Intertwine Alliance Regional Trails Advocacy Group
A fully functional regional trails network is a key part of The Intertwine Alliance’s mission to preserve and nurture a healthy regional system of parks, trails and natural areas in the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region.
In May 2024, The Intertwine Alliance began regularly convening trails advocates and trails planners throughout the region. Our focus will be advocacy and funding for building out the regional trails network. The intention is to develop a permanent standing group that addresses both short-term actions and long-term strategies.
Purposes
- Build our shared identity as a regional coalition and understanding of The Intertwine as our bi-state regional trails network
Increase diversity, inclusion, safety and environmental justice benefits on trails throughout the region
Be a strong hub for sharing advocacy and funding needs, opportunities and resources, and for collective problem solving
Increase connectivity of trail systems throughout the region
Clearly define regional need along with collective actions we can take to secure funding and develop collaborative projects
Develop a successful advocacy model and regional funding strategy, and keep it alive
Identify and be able to communicate shovel-ready projects for the 2025 state legislative session (and beyond) and for federal funding
The group is meant to be complementary and not redundant of:
- The Oregon Trails Coalition. This will be a regional partner of the state coalition, which will liaise with and help activate the statewide coalition’s goals. Work can include bringing attention and resources to the Oregon Signature Trails in our region.
The Metro Quarterly Trails Forum, which will remain a much bigger group that is focused on the sharing of important trails info through presentations. The new group will be a place to activate together on things we’ve learned at the Trails Forums.
The Intertwine Alliance Parks Leaders Group, which meets quarterly, and will have regular regional trails topics. There might be some content overlap, but the parks directors will focus more on high-level coordination and strategy for the regional system. This new group could include project management staff from the jurisdictions, and might focus more on informing advocacy, regional trails funding strategy, and on-the-ground implementation.
Format
- Quarterly meetings
- 90 minutes
- Meetings will be scheduled for different months than Metro Quarterly Trails Forums
Next meeting - Wed, Aug. 13, from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
Notes from past meetings
May 2025
To join this group's email list and calendar invites, please email Director Tara Wilkinson at tara@theintertwine.org.