Recap: Olmsted Network 2026 Conference

From September 23 to 25, 2026, the Olmsted Network brought together park partners from 87 organizations—representing 53 cities and 20 states (plus Washington, DC, and Canada)—for its Annual Conference in Portland, OR. Across three days of learning throughout the city’s abundant green spaces, participants engaged in energetic and meaningful conversations about resilient public landscapes. 12 PDH (LA CES/HSW) hours were available over the course of the event.

Conference programming began on September 24 with the 2026 keynote presentation—Parks as Civic Infrastructure: Connecting Communities in a Changing World—by Dr. Vivek Shandas of Portland State University. Dr. Shandas examined the ways parks can help communities become healthier, more connected, and more resilient, serving to set the scene for subsequent panels and sessions.

From there, attendees gained valuable insights from our first panel. Building Political Will for Parks: Funding the Public Parks We Want explored how cities define their vision for public parks, build political will around that vision, address historic inequities, and develop sustainable funding strategies that support more just outcomes for today’s communities and future generations.

Later that afternoon, attendees enjoyed small-group conversations focused on one of ten topics shaping the future of public parks; a presentation on Terwilliger Parkway; and guided tours of Laurelhurst Park and Mount Tabor Park. The day ended with a special History Happy Hour hosted by Sellwood Community House.

The final day of the conference kicked off with flash presentations from five PNW-area leaders and historians. They were challenged to cover a century of history—from John Charles Olmsted’s visionary 1903 Portland plan to the continuation of the Olmsted vision through contemporary projects like the 40 Mile Loop—in just seven minutes each. Watch the recording here.

The day continued with four concurrent “Topic Table” lunch sessions (watch one of the sessions: Early Days of a Friends Group), a case study presentation from Portland Parks Foundation, and a final panel exploring how different disciplines work together to navigate the realities of a park’s life cycle while adapting to changing needs and preserving what makes it significant.

Attendees then split into groups to visit a diverse array of Portland’s most exciting greenspaces and initiatives, from the nearby South Park Blocks to Forest Park, Peninsula Park, and the Albina Neighborhood. Across these sites, they saw not just scenic vistas and pretty parks but spaces that are being carefully stewarded and even reimagined—testaments to the power of public space to bring people together.

That night, guests gathered at the Oregon Historical Society for a dinner and ceremony honoring the Olmsted Network’s 2026 Award Winners:

• Caroline Loughlin Volunteer Service Award—Victoria Post Ranney (Chicago, IL)
• Olmsted Stewardship Award—Donald Harris (Seattle, WA), Mike Houck (Portland, OR), and Earl Jones (Louisville, KY)
• President’s Awards —Airport2Park & Great Park Coalition (Santa Monica, CA), People of Color Outdoors (Portland, OR), and Weequahic Park Association (Newark, NJ)
• Certificates of Appreciation—Portland Parks Alliance (Portland, OR) and William J. Hawkins, III (Portland, OR)

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