HOPE Walks Trail Maps: Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge
Introducing the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Trails Map, the fifth in our HOPE Walks Trail Maps series and first in Oregon. HOPE Walks is an ongoing set of activity-centered maps commissioned by Hope Dementia Support, with a special focus on aging populations, including those with dementia and those who care for them. This map was made with partnership support by the Alzheimers Association.
Studies have been shown that time outdoors has a positive health impact on individuals with dementia as with all populations. These maps are designed as a resource focusing on accessible nature trails, with this broader health focus in mind.
As Hope Dementia Support Vice President Julie Donovan explains in an article in the Reflector on the project: “It’s about enabling people to be outside and creating more peace-of-mind safety around that.”
The Tualatin River NWR map focuses on a selection of flat, easy to navigate trails in eastern part of the refuge, closest to the Visitor Center.
Some key features of the Tualatin River Map include:
Three refuge trails, as well as activities featuring birds, sensory activities, and focus on the white oaks that are abundant along the River Trail.
A focus on the proximity of bathrooms, and accessibility for wheelchairs or walkers
Design focus on clarity and legibility, with activities that are multi-generational in nature for family hikes
Project Credits
This project was commissioned by HOPE Dementia Support, a Vancouver, WA, area non-profit program with the mission of support, education, and advocacy, to individuals caring for those with all kinds of dementia. To learn more about the HOPE Dementia Support mission, programming, and resources, visit here.
Many of the maps in this series have been created in partnership with the Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington. This map was created with partnership support from the Alzheimers Association.
A team that has included community park volunteers has worked with us during content planning meetings on these maps to select trails with natural beauty and accessible features. Each map was designed with the needs of aging populations and individuals with dementia in mind, using a larger font and clear graphics to delineate the features. Each map also includes activities on the reverse side focusing on sensory experiences, designed for multigenerational use.
Other maps in this series include the Ridgefield National Wildlife Map (found here), the Lacamas Park Map (found here), and the Columbia River Walk Map (found here), and the Columbia Springs Nature area (found here).
Learn more about how to get a copy of any of these maps, by visiting the HOPE Dementia Support programming page.