Eugene Volunteer

Volunteer in Eugene & Springfield

Become a Friends of Trees Planting Crew Leader! Join us 11/29/23 for our in-person training or complete the training on your own time virtually. Find more info and sign up on our Events Calendar.

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About the Eugene-Springfield office

In September 2011, the Eugene Tree Foundation (founded in 1997) joined forces with Friends of Trees to become the Friends of Trees Eugene Metro office! Serving the Eugene-Springfield metro area, Friends of Trees has partnered with thousands of volunteers to plant 10,000+ trees and native shrubs over the years. This work has never been more important: In Eugene there has actually been a decrease in tree canopy, at a time when we need trees more than ever. Friends of Trees is planting trees to increase our community’s tree canopy—but that’s not all! We’re proactively working to improve our local programs and our impact:

  • We focus heavily on tree selection for climate change, choosing species that can withstand more extreme conditions.
  • We’ve brought together the public and municipal managers numerous times to discuss tree selection—right tree, right place.
  • We’re testing a wide variety of trees for climate resilience, including working with a local nursery on growing some of these species right here.
  • We’re working with the cities of Eugene and Springfield to update their approved street tree lists to allow tree species we think will be more climate-resilient.

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Contact the Office at 541-632-3683 or [email protected]

Eugene-Springfield Volunteer Roles

As a leader in one of our most important volunteer roles, you will help teach our volunteers how to plant trees and work together as a team. Not only is being a crew leader a great way to meet people and develop valuable leadership skills, but you get to learn how to plant trees the right way. You will learn about proper planting techniques, safety protocols, and how to lead a team of volunteers on planting day. You will also receive a coveted Tree Team t-shirt! During our planting season, we ask that each crew leader commit to guiding small groups of planters at a minimum of 3 planting events. Check out our calendar for upcoming trainings!

Saturday Tree Planters: We organize public tree planting events on Saturday mornings from November to April. It’s a great way to get outside, learn how to plant trees, meet people, fulfill service learning requirements and help make the Eugene/Springfield metro region greener and healthier – all in a few hours! To find out how you can help plant this year, visit our Events Calendar for more information and to sign up.

Bike Planters: If you are pumped on biking and want to bring your bike out to a planting event – we can work with that! Bicycling crews transport all of the trees, tools and people to each planting site during neighborhood planting events. Folks with bike trailers and racks are encouraged, though anyone with a bike is welcome to plant with us. Keep an eye out for plantings with our partners at PeaceHealth Rides where any volunteer can join a bike team with a bikeshare bike for free!

Nearly every neighborhood planting crew needs truck driver support. Tree are big and heavy and tools add up quickly. Volunteer truck drivers lend their vehicles to a planting event and help us get our trees and tools from house to house on planting day. Whether you want to volunteer at your neighborhood planting event, or you are free to join us over multiple weekends, we’d love to have your help! Check out our Truck Driver volunteer sign up form.

Summer inspectors are always one of our most popular volunteers roles. Why? These trained volunteers learn how to assess the health of newly planted street and yard trees and give homeowners watering and mulching tips. Each inspector checks on his or her assigned trees twice during the summer. Plus, you get to stroll around Eugene & Springfield’s beautiful neighborhoods in the summer sun at your own leisure. Not a bad way to do good work. Check back next spring to sign up!

Staff and experienced pruners will lead small teams of volunteers to prune young street trees. Each event includes demonstrations on proper pruning techniques and safety protocols. Stay tuned for Summer 2023 pruning dates!