|
Tree Bark
News from Urban Forestry — All Trees, No Pulp • April 25, 2025
|
|
|
"I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree."
— "Trees" by Joyce Kilmer
|
|
Final Call for Neighborhood Tree Steward Applications
 Even though we think of Portland as a green city, not every neighborhood looks like Forest Park. In fact, there is a significant difference in tree canopy coverage between the west side (56 percent) and the east side (21 percent) of Portland. The east side’s canopy is on par with that of Los Angeles.
We need more trees, especially where they matter most, in our Priority Service Areas (PSA). To support tree care and education in low canopy areas, locations for this year’s Neighborhood Tree Stewards (NTS) class are all in PSA one and two neighborhoods: Cully, East Columbia, Eliot, Mill Park, Montavilla, and Powellhurst-Gilbert.
NTS participants are an integral part of growing and protecting our urban forest. Members will learn about tree identification, proper pruning techniques, and Urban Forestry’s planting strategy and programs. Afterwards, they will be able to educate their neighbors on opportunities to receive free trees and how to care for them.
This opportunity is open to all Portlanders, but we strongly encourage those living in and near these neighborhoods to apply.
The application for this year’s NTS program closes April 28.
Don’t miss out on this free opportunity to explore the urban forest, gain new skills, and make a difference in your community!
|
|
The City is Creating New Space for Street Trees
 This past winter, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), Urban Forestry, and the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) completed the first phase of the Trees in the Curb Zone pilot project, turning underused parking spaces into space for trees in East Portland.
These new trees will provide much needed shade, habitat, and traffic calming benefits to people in the Lents Neighborhood, one of the hottest parts of Portland. The first phase of the project created space for 15 new trees. Site selection and design for the second, larger phase of the project is currently underway. This pilot project is an important new tool the City can use to increase tree canopy along streets that don't have planting strips.
The Trees in the Curb Zone initiative was led by PBOT with support from Environmental Services’ Percent for Green grant program. Urban Forestry has been an active partner throughout this project, planting and maintaining these new street trees as part of a special agreement. This includes watering and ongoing care and maintenance.
For more information, read PBOT’s press release, visit the project website, or watch this short video.
|
|
Nominate a Heritage Tree by May 1
 Do you have a favorite tree? Is your favorite tree big, old, or rare? Does it have a great story? If you said yes to any of these questions, then you may have a potential Heritage Tree! Urban Forestry is looking for new Heritage Trees and is encouraging everyone to submit nominations. Go to the nomination webpage for tips and instructions.
Additional factors to consider for your nomination:
- Does the tree have sufficient space for branches and roots to grow?
- Is the tree in good health?
- Has it received proper care and maintenance?
- Is it visible to the public from some vantage point (from street or alley)?
- Is it a Nuisance Tree Species? (They are not eligible for the Heritage Tree Program)
- If it is on private property, do you have consent from the landowner for the nomination?
Submit your nomination form by May 1. Questions? Contact Parks.HeritageTree@PortlandOregon.Gov.
|
|
Other News
Check out Multnomah County’s Draft Climate Justice Plan
Multnomah County is providing an opportunity for you to influence the strategies in the new Climate Justice Plan. You can read the draft plan and submit your feedback using the online form. Other ways to submit comments include sending a letter to 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland OR, 97214 or emails and audio messages to Sustainability@Multco.us. Comments are due Friday, May 11. Read more information about the plan.
I Spy . . . an Urban Forestry Crew!
May 19 marks the start of the field season for the USDA Forest Service's Urban Forest Inventory and Analysis (Urban FIA) Program. This summer, expect to see a crew of two to three people measuring trees along Portland’s streets and in residential yards.
This national program complements Portland’s Street Tree Inventory, but the Urban FIA Program has a broader focus. It collects data on the size and health of yard trees, invasive species, and ground cover. This information helps inform local land management decisions.
Visit the Urban FIA website for more information about their data collection process and check out the My City's Trees interactive map to explore the environmental and health services Portland’s trees provide!
Friends in High Places
On a leisurely hike in Sequoia National Park, forest ecologist Hugh Safford made a chance discovery: a group of Jeffrey pines at an elevation higher than ever recorded. The trees (some of which were at least 20 years old) were found at elevations as high as 12,657 feet. That’s nearly 2,000 feet above their known range. Safford believes this was possible because of climate change and the assistance of the Clark’s nutcracker; a bird known for dispersing pine seeds. He expects that as the planet continues to warm, more pines will migrate to higher elevations. Read more about Safford’s discovery.
|
|
|
|
|
