A closure has been announced for an East Multnomah County nature park in an attempt to clean things up after years of homeless camping drove locals away.
The Oregon Department of State Lands announced an immediate closure Monday, May 12, of about 50 acres of the Sandy River Delta for a sweeping restoration project. The temporary action includes the state-owned portion of wooded thickets and swampy banks between the sandy River and Thousand Acres parking lot.
The 1,500 acre-area was known for its ecological diversity and was a valued place for hiking, birdwatching and dog walking with miles of trails. There is also a large protected wildlife habitat. But in recent years it has become a flashpoint as large homeless encampments were erected…