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SPRING EDITION | MARCH 2022
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Growing an urban forest in our imaginations
A few weeks ago, I watched a presentation by Dr. Cecil Konijnendijk (Dr. K), an urban forestry researcher and cofounder of the Nature-Based Solutions Institute (NBSI). Dr. K has long explored the connection between urban forestry and human health. Some of you may remember his keynote presentation at the 2018 Annual Oregon Urban and Community Forestry Conference.
Many of you may also be aware of the urban tree species target goals proposed over 30 years ago and revised over the years since. There have also been proposed – and modified – canopy cover goals for cities. Recently Dr. K and his colleagues at NBSI have proposed the “3-30-300” rule – three target goals aimed at improving tree canopy and human well-being in cities. Here’s how it works: Every person, when looking out the window(s) of their homes, should be able to view three mature trees. Thirty percent is an aspirational neighborhood canopy cover goal that many cities and residents, especially in temperate climates, can work towards. In the future, every urban resident should be within 300 meters (328 yards) of a park or greenspace. From the NBSI website: “This rule focuses on the crucial contributions of urban forests and other urban nature to our health and wellbeing, as well as climate change adaptation. It also recognizes that we have to consider many different aspects of the urban forest to be successful. It also addresses the need for urban forests to percolate into our living, working, and living environments. At the same time, it is straightforward to implement and monitor – and easy to remember.” As your city continues to develop in its management of its urban trees, this seems like great guidance to keep in mind.
Another concept described by Dr. K is the need to “grow” urban forests in people’s minds. I am frequently amazed by how few people notice individual trees. Many people may be aware of the feel of a treed street and appreciate a shady park on a summer day, but relatively few know the names of trees or notice the condition of the trees around them. Many city residents may need help to picture, embrace, and advocate for the benefits that healthy urban forests will bring to their lives, especially in marginalized city communities – a great argument for strengthening and empowering tree and urban forestry promotional efforts by your city’s tree board or advisory committee. Easy access to a healthy urban canopy should be available for all city residents. But first, people need to imagine how to creatively incorporate, conserve, and care for trees in cities in innovative ways – to improve their lives and to respond to and combat the assaults of climate change.
In this issue of Community Tree Connections, we are celebrating Oregon cities’ efforts to manage their city trees. We know it is not always easy. We know there are trade-offs. Kudos to all of Oregon’s Tree City USAs, Tree Campuses Higher Education, and our lone Tree Line USA – and all the cities, campuses, and utilities that will soon be applying for these recognitions – in all you do to keep our urban forests healthy. April is Oregon’s Arbor Month – we hope all of you will “grow” urban forests in your imaginations (and help others to do so), count the number of trees out your window, and take a walk in a nearby leafy park. And, if you can, plant and care for at least one tree.
– Kristin Ramstad
Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program Manager
Governor proclaims Oregon Arbor Month
For the second year in a row, Governor Kate Brown has proclaimed April as Oregon Arbor Month. The recognition and Governor’s proclamation of Oregon Arbor Month is relatively new. Given the growing interest of cities in becoming designated as Tree City USAs, which requires the observance of a local Arbor Day, and the recognition of the different optimal planting times in western and eastern Oregon, it makes sense to designate a whole month to appreciating, caring for, and planting trees. View the Governor's proclamation of Oregon Arbor Month.
Ways to celebrate Arbor Day locally
Did you know that 2022 marks the 150th anniversary of national Arbor Day? National Arbor Day is designated on the last Friday of April, but your town can celebrate it at any time. Arbor Day - or Month - can be observed in as many ways as there are reasons why to celebrate our trees! Are you looking for inspiration? Look no more! Here are suggestions and resources (all from the Arbor Day Foundation) to make your celebration fun, memorable, and successful.
- Hold an Arbor Day ceremony and honor the good stewards in your community.
- Organize a Big Tree or Oldest Tree search within your community.
- Plant a tree.
- Host a reception to honor the Tree Board members in your community.
- Write a story, produce a play, or present a skit about trees.
- Choose a public park or downtown area to clean up.
- Read a book about trees.
- Hold an Arbor Day Birthday Party (150th in 2022!) for the community.
