Fun Finds from the Park Tree Inventory

Inventory volunteers identifying a tree at Montavilla Park.

Ainsley, a Team Leader, shows new volunteers how to locate park trees on a tablet. Inventory volunteers puzzle through tree identification at Montavilla Park.

The Park Tree Inventory is back in full swing for the second year this summer. Volunteers from across the City are coming together to identify, measure, and map trees in Portland’s developed parks.

In June, 94 volunteers went through a rigorous training process to become Team Leaders, where they learned skills in inventory protocol and tree identification. These Team Leaders will spend the summer guiding new volunteers through inventory workdays collecting tree data.

In only five parks, we have already inventoried 925 trees! Here are some highlights of what volunteers have found:

At Holladay Park, we found the tree with the biggest diameter measured in the inventory so far – a giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) with a diameter of 86.9 inches. That’s over 7 feet across!
The tallest tree inventoried so far is a 146-foot Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) in Oregon Park.
An uncommon find, a Montpelier maple (Acer monspessulanum) was inventoried in Montavilla Park.
A black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) in Holladay Park was measured at 75 feet tall–one of the largest known specimens in Portland.

We are looking forward to more big, tall, and interesting trees this summer and we invite you to join us at a park near you!

Upcoming Events

Opportunities to learn and volunteer!

www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/workshops

Volunteers work together to determine the height of a Douglas-fir

Inventory Season is Here!

The Tree Inventory Project is a city-wide community science effort to inventory Portland’s trees.

This summer, we will be measuring trees in 17 parks across Portland. Inventory volunteers build tree identification skills, learn hands-on forestry surveying techniques, and meet fellow tree huggers.

The Tree Inventory Project is looking for volunteers for workdays throughout the summer. No experience necessary! A trained Team Leader will teach you everything you need to know. Check out our workday calendar and join us at your neighborhood park!

Upcoming Workdays:

Peninsula Park, Wednesday, July 11, 2018 Register here

Willamette Park, Saturday, July 14, 2018 Register here

Argay Park, Saturday, July 21, 2018 Register here

More Upcoming Events

Interpretive Tree Walk: Friday, July 20, 2018 at Harrison Park, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm. Urban Forestry will be hosting guided tree walks at the Movies in the Park event at Harrison Park. The tree walks are intended to introduce new people to the many benefits of trees! If you want to get involved in leading short tree walks or tabling at events, please contact Dan Gleason at Daniel.Gleason@portlandoregon.gov.

Treevia Night with the Albina Neighborhood Tree Team: Tuesday, July 24, 2018 at the Alberta Street Pub, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm. Treevia returns! The Albina Neighborhood Tree Team hosts this fun event to test your tree knowledge. Tree nerds and novices welcome. Come alone or with a team! Alberta Street Pub, 1036 NE Alberta St. Register here.

Want to learn how to care for your local trees? Become a Neighborhood Tree Steward!

Neighborhood Tree Stewards learning to properly plant trees.

Neighborhood Tree Stewards practice their tree planting skills at a local park. The 2017 graduating class of Neighborhood Tree Stewards wear their new sweatshirts.

Registration is now open for the 2018 Neighborhood Tree Stewards (NTS) Program, scheduled for this September and October.

Through this five-session course, Urban Forestry staff and guest experts will share skills and knowledge to help people care for their neighborhood trees. NTS classes will be both indoors and outdoors, and all classes will be held in East Portland in the Hazelwood Neighborhood.

Participants will learn about:

• Tree identification
• Tree pruning and care
• Tree selection and planting
• Benefits of the urban canopy
• Introduction to tree biology
• Equity and environmental justice
• Portland's Tree Code

The NTS Program is a great way to meet new people while learning the skills and knowledge needed to care for trees. Upon graduation, Tree Stewards will receive a Certificate of Completion and commit to volunteering 40 hours to urban forestry stewardship over the next year.

The cost for the entire course is $50, which includes all course materials, lunches, and a NTS hooded sweatshirt.

Scholarships, childcare and TriMet vouchers are available upon request.

Click HERE to apply.
The deadline to apply is Wednesday, August 8, 2018.
For more information, contact Daniel Gleason at 503-823-4963.

Please share this information with anyone that you think might be interested in learning about trees, community building, and supporting our urban forest.

In Other News

Emerald Ash Borer Readiness: The emerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive insect that kills ash trees. Since 2002, this exotic insect has killed over 100 million trees throughout the United States. While EAB has not yet been detected in Oregon, it is moving rapidly across the U.S. and is now found in over 35 states. To better prepare for the potential arrival of this critter, Oregon now has a statewide Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Readiness and Response Plan. Check it out here.

Urban Forestry's Development Services Permit Center Closed July 9 through July 13, 2018: The Urban Forestry desk at the Development Services Permit Center will be closed Monday, July 9, through Friday, July 13, 2018. Applicants are welcome to drop off completed Removal and Replanting Permit applications with a check for $35 at the receptionist's desk on the 5th floor. We apologize for any inconvenience and will resume regular business hours on Monday, July 16. We appreciate your patience as we continue to work through increased permit volumes and staffing changes. For Urban Forestry Alerts, check here.

2018 Nature in Neighborhoods Grants Provide $800K to Education, Outdoor Experience Programs: Ecology education, scholarships for nature-focused bike camps and urban forestry job training programs are just some of the projects that will receive a collective $800,000 in Nature in Neighborhoods grants from Metro. While reading about the grant recipient projects, perhaps you'll find inspiration for a community project of your own?! Read more about it here.

Search & Register for Classes | Recreation Programs | Nature Programs | PP&R Home Page

Urban Forestry
1900 SW 4th Ave., Portland, OR 97201 • 503-823-8733

Portland Parks & Recreation • www.PortlandParks.org

Commissioner Amanda Fritz • Interim Director Kia Selley