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| URBAN FORESTRY |
February 2019, published twice a month
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Happy Valentine's Day: Reasons to Show Our Trees Some Love!
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| There are many reasons to love trees all year! On Valentine's Day, remember to share some of that holiday love with our trees.
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We know our lives are made better by trees, but how exactly? Here are just some of the reasons why trees deserve to be your valentine:
- Beauty
- Douglas-firs, dogwoods, madrones, and maples, there are sizes, shapes, and colors to appeal to everyone! See some of our Flickr photos here.
- Shade
- On a hot summer day, the soothing shade of a tree is a welcome relief from the heat. Trees can help keep nearby cars and buildings cooler too. Read more about Portland's trees keeping things cool here.
- Clean air
- Not only do trees produce oxygen for us to breathe, their leaves also help catch and trap some air pollution before we breathe it in. Watch a short video on this and other tree benefits here.
- Fruits and nuts for people and animals
- Apples, plums, pears, walnuts, chestnuts, and filberts (hazelnuts), Portland trees produce an abundance of these foods each year. For a quick look at some of the trees in Urban Forestry's community orchard, click here.
- A place to work or play
- Climbing, pruning, and planting trees provides full-time work for many Portlanders. Check out a list of Local Tree Care Providers here. Countless others play on or around trees at our homes, schools, and parks. See maps of just some of the schools where trees have been planted here.
- Habitat
- The pressures of urbanization are felt by humans and non-humans alike. Trees serve as islands of refuge in the city for the birds, mammals, insects, and reptiles that also call Portland home. Learn more about the popular Backyard Habitat Certification Program here.
We could go on, but you probably get the idea. For more information on the benefits that trees provide, check out the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree Facts page. Once established, a love of trees lasts a lifetime! You can return the love by attending any of our upcoming events. ♥
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| Valentines for trees? Yes, indeed! Portlanders of all ages share why they care about trees.
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| Upcoming EventsOpportunities to learn and volunteer!
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Tree Walk Leader Training
Saturday, March 9, 2019, 10 am - 1 pmLocation: Kenilworth Presbyterian Church, 4028 SE 34th Ave. (map)
Do you like sharing your tree knowledge? Do you want to lead a tree walk, but are not sure how to get started? Urban Forestry offers the Tree Walk Leader Training to help you lead compelling Tree Walks in your neighborhood!
The training is led by Dave Hedberg, author of From Stumptown to Tree Town. He will teach you how to lead a fun and interesting tree walk and explain how great walks are organized. After that, everyone will get a chance to go outside to practice leading a walk in a local park.
Tree walks are a great way to share what you know about the urban forest and to get new people excited about trees.
People of all knowledge and experience levels are welcome. Just bring your interest in trees and a passion for educating others.
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More Upcoming Events
Mallory Meadow Park Planting: Saturday, March 9, 2019, 9 am - 12 pmHelp spruce up Mallory Meadow, a small pocket park that was originally a parking lot and needs some love! Portland Parks & Recreation will be out planting native trees and drought tolerant plants to provide some much-needed shade and greenery. Tools will be provided for volunteers. Register here!
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In Other News
Importance of Funding Street Tree Maintenance, a Look at Detroit's Experience with Expanding Their Urban Canopy: Nearly one-quarter of Detroit's eligible residents opted out of a free street tree planting. Knowing all the benefits that trees provide, why would they do this? A recent study from the University of Vermont attempts to answer this question. Read an article on the study here.
How (And Why) Do You Move a 600,000-Pound Tree? Washington D.C. made it a law in 2016 that trees with a circumference of 100 inches or more could not be cut down as long as they are healthy. These trees either need to be incorporated into development plans or moved. Read about a project to move a large (65-foot-tall) tree here. Portland Fruit Tree Project (PFTP) is Seeking Board of Directors Applications Until Wednesday, February 13, 2019: PFTP is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing equitable access to healthful food and strengthening communities. Volunteer board members are responsible for governing the organization and coordinating day-to-day operations. Learn more here. Celebrating Our State Tree on Oregon State's Birthday, February 14: Though the state of Oregon turns 160 this year, here is a look back at last year's birthday blog post with information on our state tree, the Douglas-fir. Did you know that the scientific name for the Douglas-fir includes three languages? To find out which three, read the article here. Youth Conservation Crew (YCC) is Hiring Summer Crew Leaders, Apply by March 1, 2019:
Tick tock, the clock is counting down! Did you know that many summer jobs do their hiring in winter and spring? You do not want to miss your opportunity to be outdoors this summer with fun and interesting people. You will be doing work that makes a difference, now and for the future! Learn more about the Youth Conservation Crew program here. Then fill out your application for an Adult Crew Leader here!
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