- Sponsor a craft show featuring exhibitors who engage in crafts with natural materials.
- Schedule classes on tree pruning, tree selection, tree identification, and tree planting.
- Hold a Read-In at the library.
- Host a concert where songs about trees or song titles that have tree names are played.
- Sponsor a poster contest, poetry contest or tree trivia contest.
- Organize a tree identification hike.
- Volunteer with a local tree-planting organization.
- Encourage neighborhood organizations to hold Arbor Day block parties.
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March 9, 10 a.m. PDT Building Workforce Equity and Community Capacity through Pre-Apprenticeship Programs. Free. Urban Forest Connections
March 18, 8:30 a.m. PDT ANSI A300 Part I: Pruning (the industry standards for tree care practices) PNW-ISA Arbor Chat. Free, PNW-ISA Chapter members. $20-25, non-members. Live broadcast, register. Recorded webinar, register.
March 29, 2:30 p.m. PDT Oregon TreePlotter™ Inventory (TPI) Monthly Discussion Group ODF UCF Assistance Program Register
April 1-30 Oregon Arbor Month See article in this newsletter.
April 15, 8:30 a.m. PDT ANSI A300 Part 6: Planting & Transplanting (the industry standards for tree care practices) PNW-ISA Arbor Chat. Free, PNW-ISA Chapter members. $20-25, non-members. Live broadcast, register. Recorded webinar, register.
April 15 Partners in Community Forestry Conference presentation proposal deadline More information
April 19, noon CT Enhancing the performance of urban stormwater management schemes with tree selection: developing a new approach to accessing waterlogging tolerance of temperate trees TREE Fund Webinars. Free. Registration becomes available on website one month before webinar.
April 26, 2:30 p.m. PDT Oregon TreePlotter™ Inventory (TPI) Monthly Discussion Group ODF UCF Assistance Program Register
April 29 National Arbor Day – Celebrating 150th anniversary
April 30 Deadline for small Oregon cities to contact us on their interest to participate in an Invasive species preparedness project. See the article in this newsletter.
April 30 Deadline to contact us on your interest to attend a regional training session on tree identification or using TreePlotter™ software. See the article in this newsletter.
April 30 Application portals close until Sept. 2022 - Arbor Day Foundation recognition programs (Tree City/Campus/Utility)
May 5, 8:30 am PDT ANSI A300 Part 9: Tree Risk Assessment (the industry standards for tree care practices) PNW-ISA Arbor Chat. Free, PNW-ISA Chapter members. $20-25, non-members. Live broadcast, register. Recorded webinar, register.
May 24, 2:30 p.m. PDT Oregon TreePlotter™ Inventory (TPI) Monthly Discussion Group ODF UCF Assistance Program Register
Nov. 16-17 Partners in Community Forestry Conference Register
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You will find an official proclamation, coloring pages, music, customizable yard signs and banners, and more on Celebration Materials at arborday.org.
Tree-related activities for K-12 and the young at heart are found on Educational Resources at arborday.org.
Discover tools to organize the planning of an event on Event Planning Materials at arborday.org.
Share your Arbor Day Plans
The Arbor Day Foundation is compiling a list of Arbor Day events across the nation, and they want to include yours! Arbor Day celebrations will be highlighted on the virtual map at arborday.org/celebrate. To submit your event, go to arborday.org/celebrate and select the "ADD YOUR EVENT" button directly below the map of events. Complete and submit your event details for your celebration to be included on the interactive map. Please make sure you have all the information necessary to complete your submission, as core details are required to submit the form.
Storymaps to be refreshed in time for Oregon Arbor Month
The ODF storymaps, Celebrating Oregon’s Tree City USA Communities and the Hiroshima Peace Trees in Oregon are being revised, thanks to many of you who answered our call for updated information. Our goal is to have our work completed to help Oregonians celebrate Oregon Arbor Month, April 1-30, 2022!
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Spread the word about the benefits your city’s trees provide
Free to Oregon cities, schools, and non-profit organizations! Contact us to receive THREE tree care tags from our limited supply. Each tag educates people on the ways that trees make oxygen, keep drinking
water clean, save money, make city life fun, and keep streets safe. Tags will be chosen randomly. Perfect for school and local community campaigns! The 10”x14" tags are drilled with two holes for easy hanging, printed on weatherproof material, and recyclable.
