As an employee of the Portland Water Bureau, Kevin Duff's job as the Powell Butte Nature Park Caretaker fits him like a well-worn pair of work boots. For the past three years Kevin has served as caretaker and park steward. He clears out invasive species, plants trees and shrubs, maintains the park facilities, removes graffiti and - perhaps most importantly - helps the public appreciate and protect the park's flora and fauna. It is in this stewardship role that Kevin is the public face for both the Water Bureau and Portland Parks & Recreation.

Kevin interacts frequently with park users, answering questions, giving directions, and also reminding people of the park rules that help ensure that the area's natural resources and wildlife are protected for all to enjoy. From routine reminders about keeping dogs on leashes and staying on approved trails, to talking with people about more serious infractions (taking plants, trees and wood from the park, or dumping trash), Kevin helps park users understand that even picking a few ripe blackberries affects the balance of the park's ecosystem.

"Many people don't think about the aggregate effect of the over 100,000 people a year using these 600 acres," he says. "They don't see the impact of their one small action. The resources to support wildlife here are very thin."

Kevin says that one of the more rewarding aspects of his job is seeing the return of wildlife species that have been absent from the park for some time. He has seen Meadowlark, California quail, Savannah sparrow, Harrier hawks and Northern shrike. The presence of these and other bird species is a positive sign that the park can provide healthy habitat for wildlife as well as be a place for people to enjoy.  

Dick Hall has been a member of the Powell Butte Heights Homeowner's Association for 12 years. He lives in one of the 76 homes that occupy the property abutting the east side of Powell Butte Nature Park. Residents like Dick were greatly impacted by the first phase of the reservoir project, from the noise of trucks passing on the nearby haul road to the changes in trails and park access points. When Phase 2 begins, Dick and his fellow HOA members will be impacted by the work of installing a large section of conduit to supply the reservoir and related valve vault, as well as truck noise.

What could be a recipe for disgruntled citizens has instead been an example of community outreach done right. "Tim Hall has done an excellent job," says Dick. (Tim is a PWB senior public outreach coordinator.) "Before and during the project, Tim gave us a lot of information on the impacts of the work, the number of trucks that would be using the road, and how the City would take care of dust. He met with us as an association regularly and made it as painless as possible by giving us an overview of what would happen, when and how. Having a single point of contact helped a lot."

The HOA will be impacted during Phase 2 of the project when the pipeline work begins. Dick says he feels confident that the Water Bureau will continue to keep the HOA informed. "Tim will make sure we know when it's coming and how it will impact our properties. Tim and the engineers will come out to talk with us and stake out where the pipeline will go, and we can put that information in our newsletter," says Dick.

The property the HOA occupies was once part of the former Anderegg Dairy. The 600 acres on top of the butte were sold to the City in 1925 and in 1987 became Powell Butte Nature Park. When a housing developer purchased the Powell Butte Heights property, the City required that an HOA be created. Over time, management of the HOA transitioned from a management company to the property owners. Dick currently serves as president of the association.