REI awards $15,000 to Friends of Trees

Friends of Trees is honored to receive a $10,000 grant from REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.) in Portland to support two Green Space Initiative plantings along the I-205 Multi-Use Path and $5,000 from REI in Eugene for natural area restoration work in the Eugene-Springfield area.

This fall and winter mark the third planting season of the three-year I-205 Multi-Use Path project, which involves a partnership with Metro, the Oregon Department of Transportation, Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services, and a dozen other nonprofits, businesses, agencies, and community groups.

The 16.5-mile Multi-Use Path parallels the freeway from the Columbia River in North Portland south to the city of Gladstone. It is used by cyclists, pedestrians, neighbors, and TriMet travelers. Already community volunteers led by Friends of Trees have planted 4,000 trees along the path.

“Friends of Trees is grateful for our continuing and expanding partnership with REI,” said Friends of Trees Executive Director Scott Fogarty. “Bringing volunteers together to plant trees along the I-205 corridor reduces air pollution, increases neighborhood livability, and encourages healthy styles of transportation and recreation—goals that Friends of Trees shares with REI.”

The $5,000 grant from REI in Eugene will directly support natural area restoration projects in two heavily used, highly visible urban natural areas along Amazon Creek and the Willamette River. This fall Friends of Trees is bringing its community-building model of tree planting to a new Friends of Trees office in Eugene by partnering with the Eugene Tree Foundation. The Eugene Tree Foundation has worked to enhance community livability in Eugene and Springfield since 1997.

“REI has been a fantastic supporter of Eugene Tree Foundation and Friends of Trees,” said Friends of Trees Eugene Director Erik Burke. “Its support of Eugene Tree Foundation and many other great local nonprofits has made a big contribution to the health of natural areas in the Eugene-Springfield area. This grant will enable us to expand our stewardship program to bring more volunteers together to take care of local natural areas. We are very grateful for REI’s generous support and excited to expand and improve our stewardship programs in Eugene and Springfield.”

REI is committed to promoting environmental stewardship and increasing access to outdoor recreation through education, volunteerism, gear donations and financial contributions. The $10,000 grant is the result of a nomination made by the Portland store, and the $5,000 grant is the result of a nomination made by the Eugene store.

REI is a national outdoor retail co-op dedicated to inspiring, educating, and outfitting its members and the community for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. Founded in 1938 by a group of Pacific Northwest mountaineers seeking quality equipment, REI is committed to promoting environmental stewardship and increasing access to outdoor recreation through volunteerism, gear donations, and financial contributions.

–TR