Know what's going on in YOUR Urban Forest!
Know what's going on in YOUR Urban Forest!
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URBAN FORESTRY
February 2016

Join the Urban Forestry Team 

Previous inventory staff, Nik Desai, assists street tree inventory volunteers.

Now Hiring Urban Forestry Seasonal Positions

Applications accepted until March 9, 2016
Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry is seeking seasonal staff to work with its science and policy group conducting tree inventory and monitoring activities.

Tree Inventory Coordinator (multiple positions)

  • Conduct street tree inventory workshops with volunteers in Portland neighborhoods. This includes public speaking, training volunteers, organizing logistics, and checking data for accuracy.
  • Collect street tree inventory data, including tree identification, measurement, and assessment using paper forms and mobile ArcGIS.
  • Analyze data and write reports on inventory findings.
  • Visit http://portlandoregon.gov/parks/treeinventory for project details.

Elm Monitor (one position)

  • Monitor Portland’s 2,000+ elm population for symptoms of Dutch elm disease. Requires travel throughout the city, visual inspection for symptoms, and recording inspection results.
  • Maintain inspection records, collect samples and send for lab analysis, and work with City inspectors and property owners during the removal of infected trees.
  • Collect tree data, including identification, measurement, and assessment using mobile ArcGIS.
  • Visit https://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/article/424029  for project details.

Announcing the New Neighborhoods for the 2016 Street Tree Inventory

Map of Portland Neighborhoods with the 2016 Street Tree Inventory areas highlighted.
Congratulations to our new tree inventory neighborhoods! We are proud to announce our partnership with 10 neighborhood tree teams to complete the final year of the street tree inventory. They include: 
  • Alameda
  • Beaumont-Wilshire
  • Brentwood-Darlington 
  • Creston- Kenilworth 
  • Grant Park
  • Hillsdale 
  • Humboldt
  • Lents
  • Rose City Park 
  • Wilkes

Do you live in one of these neighborhoods? Sign up for the Inventory Planning Workshop on March 12th to learn more about the inventory, and to talk with your neighbors about the challenges and opportunities facing trees in your neighborhood. Register here.

These neighborhoods will have tree data collection workdays this summer so stay tuned for volunteer opportunities to have fun in the sun and contribute to the final year of this ambitious city-wide street tree inventory! Has your neighborhood already been inventoried? Look up the trees around where you live or work by clicking here!
2015 Street Tree Inventory Work Day

2 Public Open Houses on Asian Gypsy Moth

Asian Gypsy Moth flyer
To learn about this forest pest firsthand, consider registering for the Asian Gypsy Moth Training with Oregon State University's Oregon Forest Pest Detectors program. Free upcoming trainings are:

This is also a good reminder that Asian longhorned beetle & Emerald ash borer remain significant threats to our urban forest.

Everyone who works in or around trees is encouraged to take this free valuable training! (This includes our Neighborhood Tree Stewards, workshop and inventory volunteers, and all of our arborist friends out there.) Free trainings on identifying these two pests are:

Arborist in the Spotlight

Volunteer Stephen Peacock and His Contributions

Urban Forestry would like to recognize the considerable time and energy that arborist volunteer, Stephen Peacock, has contributed throughout his years in Portland.
From 2007-2015, Stephen volunteered for 2 consecutive terms on the Urban Forestry Commission, which serves as an advisory group to the PP&R Director and to the City Forester.
Prior to this, Stephen was an early member of the Heritage Tree Committee from its beginnings in the mid-1990s. In addition to assessing potential heritage trees, members give an additional 60 hours of volunteer time per calendar year.
If you have participated in an Urban Forestry pruning workshop, or the Neighborhood Tree Steward program, then chances are good you have received instruction from Stephen on how to properly prune Portland's trees.
As a private tree care company owner of Peacock Tree Preservation, Stephen has also participated in Arborists in the Arboretum Day at Hoyt Arboretum. Pruning services are donated by local arborists to keep our cherished arboretum trees healthy at this annual event.
Thank you for your many years of service, Stephen!

