Multnomah County - Information for Partners and Participants
Multnomah County is in the northwestern part of Oregon. This county has a total area of 270,400 acres, or 431 square miles. It is the smallest county in the State. Portland, the largest city, is in the center of the county. The population of Multnomah County is 735,334. This makes Multnomah County is the most urbanized county in Oregon with 1,705 persons per square mile.
The number of farms is decreasing but the size of the farms is increasing. Most of the agland is in nursery stock, forage or vegetables, with berries and field crops rounding out the top five enterprises.
The NRCS office, located in Oregon City, offers voluntary technical and financial assistance to private landowners interested in natural resource conservation. Historically, the NRCS has focused on soil erosion by water and has started working on forest health improvements on private land. Energy conservation and organic farming are areas the NRCS is promoting through new initiatives.
Multnomah County Long Range Plan
NRCS Oregon uses a Strategic Approach to Conservation to address priority natural resource concerns in specific watersheds and landscapes across the state. It all begins with a Long Range Plan. Each county develops a Long Range Plan with input from landowners, agency partners and other stakeholders that identifies and prioritizes natural resource concerns in the community. Based on those plans, NRCS works with partners to develop local Conservation Implementation Strategies to help agricultural producers in those targeted areas implement conservation practices that address the resource concerns. Long Range Plans are updated to reflect the changing needs and objectives of the county's natural resources.
Current Financial Assistance Opportunities for Farmers, Ranchers and Forest Owners in Multnomah County
The following Conservation Implementation Strategies are available to help Multnomah County agricultural producers address targeted resource concerns identified in the Long Range Plan. Click the project names below for more information:
In addition to the local projects above, producers may also apply for statewide programs such as the Conservation Stewardship Program, the Organic Initiative, Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative, On Farm Energy Initiative, and conservation easement programs. Visit with your local District Conservationist for more information on these and other programs, or visit the NRCS Programs webpage.
Local Work Group Meetings
Every year, NRCS hosts a Local Work Group meeting where farmers, landowners, conservation partners and other members of the community discuss the natural resource needs for the county. Based on feedback from those meetings, NRCS updates the county's Long Range Plan and develops new Conservation Implementation Strategies to address those resource concerns. You may contact us anytime to express concerns or comments about conservation needs in the county, and we encourage you to attend the next Local Work Group meeting in your county. For more information about Local Work Group meetings, contact your local NRCS office.
Urban farmer Stacey Givens is increasing local crop production with a seasonal high tunnel, installed with assistance from NRCS. She's also doing soil management activities to help her improve the health and productivity of her soils while minimizing excess nutrient applications. Stacey owns a unique operation in Portland’s northeast Cully neighborhood called The Side Yard Farm and Kitchen. It’s an urban farm with three separate lots within one mile from each other, a supper and brunch club, and a catering company.
Fiddlehead Farm is not large, and if you ask owner, Katie Coppoletta, it doesn’t need to be. From crops growing every month of the year, to blossoming hedgerows full of life, Fiddlehead Farm is a cornucopia of good stewardship on display. It’s hard to believe the busy operation “was just a cow pasture” a decade ago. Careful conservation planning allows Coppoletta and her team to maximize production on just six acres of cropland and three seasonal high tunnels in Corbett, Oregon.
