Friends of Trees & Portland Urban Forestry Host First Community Planting Event of their New Partnership

Friends of Trees | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information:
Colin May: cell (503) 467-2515; [email protected]

The December 6th North Portland Planting is the first in a new collaboration between Friends of Trees and the City of Portland

Portland, Ore. – Friends of Trees will host its first community planting event as part of its new partnership with Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) Urban Forestry on Saturday December 6, 2025. Community volunteers will gather at Cesar Chavez School in North Portland before planting trees throughout North Portland neighborhoods.

This community planting event is the first of four events this season that Friends of Trees will put on in partnership with Portland Urban Forestry. The new $1.8 million partnership will plant and care for 750 trees across Portland’s most heat-vulnerable neighborhoods. This collaboration is part of the City’s Equitable Tree Canopy program funded by the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF), and reflects a shared commitment to climate resilience, community stewardship, and long-term tree health.

“It’s always exciting to put planning into action, especially when it means bringing volunteers together to plant trees,” says Friends of Trees Executive Director Yashar Vasef. “The efforts we make on a winter morning will mean more shade in these neighborhoods during future summer heat waves.”

Volunteers will plant approximately 100 street and yard trees at residents’ homes as part of this planting event. Every street tree planted through this partnership will receive three years of follow-up care. This includes watering, monitoring, and replacement if needed. Yard tree recipients will receive guidance and support from Friends of Trees to help care for their trees and support long-term success.

Friends of Trees expects about 100 community volunteers to attend (Note: volunteer event is full and registration is closed). City Councilor Sameer Kanal (District 2) plans to be in attendance as well.

  • Location: Cesar Chavez School, 5103 N Willis Blvd, Portland, OR 97203
  • Time: 8:45 A.M. – 1 P.M. Brief program at 9:00 am before volunteer crews disperse to planting sites.
  • Neighborhoods: East Columbia, Kenton, Piedmont, Portsmouth, St Johns, and Woodlawn.

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Friends of Trees (FriendsofTrees.org)

Friends of Trees inspires people to improve the natural world around them through a simple solution: Planting Trees. Together.

Friends of Trees was founded in 1989 by a local community member who loved trees and started planting them in neighborhoods. Today, Friends of Trees is a nationally recognized, regional leader in improving the urban tree canopy and restoring sensitive natural areas—through programs delivered by thousands of volunteers. Friends of Trees has planted more than 1 million trees and native plants in 120+ neighborhoods in six counties across two states in the 36 years since its founding.