Email us today to receive three FREE tree tags! Please include in your email, the Oregon city, school, or non-profit that will be receiving the tags, how the tags will be used, and the mailing address (with a C/O).
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As our state and country “open up” again after two long years, why not get started on an inventory of your city’s trees? If you have questions about your town getting started accessing free tree inventory software, TreePlotter™ Inventory, through ODF-UCF please contact us directly. We also appreciate the willingness of cities that already have tree inventories to share their tree inventory data with us to build the statewide urban forestry database. Please get in touch if you would like to share yours with us.
Attention small Oregon cities near Oregon borders or coastal ports
Are you interested in your city participating in an invasive species preparedness project? At no or low cost to the city, the project will involve the hiring of tree data collectors to gather data on specific tree species and genera in public areas. Selected cities will receive at the end of the project the mapped tree inventory and an invasive species preparedness plan. Contact us before April 30 to let us know of your interest to participate in this project.
Are you interested in a regional training session?
Some cities have told us that they haven’t started a tree inventory because they don’t have good enough tree identification skills. As pandemic restrictions ease, we are considering offering REGIONAL training sessions on how to identify trees and use the TreePlotter™ software. To help us plan, we need to know what the level of interest is across the state. Contact us before April 30 to let us know of your interest to attend or have someone attend a training. ODF UCF staff are anxious to get out into the field and work with you in person again.
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Important news from the Arbor Day Foundation regarding 2022 applications
As Covid restrictions are lifted nationwide, the Arbor Day Foundation is returning to its usual requirements for proclaiming and celebrating Arbor Day. In the calendar year 2022, an Arbor Day observance and proclamation (Standard 4) is required to earn or maintain recognition status in the Tree City USA Program. Tree Campuses-Higher Education are required to hold, and Tree Line USAs are required to sponsor or participate in observances. Local proclamations and celebrations can occur anytime during 2022, but Oregon Arbor Month is a great time to consider holding a tree-related event!
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There are many ways to meet the celebration requirement of Standard 4, including
- An in-person Arbor Day gathering (e.g., community tree planting or festival)
- A virtual Arbor Day event (e.g., webinar or livestreamed tree planting)
- An Arbor Day social media post or campaign
- An Arbor Day mail outreach (e.g., A Right Tree, Right Place educational flier)
- An Arbor Day containerized tree distribution
- Direct, in-person Arbor Day outreach or training (e.g., workshops educating community members about their community trees)
Drum roll please!
It is official! We are thrilled to announce that 69 Oregon communities have achieved 2021 Tree City USA recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation (see table below). Does your city participate? A special shout-out to the City of Reedsport! It is a Tree City USA once again after a long hiatus. Welcome back!
Cheers to the 20 Tree City USA communities that achieved a Tree City USA Growth Award! These cities accomplished tree care and community engagement activities that help build sustainable urban & community forestry programs. Hip-Hip Hooray! for the City of La Grande for for being one of a tiny handful of cities in the USA recognized as a “Triple Sterling” Community -- having received Growth Awards for 30 out of the 31 years of the Growth Award Program. We applaud the Cities of Aumsville, Bandon, Central Point, Hillsboro, and Newport for receiving their 1st Growth Award! Cities that achieve at least 10 Growth Awards over the years gain Sterling Tree City USA status. Highlighted in silver-grey in the table below are Oregon’s 12 Sterling Tree Cities.
Eight Oregon colleges and universities achieved Tree Campus Higher Education status in 2021. A special shout-out to Central Oregon Community College for its first year being recognized! It joins Corban University, Eastern Oregon University, Oregon State University, Portland Community College, Portland State University, Southern Oregon University, and Western Oregon University as Oregon’s Higher Education Tree Campuses! Does your college or university campus participate?
We send a special congratulations to PacifiCorp – aka Pacific Power – for reaching their 20th year of participation in the Tree Line USA Program! Does your utility participate?
To all the staff and volunteers of Oregon’s Tree City USAs, Tree Campuses, and Tree Line USAs - We applaud all the work you do to support healthy Oregon urban and community forests. On behalf of all Oregonians, thank you!
