400 New Trees: A Birthday Wish Come True

“I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate my birthday than by planting trees in my neighborhood (Portsmouth), with my neighbors, friends and co-workers,” says Erica Timm, Friends of Trees Neighborhood Trees Senior Specialist.

On her birthday tomorrow, she and Neighborhood Trees Manager Whitney Dorer will lead volunteers in five North Portland Peninsula neighborhoods as they plant 400 street and yard trees.

“It’s a birthday that I’ll be able to remember for many, many years as the new trees grow and enhance our neighborhood forest,” Erica says. “Rather than candles, I get to enjoy the longer lasting color, shade and beauty of the new trees being planted on Saturday. It’s truly a birthday wish coming true!”

Tomorrow’s planting in the Kenton and Portsmouth neighborhoods begins at Portland Village School, 7654 North Delaware Ave. (map) The Cathedral Park, St. Johns, and University Park planting begins at Holy Cross Catholic School, 5227 N Bowdoin St. (map) Volunteers should arrive at each staging site by 8:45 am to register and enjoy breakfast treats before the plantings begin at 9:00 am. Friends of Trees will provide gloves and tools, so volunteers just need to show up dressed for the weather and wearing sturdy shoes. (The photos below were taken by Matt Krueger at last year’s North Peninsula planting.)

Neighborhood volunteers will host a potluck lunch for all of the volunteers after the planting. Portsmouth neighbors Erin and Steve Leiker will provide live music at the Portsmouth and Kenton potluck, and the local band Free Range will perform at the Cathedral Park, St. Johns and University Park potluck.

Tomorrow’s planting sponsors are Recology and Rigert Shade Trees, and the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services is our planting partner. Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center students will also assist with the tree planting, and the University Park Business Association and St. Johns Boosters donated all of the mulch and coordinated the mulching of all the trees.

Learn more about our Portland neighborhood plantings and tomorrow’s Green Space Initiative plantings in Happy Valley and Tigard on our Portland-Vancouver calendar. Information about our tree care and pruning event in Eugene’s Trainsong neighborhood can be found on our Eugene-Springfield calendar.

We hope you’ll plant with us. And be sure to wish Erica Timm a Happy Birthday!

-TR