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URBAN FORESTRY

November 2020

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City Council Adopts Tree Code Amendments

Two volunteers measure the diameter of a Portland tree.

The trunk of a tall tree in front of leaves lit by the sun.

Large trees provide important public health and environmental services that will take decades to replace if removed during development. Requiring more trees to be preserved and protected serves us all.

Update Alert:

On November 12, 2020, City Council unanimously approved two development-related tree code amendments. The amendments will go into effect on December 12, 2020. Thank you to everyone that participated in the process. Your voices were heard!

As a result of these important amendments, more trees will be preserved or planted across more areas of the City. The amendments will:

Remove exemptions to tree preservation and tree planting requirements for properties zoned:

Central Commercial (CX)
Central Employment (EX)
General Industrial 1 (IG1)
Heavy Industrial (IH) when City-owned or managed

Require preservation of trees 20 inches in diameter at 4.5 feet (DBH) and greater when development occurs on private property:

Or, pay a fee in lieu of preservation based on the diameter of the tree
- The diameter-based fee is greater than the flat fee previously required for trees between 20 and 36 inches

Before these amendments, preservation was not required until trees were 36 inches DBH and greater! Lowering the size requirement and increasing the fee is intended to promote tree preservation.

Preserving trees in these areas can improve the health and well-being for all Portlanders, particularly, low-income and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities living or working in parts of the City with fewer trees.

In instances where trees cannot be preserved, fees in lieu of preservation will be collected. These fees go into the Tree Planting and Preservation Fund (TPPF), which allows for the planting and ongoing care of trees where the need is the greatest.

Before you go, take a quick scroll through the 2018-19 TPPF Report. It is packed with colorful photos and information on how the fees are spent to keep Portland trees growing strong.

Upcoming Events

Opportunities to learn and volunteer!

www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/workshops

Sign Up Now to Adopt-a-Pop-Up

Do you love visiting your local park? If you do, our Pop-Up Arboreta throughout the City will need a neighbor like you!

From May to September, volunteers are needed to visit their local park with a Pop-Up Arboreta temporarily installed.

Your help would be so important in checking that installed signs are still up and looking good. You would report back to the program manager about any maintenance needs or suggestions. Interested volunteers will work with the program manager to be matched with the park that is the best fit!

The estimated time commitment is for four to eight weeks while the signs are up, and approximately two to four hours weekly. Sign up here!

A young park visitor enjoying Pop-Up Arboreta activities in the summer of 2020.

Arboreta Activity Creator

Are you a creative thinker who has been looking for a way to stay engaged with your tree community? We invite you to bring that creativity to a park near you.

Pop-Ups are popular! In addition to learning about trees, we have seen an increased interest in interacting with park trees, from park visitors of all ages.

This is where your creativity comes in.

Writing a story for others to follow along as they visit a park, or designing a coloring book of the trees you see—however you engage with your local trees, share it with your neighbors!

The time commitment is flexible, and depends entirely on you. Sign up here!

Event Highlights

See photos from recent events!

www.flickr.com/photos/urbanforestry

A shore pine goes to its new home at the Lents Park event.

2020 Yard Tree Giveaway by the Numbers!

Portlanders took home 1,200 trees during this year's Yard Tree Giveaway!

Folks picked up their trees at one of our four drive-through events this year. About 200 to 250 trees were given away at each event.

Urban Forestry delivered another 200 trees to our Hazelwood and Mill Park neighbors.

And more than 50 trees were planted for people with limited mobility.

Thank you to everyone who has, or will, plant trees this year!

We still have a couple dozen trees remaining. If you are interested in a free tree, email Molly at molly.wilson@portlandoregon.gov.

See photos from the events here.

International Press for Portland Urban Forestry

The 2019 YCC Tree Crew learned climbing techniques from Urban Forestry Operations Manager, Larry Maginnis.

Students at Sitton Elementary plant trees with Urban Forestry volunteers and staff.

Urban Forestry Operations Manager, Larry Maginnis, demonstrates climbing techniques and equipment to Youth Conservation Crew Tree Crew members in 2019. Volunteers and Urban Forestry staff plant trees with students at Sitton Elementary School.

Last fall, Portland's Urban Forestry program was formally recognized by the Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA). Urban Forestry was recognized for exceeding standards and demonstrating excellence in advancing the science, policy, and operations in urban forest management.

Following that achievement, Botanic Specialists, Gina Dake and Nik Desai, were interviewed for a feature article in the most recent issue of the SMA publication, City Trees.

The interview captures an excellent overview of the great work that Urban Forestry staff do to grow and care for Portland's trees.

Read all about your urban forestry program here!

In Other News

Report Dying Western Redcedar: The Oregon Department of Forestry is asking you to report areas with pockets of dying western redcedar as part of a study to map where this is happening and establish monitoring sites. Look out for sites where two or more Western redcedar trees look like they are dying or in decline. Signs or symptoms to look for include thinning crowns, dieback from the top of the tree, or entire branches becoming brown and dying. If you see any of this happening, please send location information to: christine.j.buhl@oregon.gov.

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Mayor Ted Wheeler • Director Adena Long