By Andrew Felton, Education & Outreach Specialist, Tualatin SWCD
A recent collaboration between Tualatin SWCD and community members living along Hall Creek has resulted in approximately seven acres of improved, connected habitat that will benefit wildlife, water quality, and people.
Hall Creek has experienced substantial change over time.
This tiny creek flows through northern Tualatin Valley. Over time, the area has been transformed from oak savanna to cattle pasture and dairy farms to a bustling urban neighborhood. When the golf craze hit Portland in the 1920s, a short-lived golf course was even built along the creek’s banks.
Today, Hall Creek starts its journey as a trickle near Canyon Road. It steadily travels through neighborhoods and Raleigh Park before joining Beaverton Creek near downtown Beaverton. Like the area surrounding Hall Creek, the creek looks nothing like it used to.
As the community continues to grow, the natural areas surrounding Hall Creek have been broken up into smaller and more disconnected pieces. This has caused the wildlife in the area to struggle to find food and shelter. Over time, the path of the creek was also restricted to an artificially straightened channel. The processes of habitat fragmentation and stream channelization have drastic consequences for local wildlife and the health of the creek.