Portland arboretum featured in today’s Oregonian
Ainsworth Linear Arboretum founder and longtime Friends of Trees volunteer Jim Gersbach leads a tour of the arboretum in 2005. (Chijo Takeda)
Read Larry Bingham’s story about Portland’s unique linear arboretum in today’s Oregonian.
Designed Portland-style—for cyclists, pedestrians and anyone interested in trees—the Ainsworth Linear Arboretum has been growing steadily and quietly, like the young trees planted in it. In 2005, the arboretum had 37 species. Today it has 60.
The brain behind the branches of the two-mile long arboretum is Friends of Trees volunteer Jim Gersbach. During his nearly two decades of volunteering at Friends of Trees, Jim has been a board member, neighborhood coordinator, and crew leader, and he helps people choose which trees to buy for their homes.
Since 2005, he’s directed people to the Ainsworth Linear Arboretum to see some of those trees in person—and planted in a yard, as their tree will be.
“Even if you keep your car for a long time, you’re probably going to replace it in so many years,” Jim said. “But when you choose which tree to plant, you’re typically making a choice your great-grandchildren might be living with.”
Scroll through the trees before you stroll through the arboretum. Then add your name to the growing list of people buying trees this year at FriendsofTrees.org.
–TR
Tags: education, PP&R, street trees, yard trees
We have recently purchased a new home a few houses off NE Ainsworth on NE 22nd. I was not aware of the linear arboretum until I read today’s Oregonian. I would like to know how we could help maintain “our” portion of the block. I am often disturbed how people use the block to leave trash or discarded items (recently a computer monitor and obsolete TV). Although I cannot always promise to volunteer physically I could consider a donation. Please let us know how we can help. Thanks for your efforts.
Mike Saba
503-288-5016
Mike,
You can plant with Friends of Trees by visiting http://www.friendsoftrees.org/buytrees. And if you are on Ainsworth and have space for trees, call our office and we can find something special for your planting strip. We offer around 100 varieties of trees for regular planting strips, but in the Arboretum, Jim Gersbach usually works with us to find more unusual trees that aren’t already planted on Ainsworth. Our number is 503-282-8846.
Brighton