DECEMBER 2025: PORTLAND NEIGHBORHOODS | NW YOUTH CORPS | GIFT TREES
RECONNECTING IN NORTH PORTLAND
Friends of Trees and Portland Urban Forestry hosted our first community planting event as part of our new partnership
This month, volunteers gathered at Cesar Chavez School in Portsmouth, excited to plant trees at homes throughout North Portland neighborhoods. Brief drizzles couldn’t dampen anyone’s spirits, and sure enough, volunteers were rewarded with a sunny morning.
This community planting event was the first of four events this season that Friends of Trees will put on in partnership with Portland Urban Forestry. Together, volunteers planted 115 trees toward the goal of 750 new trees in Portland’s most heat-vulnerable neighborhoods. Our longtime community partners Verde and The Blueprint Foundation joined in on the planting action. The spirit of connection and reconnection was very present.
“It is heartening to see the community come together to help create a healthier and more equitable future for all. I’m humbled and honored to work with so many wonderful volunteers, and I look forward to seeing the trees planted on Saturday grow into their new homes for decades to come!”
-Thomas, Portland Neighborhood Trees Specialist
“I loved my crew!! It was a great mix of backgrounds and everyone was very cheery, helpful and supportive. That made it SUPER fun! Also, couldn’t beat that sunny weather!”
– Tammi, Volunteer
“What a wonderful event! I heard so much excitement and gratitude from volunteers and a tree recipient that we are planting in Portland in partnership with the city again.”
Northwest Youth Corps crews are working to protect our natural area plantings for the future.
This fall, the Eugene Branch hosted three crews from Northwest Youth Corps, which provides hands-on education and job training in conservation fields to youth and young adults. The crews spent much of their time at our Green Space planting sites making sure the work done to enhance these natural areas continues to have an impact well into the future.
“They’ve done such great work for us and for the City of Eugene,” Eugene Director Erik Burke says. “We really want to show native plant restoration work that looks healthy and cared for so that we can inspire people to plant that way at their homes.”
The work involved weeding and mulching at the planting sites along Northwest Expressway in Eugene, Bob Straub Parkway in Springfield, and in the Bethel neighborhood near Danebo Pond in West Eugene. This work protects the trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants from grass competition and mowers. It also protects pollinator habitat and bridges gaps for wildlife alongside major arterials.
“The crew members had the opportunity to work alongside great staff who took the time to educate our folks and explain the why behind the work,” says Will Wildebrandt, Urban Community Forestry Program Coordinator for Northwest Youth Corps. “It feels good to walk away from newly created tree mulch rings knowing they will be crucial in helping those trees grow and reach their full potential.”
“The work gives the city a better chance to expand its green space while giving our crew members the opportunity to know that the work they are doing is benefiting an entire community and truly matters,” Will says. “This can be very empowering.”
Feel good. Do Good. Plant Trees — Join us for our 37th season!
We have awesome planting events for you in the New Year! Whether it’s in a neighborhood or natural area, we would love your help building community with trees and native plants. As a volunteer named Krista puts it, “the sense of community and happiness I get from a Saturday planting event lasts the whole week!”
Here are some upcoming volunteer events:
January 17, Natural area planting, Stites Nature Park, Forest Grove
Crew Leaders and Assistants—watch your inbox for Crew Leader News on the first of the month! Trained Crew Leaders sign-up for events here.
GIVE THE GIFT OF TREES
Here are some ways you can give the gift of community trees this year-end.
Give!Guide
Willamette Week’s Give!Guide goes through December 31st! There are still FOUR MORE BIG GIVE DAYS, with chances to win awesome prizes like an E-bike, a Powell’s gift card, and more. Help us meet our goal!
Gift Trees
Still looking for a holiday present for a loved one? Gift trees are a lasting legacy that honor or remember loved ones while improving our environment. All Gift Trees are planted through our Green Space Program, which restores sensitive natural areas in our region. Learn more here.
Car Donations
You can donate almost anything with a motor to Friends of Trees! You’ll receive a tax deduction for your generosity while helping create a greener, healthier planet for years to come. Visit CARS today and be free of your vehicle tomorrow.
Stock our Stockings!
You can support Friends of Trees through donating appreciated securities including stocks and bonds. Learn more here.
P.S. Have you been following our mascot Garry Oak’s adventures inThe Garry Diaries?
