MLK Day Planting Events Bring Communities Together
Last weekend, Friends of Trees honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with six different planting events. Making sure that everyone has access to the benefits of trees is why we plant, and MLK Day events are always inspiring. On Saturday, we had events in Vancouver, Beaverton, Bethany and Salem, and volunteers came out with eagerness and generosity.
On MLK Day itself, our Eugene Branch facilitated two particularly special events. In the morning, the City of Eugene dedicated a park in the Bethel-Danebo neighborhood as Andrea Ortiz Park, in honor of the two-term councilor and first Latina on the Eugene City Council. Volunteers planted 60 more trees where the park is expanding and 11 trees in the surrounding neighborhood.
In the afternoon, Friends of Trees partnered with the NAACP Eugene-Springfield and Willamalane Parks and Recreation to plant trees in five different parks in Springfield.
“We are so grateful to the volunteers in the west Eugene and Springfield neighborhoods for bringing such spirit to the day.”
Adult Urban Forestry & Restoration Training Kicks Off Soon!
As we ramp up for the fifth year of the Adult Urban Forestry & Restoration Workforce Training Program, we wanted to share with you the experience of one of the program’s participants, Adrián Moreno. Adrián moved to the United States from Mexico City, and interned at Friends of Trees through the Adult Urban Forestry Training Program.
The program is designed to connect communities underrepresented in the urban forestry and restoration field—primarily communities of color—to training and job opportunities they otherwise would not have.
This Workforce Training Program is starting up in the next few months, guided by a new Workforce Training & Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Manager at Friends of Trees. Just as we are committed to helping our community gain access to the benefits of trees, we are also committed to making our green workforce accessible to all groups of people.
Winter Isn’t Over: What To Do If We Get A Winter Storm
The past few weeks have been mild, but winter isn’t over yet. We could still get a winter storm that can do damage to our trees. Last month, we taught you our winter pruning techniques to prepare you. But when a winter storm does arrive, what do you do?
You can shake off snow, but not ice. Light snow can be gently shaken from branches with a broom moved in an upward motion. Heavier snow and ice should be allowed to completely melt because branches with ice especially often fail when shaken.
Once the snow is gone, inspect your tree for damage, taking care to take safety precautions as necessary. You can use a pruning saw to cut away any dead or damaged branches at the nearest branch collar. If you have a specific question that you just can’t crack, you can write our email address for pruning questions: [email protected].
You know that we’re big fans of mulch at Friends of Trees, and we use a lot of it. That’s why we are so excited about our partnership with ChipDrop, an app that matches people who want free wood chip mulch with arborists and tree companies who are trying to get rid of it. Instead of taking wood chips to the landfill, arborists can drop them off right at your garden.
“We wanted to get involved with organizations that are on the same page,” says ChipDrop Co-Founder Andrea Kappa. “Friends of Trees is already in the business of educating people about the benefits of mulch, amending your soil, and growing what you want to grow.”
ChipDrop sponsored four Friends of Trees plantings this year. We picked plantings in neighborhoods that already had ChipDrop activity, so it was an opportunity to educate people about wood chip mulch that could be available to them.
Our events are modified as part of our COVID response to ensure they are as safe and healthy as possible,more information is here.
Thank You Donors
Thank you to everyone who donated to Friends of Trees as part of their 2021 giving! Your donations support valuable transformations to your community. You enable us to plant trees the Friends of Trees Way.
You know that with us, it’s more than just trees. Your donation builds community by engaging volunteers. It helps fight climate change. It brings the benefits of trees to everyone.
We could not be more grateful for your support. Thank you from everyone at Friends of Trees!
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Friends of Trees inspires people to improve the world around them through a simple solution:Planting Trees. Together.
