Pedal Powered Planting

Why take a car when you can take a bicycle? The Eugene Branch has always taken that mindset and incorporates bicycle crews whenever they get the chance. On February 22, they had three biking crews—and a walking crew!—bring the spirit of sustainability to the South Eugene Planting event.

“It’s always so cool to see bikes with trailers full of trees,” says Eugene-Springfield Program Manager Taylor Glass.

Bike crews are able to transport trees and tools from the staging site to planting locations by using bicycle trailers. Last year, our Eugene-Springfield team received an Electric Mobility Grant from the Eugene Water & Electric Board. We got two new electric bicycles to use for pedal powered planting and this is our first year incorporating those into the plantings.

“South Eugene is especially hilly,” says Eugene Director Erik Burke. “In the past, we’ve done some really challenging climbs, but with the e-bikes it’s so easy!”

To give even more community members a chance to participate as a volunteer on two wheels, the Eugene Branch partners with the local bikeshare, PeaceHealth Rides, to have their bikes available at events and free to volunteers. On Erik’s bike team on Saturday, he had 5 volunteers, and Erik and four of the volunteers rode PeaceHealth rides bikes.

“I just love it,” Erik says. “It’s so fun to see the look of amazement on people’s faces in cars driving by us when a whole crew rides past hauling big trees. And when treecipients see us pull up, they’re so surprised to see we biked their tree over.”

With success, fun, and enthusiasm from volunteers, Friends of Trees hopes to have more and more bike crews at plantings in every community we work in.