Home - Friends of Moreland Woods

Create a Legacy for Sellwood-Moreland

What is Moreland Woods?

Moreland Woods is a wooded two-acre property located on SE 14th Avenue between SE Duke and SE Claybourne Streets in Portland’s Westmoreland neighborhood.

On the bluff just three blocks west of the Milwaukie-Bybee retail hub, Moreland Woods sits between Wilhelm’s Portland Memorial Mausoleum to the south and Llewellyn School to the north. The Woods is a quiet place, shaded by 20 mature Douglas fir trees, with a dog exercise area, rustic benches, horseshoe pits, abundant wildlife including owls and bald eagles, and views of Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge to the west.

What’s happening there?

Moreland Woods was recently purchased by Foundation Partners Group (FPG), a Florida-based company. FPG expressed an interest in selling the property to a developer in 2017, and hired a broker to market the property. Friends of Moreland Woods came together to intervene. We are working with FPG to arrange for an alternative outcome — one that would preserve the lot’s public values. But the time to act is now.

What’s at stake?

Mature trees, uncommon wildlife, and a peaceful, wooded community space could be harmed or lost if houses were built on the site. In a quickly developing neighborhood, in an even-more-quickly developing city, Moreland Woods represents a unique opportunity for neighbors and local businesses to imagine new possibilities and influence the future of this rare piece of undeveloped land. We are working to create a win-win for everyone.

Who are we?

Friends of Moreland Woods is a neighborhood-based community group and an affiliate of SMILE, the Sellwood Moreland Improvement League. One of Portland’s oldest neighborhood associations, SMILE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and our fiscal sponsor. In November 2017, SMILE formed a sub-committee, Friends of Moreland Woods, to explore all avenues for conservation of Moreland Woods.

Our priorities are conservation of trees and habitat, maintaining open space, providing an educational resource, providing a community gathering space, and enabling public recreation and enjoyment for Westmoreland and the greater Portland community. We strive to remain loyal to these goals while also considering fiscal realities, a wide range of conservation opportunities, and competing demand for land use. We are committed to remaining open to the wishes and concerns of our neighbors in finding a solution for this once-in-a-lifetime moment.

How can you help?

Please join us! Stay informed about Moreland Woods and spread the word by joining our mailing list and by following us on Facebook and Instagram. Become a volunteer and help us connect with supporters, community leaders, experts, and other resources. Attend our meetings. Get involved! Take a stand for this important issue that affects YOU and your community.

Create a Legacy for Sellwood-Moreland

Survey Says: Save the Trees!

Survey Results

Formalizing Our Structure