Homeless Encampments are Now Threatening Portland’s Prized Natural Areas 

City officials in Portland and environmental conservationists say homeless encampments are degrading the state’s natural wildlife and rivers. 

Unhoused individuals have used Portland’s wildlife regions as a refuge for decades, but, The Oregonian reported, the pandemic exacerbated the problem.

City officials instituted policies in an effort to curb homelessness. But rather than minimize the population of people who are unhoused, the policies instead pushed them out of sight and into Portand’s wildlife regions.

“The ecological damage from the camping is tremendous – decades of work, millions and millions of public dollars wasted,” Bob Sallinger, urban conservation director for the nonprofit Willamette Riverkeeper, told The Oregonian.

“Trees have been cut down, vegetation has been trampled, water quality has been degraded,” Sallinger continued. “The amount of garbage, including hazardous waste, on these natural sites is remarkable.”

As a result, Portland residents and tourists are turned off from visiting some of the city’s natural areas.

“We understand camping in natural areas is a symptom of a larger issue. They need a place to live and there just aren’t enough housing options for everyone,” said Ken Finney, a supervisor with Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services.

In response to the sharp rise of homeless people setting up encampments in Portland’s wildlife regions, the Bureau of Environment Services hired security staff to patrol the areas in 2021.

Additionally, the Bureau took other measures, such as dropping 20 tons of boulders and rocks around the perimeter of one site, out of hopes of thwarting people from setting up encampments.

Advocates say the city shouldn’t penalize unhoused individuals for trying to find a place to live.

“Yes, there are undeniable, obvious and tangible environmental impacts of encampments,” said social worker Amanda Perrault, according to The Oregonian. “But I don’t blame people for doing what they need to do to survive. I don’t think we can expect them to be able to manage their trash disposal when they’re struggling to find a place to live.”