Top 5 Favorite Trees, Upcoming Events
Top 5 Favorite Trees, Upcoming Events
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URBAN FORESTRY
June 2016

In This Issue

  • Now Hiring! Urban Forestry is Seeking a Botanic Specialist II & an AmeriCorps Member
  • Urgent Reminder: Water Trees Planted Within the Last 3 Years!
  • Dutch Elm Disease: Protecting Portland's Elms
  • 30 Companies Attend Local Tree Care Provider Workshops 
  • Top 5 Favorite Trees, Are Your Favorites On the List?
  • Upcoming Urban Forestry Events

Now Hiring! Urban Forestry is Seeking a Botanic Specialist II & an AmeriCorps Member

Join Urban Forestry As a Botanic Specialist II

Closing Date/Time: Mon. 06/13/16 4:30 PM Pacific Time
Salary: $28.39 - $36.21 Hourly
Job Type: Full Time
Location: Urban Forestry, 10910 N Denver Ave., Portland, OR 97217
    The City of Portland's Bureau of Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry Division (PP&R) is seeking a Botanic Specialist II - Forestry. The position will under general supervision, develop and manage tree programs and projects in support of Portland's Urban Forestry Management Plan, including tree inventory, tree planting projects, stewardship programs, and research/citizen science projects. To apply, please visit the job posting here. 

    Join Urban Forestry as an AmeriCorps Tree Plan Coordinator

    Passionate about education, equity and the urban forest? We are seeking an AmeriCorps member to work with our Urban Forestry programs to help us better serve our diverse communities. 
    Confluence Environmental Center
    The position: In partnership with the Confluence Environmental Center, the Tree Plan Coordinator (TPC) will work with community groups to plan tree care and education eventsThe focus will be on increasing the participation of individuals and communities in racially and economically diverse neighborhoods throughout Portland. 
    Additionally, TPC will participate in Confluence-led professional development activities, National Service events, and other self-directed development opportunities. For the full description and application details, please click here.
    Position term: September 7, 2016 - July 28, 2017 (11 months – 1700 hours)
    Benefits: Monthly living allowance ($12,530 paid over the term of service), education award of $5,775, loan forbearance, basic medical insurance, child care allowance for those who qualify.
    Applications due: Sun. 07/10/16 11:59 PM Pacific Time
    Questions? Please contact: TreeInventory@portlandoregon.gov
    Roseway Neighborhood Tree Pruning Workshop
    Recent Roseway Street Tree Pruning Workshop organized by current Urban Forestry AmeriCorps members Matthew Downs and Patrick Key.

    Urgent Reminder: Water Trees Planted Within the Last 3 Years!

    Roseway Neighborhood Trees
     A Youth Conservation Crew member waters a tree at Lee Elementary School, and volunteers on the Roseway Park Blocks care for their new trees.
    Planting a tree is a great first step toward receiving years of benefits, but watering your tree for two to three years is critical to its survival.
    Newly planted trees need your help to survive. The immature root system is not able to access water beyond its limited space, and without your establishment care, it will wither away and die in our sunny Oregon summers.
    stressed tree
    A young tree shows classic signs of distress- brown leaves, and leaf loss.
    At least two years, preferably three, of supplemental watering will help to establish your tree for many years to come. Ask a tree professional or the nursery where you purchased your tree about specific watering needs. In the meantime, check out the guide below for general tips on caring for young trees.

    Where to water:

    It's important that the water directly reaches the root ball of your tree, close to the trunk, usually within 1 to 2 feet.

    How much to water:

    Approximately 10 gallons of water per diameter inch of tree trunk (i.e., a 1.5 inch trunk requires about 15 gallons).

    How frequently:

    Approximately once a week. If the soil feels dry, or just slightly damp, it is time to water again. Pressing a finger gently into the soil below the mulch surrounding your tree is a good indicator. If the soil is wet or very damp, wait a day or two and then test again. Overwatering kills trees, too!  

    Methods:

    So many. A garden hose and soaker hose can be set to a timer to slowly release water for about 5 minutes. Watering tubes such as TreeGators or Ooze Tubes can be filled up about once a week. A 5-gallon bucket (with holes drilled in the sides or bottom to slowly release water) should be filled at least twice a week, and frequently moved to different areas around the root ball. 

    Looking for more information? These 8 slides from the Seattle Department of Transportation offer some handy watering advice. Good luck out there!

    Dutch Elm Disease: Protecting Portland's Elms

    Wallace Park American elm
    American elm (Ulmus americana) in Wallace Park

    Reminder: Elm Pruning Moratorium currently in effect.


    Please remember that pruning any elm tree between April 15 and October 15 is prohibited within the City of Portland. The City Forester may waive this prohibition when it is deemed necessary to remove hazards or maintain clearance. Suckers and small branches less than 1-inch in diameter growing from the base of an elm tree may be pruned year-round.

