Elementary school grows global forest

The Global Forest project at Harold Oliver Elementary School in East Portland has grown by three trees this year!

Jim Gersbach, project coordinator, and nine third grade students—along with Kate Farrington and Kris Day of Friends of Trees—planted a Japanese Umbrella Pine, a ‘Victoria’ Evergreen Magnolia, and a Swamp White Oak on the school grounds on Feb. 19.

This year’s additions complement over 30 other tree species from around the world, each with the potential to convey lessons not only about plants, but also about how people in other cultures use or relate to trees.

Gersbach’s vision is to help create a learning landscape that offers kids connections to their local environment, as well as offering living references to historical people and places.

While trees on school properties may seem obviously beneficial for a host of reasons, one of the biggest obstacles to their success is lack of watering during the summer months.

Many community and parent groups may love the idea of “greening up” their schoolyards, but without the dedicated, usually volunteered efforts of people like Gersbach, trees planted on schoolyards often fail to live past their establishment period of two to three years.  Friends of Trees recommends newly planted trees receive 10-15 gallons of water weekly during their first two years.

Don’t let our summer drought keep you from organizing a planting for your local school—just make sure to coordinate a committed group of “water gods and goddesses” to look after young trees.  Including the details of an irrigation plan will add weight to any planting proposal.  Together, by sharing the responsibilities of new tree care, we can grow learning landscapes while simultaneously contributing to the development of Portland’s overall green infrastructure.

Kris Day is a Neighborhood Trees Specialist for Friends of Trees: [email protected]