Tree Inventory Team Leaders & Volunteers Needed!

By Erica Timm

Interested in learning more about the composition of Portland’s urban forest? Want to increase your tree identification skills? Have some skills to share? Want to have fun in the sun this summer? If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, please consider becoming a tree inventory team leader for Portland Parks & Recreation this summer!

The Urban Forestry Division of PP&R is organizing volunteer-powered, Neighborhood Tree Inventories again this summer — this time in eight different neighborhoods throughout the city! The neighborhoods being inventoried include Arbor Lodge, Brooklyn, Cathedral Park, Downtown, Piedmont, Portsmouth, Richmond and Woodstock. That means around 30,000 street trees will be inventoried. Data collected will include: tree species, size, health, and site conditions, as well as spaces available for future planting.

How can you get involved?

Become a Tree Inventory Team Leader

Volunteering as a Team Leader is an excellent opportunity to improve your tree identification skills and learn more about assessing tree health and site conditions.

Team Leaders help guide general volunteers on the inventory collection days. You do not need to be a tree expert to become a team leader, just attend a three-hour training and sign up to help out during three inventory days between the months of July and September. Urban Forestry staff will provide the training and tools necessary and will guide you through the inventory process.

The data collected will be analyzed and then presented to neighborhood stakeholders to help establish neighborhood tree stewardship plans.

There are four  training sessions offered: Thursday, June 13 (morning or afternoon) or Saturday, June 15 (morning or afternoon). You can register for one of the trainings by following this link: http://tinyurl.com/teamleader2013

Attend a Tree Inventory Work Day!

Volunteering at a work day is a great way to learn more about trees and urban forestry, and meet new people. No training or experience is required, as each volunteer is paired with a trained team leader volunteer.

Volunteers will help collect tree size, health and new tree planting potential data. There are 32 work day dates and locations to choose from. Work days occur from 8:30 am to noon on Saturdays and Thursdays from June to September. Advanced registration via the website is requested; click here to find registration links to each of the neighborhood’s work days.

For additional information, visit the Tree Inventory Project website. We hope to see you at an inventory this summer!

–Timm is a Senior Neighborhood Trees Specialist for Friends of Trees.