Make a lasting difference in your neighborhood

By Kate Farrington

Friends of Trees is already planning for the 2011-12 planting season, and we need your help! In order to surpass last season’s record of 4,545 trees and attain our goal of planting 5,500 low-cost street and yard trees in the Portland-Vancouver metro area next year, we need Neighborhood coordinators who can volunteer their time to help organize these neighborhood plantings.

Neighborhood coordinators are essential to making a Friends of Trees tree planting event possible by talking to neighbors about planting trees, keeping track of homeowner inquiries and tree requests, and helping organize their neighborhood planting event with support from the Friends of Trees staff.

No experience is necessary! We’ll train you in all aspects of this role and support you throughout the planting season as you raise awareness about the planting event, help your neighbors order trees, and organize the logistics of planting day.

Neighborhood coordinators typically work in teams as adjacent neighborhoods are grouped into planting events together. Scheduling is very flexible, and most work can be done at home. The typical time commitment is approximately 80 hours from mid-summer until the planting event occurs between November and March.

Participating in this program is an excellent opportunity to meet your neighbors, develop valuable organizing skills, and have fun while making an important and lasting difference in your community. Remember, the trees you help plant today will improve aesthetics, air and water quality, neighborhood livability, stormwater mitigation, and property values for decades to come!

If you’re interested in attending our next training, please fill out this registration form.  There are several neighborhoods in Portland and Vancouver that currently don’t have a coordinator, and without a neighborhood coordinator, we’re unable to plant trees there!

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FIRST TRAINING SESSION: This session is required for all prospective neighborhood coordinators. It is intended to give a broad introduction to Friends of Trees and the Neighborhood Trees program as well as information about a neighborhood coordinator’s roles, responsibilities, and strategies needed to get the job done.

Wednesday June 8, from 6:00-8:30 p.m. at Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church, 2828 SE Stephens Street, Portland OR 97214.

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Tuesday August 16 from 6:00-8:30 p.m. Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church, 2828 SE Stephens Street Portland, OR 97214 (map)

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SECOND TRAINING SESSION: This session will be an opportunity for new and returning neighborhood coordinators to meet each other, talk about ideas, and learn more about our online ordering system.

Thursday, August 18, from 6:00-8:30 p.m. Northeast Community Center, 1630 Northeast 38th Avenue Portland OR (map) This is for Portland coordinators only.

Tuesday August 23 from 6:00-8:30 p.m. Location TBD. This is for Vancouver coordinators only.

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If you have any questions or would like to sign up for these trainings, please e-mail Kate Farrington, or call her at 503-282-8846 ext. 28. We look forward to working with you!

— Farrington is a Neighborhood Trees Specialist with Friends of Trees.