April 23 Earth Day events wrap up an exciting planting season

Contributing to Earth Day Network’s A Billion Acts of Green, Oregon Attorney General John Kroger will join Metro Council President Tom Hughes, Friends of Trees, the Oregon Department of Transportation, East Portland Action Plan, and community volunteers to plant 170 trees along the I-205 Multi-Use Path on Saturday, April 23.

Volunteers are encouraged to arrive at SE Salmon Street and SE 94th Avenue, Portland, by 8:45 a.m. to register and enjoy breakfast treats before the planting begins at 9:00 a.m.

At-risk youth from Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, whose jobs were created through funds provided by the Portland Development Commission for the I-205 greening project, will help guide the volunteers. Friends of Trees’ trained volunteer crew leaders will also guide small groups of planters.

The event concludes the second season of a three-year community effort to green the 16.5-mile path, which is used by cyclists and pedestrians for recreation and commuting. To date, community volunteers have planted nearly 4,000 trees and shrubs at various locations along the path.

The I-205 Multi-Use Path extends from the Columbia River in north Portland southward to the city of Gladstone. The greening project will enhance the experience of all who use the path, reduce air pollution, increase neighborhood livability, provide habitat for songbirds, and beautify the transportation corridor.

The greening project is funded by a $410,000 Metro Nature in Neighborhoods capital grant and by the Portland Trail Blazers, the Portland Timbers, East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District, Spirit Mountain Community Fund, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., and many area businesses. Cantel Sweeping is sponsoring the April 23 planting. Learn more on the Friends of Trees and ODOT web sites.

In addition, on April 23 Friends of Trees will host a Fruit Tree Giveaway & End-of-Season Sale of overstock street and yard trees at the Friends of Trees office, beginning at 10 a.m. Other Earth Day plantings include a Neighborhood Greenway planting along SE Spokane and a Green Space Initiative planting at Rood Bridge Park. The Rood Bridge Park planting is sponsored by Epson Portland, Inc. with planting partners Clean Water Services and the City of Hillsboro.

Since October, Friends of Trees volunteers have given more than 16,000 hours to plant more than 27,000 trees and native plants in neighborhoods and green spaces, and along the public right of way.

–TR