Volunteers transform Eugene beltline

Volunteers planted more than 200 native trees and shrubs along to the Randy Pape Beltline in Eugene.
Volunteers planted more than 200 native trees and shrubs along to the Randy Pape Beltline in Eugene.

By Jennifer Killian

The sun shone high in the sky Saturday morning as Friends of Trees staff and more than 60 volunteers gathered to to plant 211 native trees and shrubs next to the Randy Pape Beltline in Eugene.

Volunteers planted native trees including Oregon white oak, Oregon ash, valley ponderosa pine and California black oak.

After the planting, smiling and muddy volunteers gathered together to enjoy a well deserved lunch in the warm sun. “Simply, this is a beautiful transformation,” said one volunteer as she gazed across the newly planted landscape and enjoyed her pizza.

The planting was a wonderful event and could not have been made possible without funding from the Alice Tyler Trust and the generous sponsorship of Mountain Rose Herbs. This planting was also in partnership with the Oregon Department of Transportation.

A huge and sincere thank you goes out to our in-kind sponsors, Starbucks, New Day Bakery, and Track Town Pizza! The tasty treats fueled our volunteers and kept smiles on everyone’s faces.

Mountain Rose HerbsSee a quick video of the planting here
Read more at http://www.kezi.com/hundreds-of-trees-planted-near-beltline/