    Ophiostoma species
    Culture in the lab at OSU of the Ophiostoma species, a fungus that causes Dutch elm disease. 
    The elm pruning moratorium is an important aspect of Portland’s Elm Protection Program. Dutch Elm Disease (DED) is lethal to American and European elms. It is caused by a fungus, Ophiostoma spp., which spreads through root grafts, elm bark beetles, and human activity. This is a particularly important time of year for DED management as elm bark beetles (vectors for fungal spores which cause DED) become active with warm and dry weather. The beetles are attracted to healthy elms with fresh wounds. 
    Elm removal
    A past elm removal by Urban Forestry in the Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood.
    DED activities supported by this protection program include:
    • Hiring a seasonal elm monitor
    • Sending samples for lab analysis when symptoms appear
    • Rapid removal of DED-infected elms on City property and in the right-of-way
    • Proper disposal of elm wood
    • Disinfection of tools and equipment
    • Inoculation of healthy elms at parks, libraries, and Heritage Tree sites
    • Public education on Dutch Elm Disease
    Click here for symptoms of DED. If you suspect DED, have questions, or seek further information, please email: PKELM@portlandoregon.gov

    30 Companies Attend Local Tree Care Provider Workshops

    Ways to contact Urban Forestry City of Portland street tree clearances
    Methods to determine when a tree permit is required, and clearance requirements for street trees. 

    This May, Urban Forestry held two Local Tree Care Provider Workshops. Representatives from 30 local tree care companies were in attendance!


    Stay tuned for the updated list.

    These workshops are an opportunity for tree professionals to come together to learn about City of Portland rules and regulations regarding our urban forest. Topics such as Title 11, recent amendments to the code, and the administrative rule for tree planting were presented along with City-specific pruning requirements.
    Street tree planting lists
    City of Portland Approved Street Tree Planting Lists.
    Companies that attend one of the workshops are eligible to be placed on the Local Tree Care Provider List after the City has verified the following information:
    • An active Portland business license
    • A certified arborist or registered consulting arborist on staff that attended the workshop
    • No violations of the tree code within the past year
    • No repeated submittals of incomplete permits
    This list is a resource for Portland residents who may be seeking the services of a tree professional, and want to know which companies are knowledgeable about current industry standards and Portland’s unique protections for our trees. 
    If you are a tree professional and were not able to attend one of the spring workshops, we will hold another workshop in November. We hope to see you then!

    Top 5 Favorite Trees, Are Your Favorites On the List?

    An informal poll here at Urban Forestry showed 5 trees that are the most popular among staff members.

    1.  Oregon white oak

    Oregon white oak
    The Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) easily won the top spot.

    2. Douglas fir

    Douglas fir
    The Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) was right behind the oak in popularity. This particular Douglas fir is the tallest known tree in Portland, last measured at 242 feet.

    3. Beech

    Beech Copper beech
    The beech tree (Fagus sp.) can have green, variegated, or copper colored leaves like this beauty over by Lair Hill Park. Photos by Steve Terrill.

    4. Dawn redwood

    Dawn redwoods
    The dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) is a deciduous conifer that sheds its needles in the winter.

    5. A tie for 5th between the ponderosa pine and the madrone

    ponderosa pine Madrone
    This ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) is over a hundred years old. Madrones (Arbutus menziesii) are known for their interesting red bark, which can be smooth, patchy, or shaggy.

    Upcoming Urban Forestry Events


    June 11th, 8:30 am-12:00 pm, or 1:00 pm-4:30 pm: Team Leader Training (Hinson Church, 1137 SE 20th Ave. 97214)
    June 11th, 1:00 pm-5:00 pm: Explorando at the Columbia Slough (Whitaker Ponds Nature Park, 7040 NE 47th Ave. 97218)
    June 18th, 8:30 am-12:00 pm: Hollywood Inventory Workday (Hollywood Library, 4040 NE Tillamook St. 97212)
    June 18th, 8:30 am-12:00 pm: Humboldt Inventory Workday (Peninsula Park, 700 N Rosa Parks Way, 97217)
    June 25th, 8:30 am-12:00 pm: Alameda Tree Inventory Workday (Fremont United Methodist Church, 2620 NE Fremont St. 97212)
    June 25th, 8:30 am-12:00 pm: Beaumont-Wilshire Tree Inventory Workday (Grand Central Baking Co., 4440 NE Fremont St. 97213)
    June 29th, 4:30 pm-8:00 pm: Brentwood-Darlington/Lents Tree Inventory Workday (Lents Park, 9000 SE Holgate Blvd, 97266)
    June 29th, 4:30 pm-8:00 pm: Creston-Kenilworth Tree Inventory Workday (Kailash Ecovillage, 4311 SE 37th Ave. 97202)
    Save the Date
    July 16th, 6:00 pm-10:00 pm: Tree Hug PDX, followed by a screening of The Lorax (Hoyt Arboretum @ Washington Park, 4000 SW Fairview Blvd. 97221)
    Urban Forestry
    10910 N. Denver Avenue • Portland, OR 97217503-823-4489
    Portland Parks & Recreationwww.PortlandParks.org
    Commissioner Amanda Fritz • Director Mike Abbaté
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