Planting in memory of Gail Achterman

On April 14, 135 volunteers gathered in SE Portland to enhance the I-205 Multi-Use Path for cyclists, pedestrians and neighbors. As part of the tree planting, family, friends and colleagues of Gail Achterman gathered to plant more than a dozen oaks in her memory.

Oregon State Rep. Alissa Keny-Guyer greeted the volunteers. She was honored, she said, that Gail’s memorial planting was in her district. She recalled Gail’s warmth and helpfulness, and her advocacy for land management and transportation policies. Gail was instrumental, she said, in helping ensure the Columbia River Gorge became a scenic protected area.

Pictured in the slide show above are Gail’s husband, Chuck McGinnis, Rep. Alissa Keny-Guyer, FOT Executive Director Scott Fogarty, ODOT Region 1 Public Policy & Community Affairs Manager Shelli Romero, and other community volunteers planting in Gail’s memory.

Gail’s friend and cycling partner Oregon State Sen. Jackie Dingfelder planted trees in memory of her mother at FOT’s neighborhood greenway planting the same morning. She received a Friends of Trees Gift Grove from her friends, who helped her plant the trees.

Among the many volunteers helping plant on Saturday were groups from Impact Northwest, Cub Scout Pack 214, Biotronik, Starbucks, Reynolds High School National Honor Society, Cleveland High School, Mt. Hood Christian Center, Metropolitan Learning Center, Hands On Greater Portland, and Carrington College.

The I-205 planting was part of a years-long greening project involving a partnership among Friends of Trees, Metro, ODOT, EMSWCD, Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services, and more than a dozen other agencies, nonprofits, neighborhood groups, and local businesses.

Friends of Trees will host two more community plantings this Saturday to wrap up our 2011-12 planting season. Beginning April 28, we’ll host weekend tree care events to weed and water new trees at green spaces. Volunteers are welcome at all of these events. Please check our Portland-Vancouver calendar for locations and arrive by 8:45 am to register.

–TR