Oregon’s 69 Tree City USA communities for 2021.
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City of Cottage Grove leaders, staff, and volunteers planting a tree for Arbor Day and celebrating being a Tree City USA.
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Each year, to celebrate the state’s urban & community forests and the cities that manage them, the staff from the ODF Urban & Community Forestry Assistance Program and the Oregon Community Trees board of directors select a Tree City USA community to receive the Oregon Tree City of the Year award. Recipient cities of this annual award have shown leadership in the continued development of urban forestry management. This year’s recipient is the City of Cottage Grove, pop. of 10,792.
The City is receiving this award because in the 28 years that it has been recognized nationally as a Tree City USA, it has demonstrated a desire to grow a healthy urban forest, improving the livability and quality of life for its citizens and future
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generations. Eric Mongan, City Planner puts it this way, “Being a Tree City USA recognized community has changed our way of thinking about our urban forest. From adopting an approved street tree list to holding annual Arbor Day celebrations, Tree City USA status has raised local awareness of proper care and management practices of public and private trees. The urban forestry committee, City staff, and residents alike take pride in our efforts to grow and maintain our urban forest. Being a Tree City USA city is a huge part of that pride.”
The City has received five Tree City USA Growth Awards (2015 and 2018-2021). The Arbor Day Foundation presents Growth Awards annually to Tree City USA communities demonstrating advancement in urban forest management and community engagement. Examples of the City’s Growth Award accomplishments are the creation of a special fund to purchase trees, support new tree maintenance practices, and fund community education and Arbor Day activities; the acquisition of 4.87 acres of riparian land for parks and open space; the completion of a tree canopy survey using i-Tree Canopy; the recycling and reuse of woody debris from branch and leaf pickup programs and tree maintenance operations; and the addition of two new urban forest committee members.
Chris Senters, the City’s arborist, is an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist. He provides his technical expertise and guidance to City staff and the urban forestry committee and leads the City’s tree pruning and removal crew. The City is exploring other ways to utilize Chris’ knowledge and skills in a way that will benefit the community.
The city’s urban forestry committee was created in 1994 to advise the city council on tree-related issues. The group is currently working on a community tree giveaway project that will focus on areas in need of tree canopy and is studying the feasibility of a city legacy or heritage tree program. Also in the works is the City’s Arbor Day celebration and revision of the approved street tree list. This summer they plan to begin work on the development of the City’s first inventory-based urban forest management plan. Reilly Newman, the chair of the City’s urban forestry committee has said, “our mission is to grow awareness of what trees do for our community and to build a lasting tree legacy for future generations.” Reilly, we see your successes and celebrate them with you!
We thank the City’s mayor and councilors, staff, and volunteers for their work and dedication to grow a healthy urban and community forest in Cottage Grove. Congratulations!
Reilly Newman and her son, Roman, checking out a very large tree cookie!
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Welcome Tony Mecum & Stephen Baker to the Oregon Community Trees!
Tony Mecum, Oregon Urban Forestry Award winner for his work as the Grants Pass City Forester, has joined the OCT board! Tony brings with him years of experience working as a city forester both in southern Oregon and in New York City, and a commitment to improving Oregon’s urban and community forests. On March 17, Tony will begin work with the City of Portland’s Urban Forestry Department, working as a Tree Technician with permits and tree inspections.
Stephen Baker is the new Region 6 and 10 Urban and Community Forestry Program manager with the USDA Forest Service! Stephen detailed into the R6/R10 urban and community forestry program manager position in 2021, so he has already attended an OCT quarterly meeting, but this time he will be the permanent Forest Service member on the OCT Board. He’s been with the Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region for six years, serving as the regional media officer in the Office of Communication and Community Engagement. Previously, he worked in public affairs with the Bureau of Land Management in Oregon and New Mexico. He lives in Portland and enjoys exploring the great outdoors with his wife Sarah and two daughters Maddie (4) and Jane (2).
