and rivers, improving public health.
• ​Access and equitability: Not everyone can afford or has the means to drive to trail heads, or buy expensive water, wind or mountain gear. In fact, many local people depend on parks they can walk to from their homes to recreate, exercise, socialize and stay healthy. People are more likely to go out on walks and be in touch with nature if they can walk to a park.
• Environment: mitigation of climate change, prevention of soil erosion, storm water management, flood mitigation, habitat for fauna and flora and temperature regulation are just a few examples of how important urban parks are to our local and global environments. 
• Crime and Public Safety: studies have shown that areas with more trees and green spaces are linked to lower crime rates. Children who have access to local parks are more likely to engage in healthy activities and sports, and less likely to become involved with drugs and crimes.

The Parks & Rec Department surveyed hundreds of city residents last year, and "97% said that local parks, recreation options, and open space opportunities are important or essential to the quality of life in the Hood River Valley."  Our county parks are already at risk with fundraisers taking place to help them stay open.  We want to protect our city parks, keep the ones we have, and hopefully protect all the ones we will develop for our future generations that live in Hood River.

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