Read about Plant It Portland in Saturday’s Oregonian

Plant It Portland Yard Signs
You can see Plant It Portland signs in yards across Portland as people sign up for bargain trees.

Did you read this story, “Tree Planters Tout Shade and Beauty,” in Saturday’s Oregonian?

Friends of Trees has launched a media campaign featuring whimsical posters and door hangers with a “Where’s Waldo?” aspect to them—the more you look, the more you see.

“The old signs were a little wonky,” said program director Brighton West, explaining the switch.

According to West, while the signs listed the benefits of planting more neighborhood trees, such as carbon sequestration and stormwater capture, they didn’t reflect what Portlanders really love about them.

“When we did a survey to find out why people planted trees, most of them said for shade and beauty,” West said. “You can’t disagree that those are good things, so we decided to go with a ‘beautiful’ campaign.”

Local marketing firm Frank Creative, which came up with the the graphics, creates ads for companies such as Teva and Spyder. The company felt unususually qualified because the active, outdoorsy people who buy those products are the same kind who plant trees.

Friends of Trees planted 2,500 trees in Portland last winter, West said. Their goal this year is 4,500. Homeowners pay an average of $45 a tree, and neighbors pitch in to get them in the ground.

To find out if a tree planting is planned in your community, contact Friends of Trees at 503-282-8846 or visit FriendsofTrees.org.

–Anne Laufe