As happy as we are to welcome new OCT board members, we must also say goodbye to a few too. Thank you so very much, Mark Brindle, Rob Emanuel, Don Gunther, and Shane Tennison for your service to Oregon Community Trees. Should any of you ever want to rejoin OCT, we’d be glad to have you back. In the meantime, keep up your great work on behalf of trees.
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We all have a favorite tree, or two, or three! Continue reading to learn about the trees favored by the members of the OCT board of directors. You may decide to add another tree species to your list of beloved trees! |
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The bur oak in Madison, Wisconsin, where Jennifer started her urban forestry career.
Jennifer’s – Bur oak, Quercus macrocarpa
There was a stunning bur oak tree outside the office of my first job at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. I used to sit in awe under its magnificent branches during my lunch. I would ponder on what that tree had “seen” in the time since it had been planted. Bur oaks have thick bark that is adapted for fire resiliency. I admire its ability to be so resilient and adapt to an ever-changing landscape.
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Brian and Django, sitting under an old growth ponderosa pine near the Imnaha River.
Brian’s – Ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa
I have so many favorite trees, but today I will sing the praises of ponderosa pine. An iconic tree of eastern Oregon, old growth ponderosa pines live hundreds of years, developing a majestic form and beautiful orange and yellow bark. They are adapted to survive drought and wildfire. Ponderosa bark has a sweet vanilla fragrance. What a great tree!
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A western hemlock located in Portland.
Morgan’s – Western hemlock, Tsuga heterophylla
I am fascinated by western hemlock. Hemlock seedlings and saplings can remain viable in deep shade, growing very, very slowly for hundreds of years. It’s unforgettable to see a tiny little hundred-year-old hemlock in the understory. Hemlocks are very sensitive to heat stress and do best in part-shade among other trees. It’s been interesting, albeit disheartening, to see how individual, open-grown hemlocks in the urban environment suffered during the June 2021 heat wave. Although they’re attractive landscape trees, I won’t be recommending open-grown hemlock plantings knowing now how devastating a bout of hot weather can be to them.
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One of many sugar pine cones Lauren has collected.
Lauren’s – Sugar pine, Pinus lambertiana
It was the first tree I studied in forestry. I completed my senior thesis in college on White pine blister rust incidence in sugar pine. Despite its vulnerability to the disease, it is a tree well adapted to many harsh conditions, is commercially strong, and has the longest cones of any other tree growing to be up to 2 feet long.
Read more
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Spring is the time to pull out a shovel and sharpen your pruners!
The links below are not only great for training city employees, but also for posting on your city website for city residents:
Steps to planting a tree – Dr. Ed Gilman’s webpage on how to plant a tree
Pruning landscape trees – Dr. Ed Gilman’s great resources for pruning trees
Over Presidents’ Day weekend 2021, the City of Salem and many other north Willamette Valley cities and rural property owners suffered tremendous losses from a terrible ice storm. Among the lessons arborists learned from the ice storm damage was from observing the number of trees that failed due to poor pruning practices or lack of pruning. We are sharing links to proper tree planting and pruning in this newsletter to remind our readers that a well-pruned tree is a safer tree.
The City of Salem has put together a very informative storymap of its 2021 Presidents’ Day weekend ice storm response efforts. View the storymap.
Additional and excellent online resources for your city crews and urban forestry advisory committees
Oregon State University Extension Service created 11 free, short videos in 2021 to show a variety of structural issues commonly found in mature trees and how to remedy them using corrective pruning. Pruning With the Pros was filmed onsite at the Oregon Institute of Technology Arboretum in Klamath Falls with John Bellon, Urban Forester, City of Klamath Falls and Tom Ford, Owner, Shasta View Tree Care.
The Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry Department has two recorded webinars to sharpen your pruning skills that you can view for free, Introduction to Tree Pruning and Advanced Tree Pruning. Download a presentation worksheet before watching, Intro worksheet and Advanced worksheet.
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Oregon Department of Forestry names Kyle Abraham as the new deputy state forester
We’re pleased to introduce our new deputy state forester, Kyle Abraham! Kyle has served in a variety of technical and leadership roles at ODF, from performing electrofishing surveys to Forest Practices Act monitoring to leading one of our three operations divisions. A born-and-raised Oregonian who enjoys all things outdoors, Kyle is excited to step into this new leadership role and continue to support ODF’s important work on behalf of Oregonians and their forests.
