Enjoy the Spring Season with Us!

By Jenny Bedell-Stiles and Andy Meeks

This stretch of beautiful weather is a perfect way to welcome our ‘second’ season of planting and caring for trees in the Portland metro region. As the days become longer and the weather warmer, our planting calendar also changes. We move from large-scale neighborhood plantings and natural area restoration events to Neighborhood Greenway plantings and Tree Care events. It’s a great time of year to get outside. If you haven’t yet joined us for an event this season, we’d love your help sometime in April or May!

Learn how to care for newly-planted natives at our Tree Care events. (FOT file)

Tree Care Events

Our newly-planted native trees and shrubs located in natural areas and green spaces need help to make it through their first growing season to have the best chance of flourishing. At our Tree Care events, we mulch the new plantings, install protective barriers, and occasionally remove competing invasives. These events run from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, and gloves, tools and guidance are provided, as well as breakfast treats and hot coffee. Please join us to help care for these newly-planted trees!

  • April 6: I-205 Multi-Use Path Tree Care/Planting – SE Portland (map)
  • April 13: I-205 Multi-Use Path Tree Care/Planting – SE Portland (map)
  • April 20: I-205 Multi-Use Path Tree Care – SE Portland (map)
  • April 20: King City Tree Care – King City Park  (map)
  • April 27: Trillium Creek School Tree Care – West Linn (map)
  • May 4: Clatsop Butte Tree Care – SE Portland (map)
  • May 11: Kuchinka Farm Tree Care – Happy Valley (map)
  • May 18: Columbia Children’s Arboretum Tree Care – NE Portland (map)
Casual, smaller and focused - a Neighborhood Greenway planting event (FOT file)

Neighborhood Greenway Plantings

These are smaller, more-focused events that work to help green up a few streets for the length of several miles. The goal is to plant trees to make our streets safer and more enjoyable for bicyclists, pedestrians and vehicles, as well as to reduce air pollution and stormwater runoff in our neighborhoods. All Neighborhood Greenway events run from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, and gloves, tools and guidance are provided, as well as breakfast treats and hot coffee.

  • April 6: SE Bush Greenway – Meet at the East Portland Neighborhood Office. (map)
  • April 13: N Central Greenway – Meet at the SE corner of St. Johns City Park. (map)
  • May 11: N Vancouver Greenway  – Meet at N Vancouver Ave and N Farragut St. (map)
  • May 11: Sunnyside Mini-Planting – Meet at SE Hawthorne and 41st Ave. (map)

For full event descriptions and details, please see our online calendar. Any questions? Please don’t hesitate to contact Andy or Jenny in the Volunteer & Outreach Program at 503-595-0213. We hope you’re able to help us finish our planting season strong!

— Meeks and Bedell-Stiles are the Volunteer & Outreach Program at Friends of Trees.