It’s that time of year again. Arbor Week is just around the corner!

By Kris Day

Come out next week and celebrate all that Oregon’s trees do for us, from cleaning our air and water to providing invaluable habitat for wildlife. They’re a renewable natural resource, and they make our communities nice places to live!

Akebono cherry trees in blossom along Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Akebono cherries along Tom McCall Waterfront Park (Fasai Streed)

Portland Arbor Week 2011 kicks off with a ceremonial tree planting and other tree-related activities in the South Park Blocks between SW Park Avenue and Main Street on Monday, April 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Join Portland City Parks Commissioner Nick Fish, Urban Forester David McAllister, and Oregon Department of Forestry’s Kristin Ramstad at 12 noon for brief but thoughtful commentary on what trees mean to Portland.

You’ll also have the chance to ride up into the Park Block’s tree canopy in a bucket truck, make your own “I Love Trees” pin, and take advantage of the expertise of the city’s tree inspectors, who will answer your arboriculture questions!

Friends of Trees will have a table at the event to share information about the work we’ve been doing around the city and what we’re planning for next year’s season. We welcome feedback from you on what you liked or didn’t like about our programs this year, and what you’d like to see in the future. Please stop by and say, “Hi!”

Other groups present will include Portland Parks & Recreation-City Nature, Portland’s Neighborhood Tree Steward and Elm Monitoring programs, Portland Bureau of Environmental Services’ Grey to Green Initiative, and more!

Additional tree-related events will continue throughout the week. Be sure to catch one!

Tuesday, April 5 – Trees of Couch Park with Phyllis Reynolds – 10 a.m. (Couch Park, 2001 NW Glisan)

Wednesday, April 6 – Mature Tree Care Demo – 10 a.m. (Laurelhurst Park, 3600 SE Ankeny Street)

Thursday, April 7 – OSU Starker Lecture Series – Dr. Melanie R. Kirk, Connecting People and Forests: A Global Perspective on Urban Forestry (See earlier Friends of Trees blog story.) – 3:30 p.m. (World Forestry Center, 4033 SW Canyon Road)

Friday, April 8 – Hoyt Arboretum Magnolia Tree Walk – 10 a.m. (Hoyt Arboretum, 4000 SW Fairview Boulevard)

Saturday, April 9 – Coolest Trees in SE Portland Bike Ride – 9 a.m. (Sellwood Park, 7701 SE 7th Avenue)

For more information on Arbor Day, visit http://www.arborday.org/arborday/oregon/.

–Day is Neighborhood Trees Contractor Specialist for Friends of Trees.