Seeking Nominations for the 2016 Naito Community Trees Award

Bill Naito
To recognize the many people of Portland that have dedicated their talents, energy and resources to help Portland’s trees, the Urban Forestry Commission is seeking nominations for the 2016 Bill Naito Community Trees Award in two categories: individual and group.
 
This annual award honors Bill Naito, a businessman, civic leader and philanthropist who did so much to beautify Portland with trees. Bill Naito rarely missed a meeting of the Urban Forestry Commission, which he founded in 1974 and chaired until his death. Through his humor, persistence, and imaginative approach to projects, he inspired many individuals to recognize the wide array of benefits that trees bring to our city. 
“This is a great city and a great day and we have a great future.” William Sumio Naito (1925-1996)
Individuals and groups whose volunteer work, like Bill’s, has made significant enhancements to Portland’s urban forest and inspired others to recognize the beauty and benefits of trees, are eligible for nomination. Past award recipients have recognized the possibilities for trees in our neighborhoods and have acted to instill the value of trees in our community.

If you know of an individual or group whose work in tree planting, preservation, or stewardship should be considered for this special award, please submit an application. The application must include a one page story about the nominee, showing their innovative and creative approaches, diligent commitment, and community involvement or community-wide impact. Nominations are due February 26, 2016.

Learning Landscapes at Woodlawn School, Kindergarteners in Action

Tuscarora crape myrtle from torbaytreefarmers.com.au
The Woodlawn Wildcats brought energy and enthusiasm to their January 26th tree planting event. Over 50 kindergarten kids bundled up and headed outside to plant two Tuscarora crape myrtles which will add a brilliant summer flowering display to their school front.
Planting a large form tree to maximize canopy coverage is an ongoing goal of the Learning Landscapes program. However, choosing a tree that will ultimately be successful in the space it occupies is also important to any urban forestry program.
Instrumental in organizing the event, Dr. Jamie Repasky, STEAM Consultant at Woodlawn School and Science Enrichment Coordinator at Mary Rieke Elementary, had this to say:  
“The students loved digging with mini shovels, playing with worms, and working as a team to move the trees to their new home. This was a finale to this year’s Tree unit and the students were able to practice the science terminology and steps to plant a tree from their studies.”  
Beyond the activity itself, the simple act of planting trees will have a lasting impact. Dr. Repasky went on to explain, “This experience helps the children develop a sense of ownership of their school and in their community. What fun it will be for today’s little ones to watch these trees grow through their years at Woodlawn!”
Upcoming Urban Forestry plantings include a community tree planting at the Roseway Park Blocks, and two Learning Landscapes plantings at Parklane Elementary and Lynch Wood Elementary in the Centennial School District. 

Do you know of a school or community space that would benefit from an organized tree planting? Contact us with your ideas for Fall 2016 and beyond. 

Gina Dake, Urban Forestry, Education & Outreach, Portland Parks & Recreation 

Upcoming Urban Forestry Workshops

Learn to prune street trees or simply increase your tree knowledge at one of our upcoming events, led by ISA certified arborist instructors and Urban Forestry staff:
February 13th, 8:30 am-noon: Sunnyside Pruning (Aletheia Bible Fellowship, 4511 SE Main St); register here.
February 20th, 8:30 am-noon: Parkrose & Parkrose Heights Pruning (St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 11229 NE Prescott St); register here.
February 27th, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm: Historic Trees as a Resource (Hollywood Library, 4040 NE Tillamook St.); register here.
March 5th, 8:30 am-noon: Arbor Lodge Pruning (Arbor Lodge Park, N Delaware Ave & N Bryant St); register here.
March 12th, 8:30 am-noon: Boise & Eliot Pruning (Lillis Albina City Park, N Russell St & N Flint Ave); register here.
For more information, please contact: Patrick.Key@portlandoregon.gov (971-334-0347) or Matthew.Downs@portlandoregon.gov (971-334-0348)
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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