Tag: Arbor Day ’09
Blumenauer talks urban forestry agenda
Partners in Community Forestry 2009
National Arbor Day Foundation Conference: Nov. 10
Speaking to the general session at the National Arbor Day Conference, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) stressed the importance of urban forestry and implored the attendees to “take it up a notch” in fighting for carbon legislation.
The lifelong Portlander and former city commissioner mentioned the success in Portland with historic trees, aggressive street tree planting and the adoption of local policies that protect the urban canopy, all under the example umbrella of what should be done nation wide.
“We need to squeeze more value out of every public dollar that is invested—we can’t afford to waste them,” said the representative of Oregon’s 3rd district.
Listing appropriate landscaping and the practice of urban forestry as “absolutely essential” elements of ‘greenfrastucture,’ Blumenauer also said these practices are perhaps the least expensive ways to deal with the impacts of climate change.
Using the prism of our current economics, the congressman called the urban forestry industry one that can effect a broad array of people in every community, while also noting these green jobs and investments can not be outsourced to Kamchatka or China.
“Home values are enhanced by appropriate landscaping and especially street trees,” he said.
“A business that is in a shaded business district, on average, has 10 percent higher sales. This is real money to real people. Improving the quality of life and bolstering economic activity.”
–Toshio Suzuki
Youtube for tree planters
Partners in Community Forestry 2009
National Arbor Day Foundation Conference: Nov. 10
Brighton and Toshio of Friends of Trees made a video presentation during their session at the Partners in Community Forestry National Arbor Day Conference ’09.
The ‘mockumentary’ highlighted how simple it is to create and produce short videos via the tools already available in every office.
Special thanks to Dan Lambe, vice president of programs for the Arbor Day Foundation.
–Toshio Suzuki
Tabor to the River aims for 200 trees this year
Partners in Community Forestry 2009
National Arbor Day Foundation Conference: Nov. 9
With an emphasis on combining both ‘grey’ and ‘green’ approaches to improving storm runoff control, the Bureau of Environmental Service’s Tabor to the River (T2R) program hopes to plant 3,500 trees by 2023.
That is, of course, if the funding becomes more secure, said BES Environmental Specialist Naomi Tsurumi at the National Arbor Day Conference.
Program facets range from replacing structurally deficient pipes (grey) to strategically planting trees where they will provide maximum benefit to sewer problems (green).
Working together on the river basin program that runs from Mt. Tabor to the Willamette River, T2R and Friends of Trees are able to offer significantly discounted trees to pre-identified home owners.
“It can’t be stressed enough that this program couldn’t exist without partnerships,” said Tsurumi, who added that Friends of Trees’ plantings are great events with enthusiastic neighbors.
“It’s really an honor for the city to be a part of that,” said Tsurumi.
With a target area that is 37 percent impervious surface, BES canvassers created detailed maps that identified over 5,000 potential spots for street trees.
Last year, T2R planted 150 trees via the Neighborhood Trees program.
–Toshio Suzuki
Metro council president touts partnerships
Partners in Community Forestry 2009
National Arbor Day Foundation Conference: Nov. 9
Calling Portland “an island in a sea of federal land,” Metro Regional Council President David Bragdon opened the conference with his introduction of Intertwine and stressing partnerships like the one with Friends of Trees.
“The public wants to enjoy the outdoors without regard to who owns what,” said Bragdon, the first regionally elected president of Metro.
Calling Intertwine “an organization of organizations…” and “…(Metro’s) attempt to actualize partnership,” Bragdon explained how local bond measures created with property tax revenues have allowed Metro to create a science-based real estate company, acquiring and restoring land the public will benefit from.
Bragdon mentioned Friends of Trees a half dozen times, especially in reference to the upcoming I-205 Green Space Initiative plantings on ODOT land, which will be a highly visible template for the potential of multi-lateral partnerships.
–Toshio Suzuki
Conference begins with I-205 service project
Partners in Community Forestry 2009
National Arbor Day Conference: Nov. 8
What once was a grassy slope opposite I-205 is now home to 30 trees, courtesy of a pre-conference service project put on by Friends of Trees and Alliance for Community Trees (ACT).
Early arrivers for the 2009 Partners in Community Forestry conference took an eco-shuttle from their hotel and spent the soggy afternoon comparing planting techniques and nursery containers as they created a future tree line along the interstate bike path, near Washington St.
“Look at this; look at all the potential,” said Sharon Kelly, program director for Canopy in Palo Alto, commenting on the scale and scope of the Green Space Initiative (GSI) project.
Partnering with Oregon Department of Transportation and Metro, GSI will begin planting 1,000 trees along the multi-use path this winter.
Today’s planted species included Rocky Mountain Glow Maple, Ponderosa Pine, Douglas Fir, Oregon White Oak, Garry Oak and Chinkapin Oak.
Check back on the blog this week for complete coverage of the national Arbor Day Foundation conference.
–Toshio Suzuki