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Reducing tree damage in future storms
Downed trees in wind and ice storms can cause costly havoc. Careful pruning in a tree's early years can lower the risk of future failures.
Read more
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ODF is working to save the genes of Oregon ash before arrival of destructive pest
Working with the help of a federal grant from the USDA Forest Service, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has been gathering seed of Oregon ash from throughout the state. The goal is to preserve its gene pool before a destructive pest arrives which may wipe out the tree.
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Oregon Community Trees helps fund Arbor Month tree celebrations in five Oregon cities
Celebrations of Oregon Arbor Month will be more colorful and engaging this year thanks to grants from the non-profit Oregon Community Trees organization. Five Tree City USA communities across Oregon are receiving grants ranging from $350 to $500 this spring to boost tree-related activities in April.
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Corvallis Urban Forester Jennifer Killian honored with President’s Award by Oregon Community Trees for urban forestry achievements
Jennifer Killian, Urban Forester for the City of Corvallis, has been honored with the President’s Award by Oregon Community Trees (OCT) for her many contributions to urban forestry in Corvallis and Oregon. Mike Oxendine is OCT president. He bestowed this year’s OCT President’s Award on Killian at the March meeting of the non-profit organization’s board.
Read more
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Tree Stewardship online certificate course gives you the tools in proper tree care
The Washington State University Extension offers the Urban & Community Tree Stewardship online certificate course, teaching the fundamental principles of tree biology, tree site evaluation and selection, nursery production and tree installation, pruning, and tree care practices. OSU Master Gardeners can receive up to 5.5 CEUs for this course. This is self-paced training. $150.00. For More Information Contact: Tim Kohlhauff. View the course overview.
The Tree Thinking Podcast
Hosted by PNW arborists, The Tree Thinking Podcast features interviews with industry experts, equipment tests and reviews, stories from the field of tree work, and deep dives on tree care subjects like how to define safety on your crew. Join Andrew, Jamie, Becca, Cory, and Rob as they try to understand the tree world around them. Free.
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Expand the breadth and depth of your tree knowledge!
Clackamas Community College offers an Associate of Applied Science Degree in its Landscape Management, Arboriculture Option program. In two years, you can learn the skills needed to perform aerial tree work, plant health care and tree diagnosis, as well as have the knowledge base to take the ISA Certified Arborist exam. Learn more about the program.
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Local Government Grant Program 2022
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) administers this State lottery funded grant program. Eligible projects are public outdoor park and recreation areas and facilities and can involve land acquisition, development, and major rehab. Read more about the program.
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Urban Forest Connections webinars series
Monthly, Second Wednesdays, 1:00-2:15 p.m. (ET) USDA Forest Service
Free webinars offering continuing education credits. Discussions on the latest science, practice, and policy on urban forestry and the environment. Past webinars are recorded and available on their website.
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TREE Fund webinar series
TREE Fund and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Free, 1-hour webinars offering continuing education credits. Discussions on the latest in tree research. Past webinars are recorded and available on their website.
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April Fools' Day is just around the corner!
Here are a couple of links guaranteed to bring on spontaneous chuckles!
A 3-minute hoax report, broadcast on April Fools' Day 1957 by the BBC. It told a tale of a family in southern Switzerland harvesting spaghetti from the fictitious spaghetti tree. View this short video Spaghetti-Harvest in Ticino.
Did you know there are many names for the space between the street and the sidewalk? Read this short article The 8 Best Regional Terms for the Strip Between the Road and Sidewalk, Ranked.
* Credit to OPB's online newsletter and "Click of Zen" feature.
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Contact us
Kristin Ramstad Program Manager 503-945-7390 Email
Katie Lompa Community Assistance Forester 541-480-3790 Email
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ODF's Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program celebrated 30 years of service in 2021!
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About the Community Tree Connections newsletter
Community Tree Connections (CTC) is a periodic publication by the Oregon Department of Forestry, Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program. Our mission is to help Oregonians improve their quality of life by promoting community investment in our urban forests. CTC is published in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Subscriptions to Community Tree Connections are free. Sign up to receive the newsletter.
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