PGE announces $100k, 5 year grant to reach 1 million trees planted

This Saturday, April 13th, Friends of Trees volunteers will plant more than 1,000 trees and native shrubs in Tualatin with longtime partners Portland General Electric (PGE) and the City of Tualatin. PGE employees, including Maria Pope, PGE’s President and CEO, and their friends and family will be planting alongside representatives from the City of Tualatin and its Mayor Frank Bubenik, and community members.

This year, PGE announced a special gift of $100,000 that will help Friends of Trees reach the milestone of one million trees planted since its inception. PGE has supported Friends of Trees since its founding in 1989; PGE is sponsoring a total of 10 planting and tree-care events, bringing the total of PGE-sponsored plantings to more than 100 since 2005.

A press release with event details and contact information is here.

Join us this Saturday to help restore the Tualatin River Basin

March 10, 2012 Saum Creek Wetland
Last year's planting at Ibach Park in the Tualatin River Basin (Chanda Stone)

Friends of Trees is excited to partner with Clean Water Services and the City of Tualatin again this year to help CWS reach its Tree for All goal of planting two million trees in the Tualatin River Basin. This Saturday we’ll add 800 native trees and shrubs along Nyberg Creek, upstream from the 13-acre Nyberg Creek Preserve and the confluence area of Nyberg Creek with the Tualatin River in Brown’s Ferry Park.

Last year more than 80 volunteers joined us to plant at Ibach Park in Tualatin. We’re looking forward to another fun planting, where we’ll add cascara, red-flowering currant, Pacific ninebark, and other native plants to the river basin.

Be sure to arrive at the natural area next to Bushwhackers Saloon, 8200 SW Tonka Street, by 8:45 am so you can sign in, warm up with a hot drink, and have the best choice of donuts!

Below is a slideshow of photos taken by Keith Nevison at last Saturday’s Green Space Initiative planting in Gresham and by Logan Lauvray at our GSI planting at Forest Park. Many thanks to last weekend’s planting partners: the city of Gresham, West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District, Xerces Society, and Portland Parks & Recreation.

1,000 trees and shrubs, 129 amazing photos

It is not every day that Friends of Trees hits the 1,000 mark.

On March 20, the Green Space Initiative (GSI) program planted 1,000 trees and shrubs in Jurgens Park, Tualatin.

“It is an exhilarating feeling,” said GSI Specialist Betsy Lattig on hitting that 1,000 plateau. “It’s wonderful to work with both our volunteers and our little plants.”

About 120 volunteers who participated in the natural area restoration planting know what Lattig is talking about.

Check out the slideshow from the planting—which was sponsored by Oregon Soap Company—featuring 129 smashing photos from Greg Tudor.

The last GSI planting of the season is this Saturday, April 3, along the I-205 Multi-Use Path.

–Toshio Suzuki

Another reason to plant: garden burgers and chips

NT Planting: 11.15.08, Vancouver
A team of planters at a Vancouver planting from 2008. (Brian Black)

There are 14 Friends of Trees plantings remaining this season, from this Saturday through April 10.

As of Feb. 26, thanks to volunteers, donors, partners and sponsors, Friends of Trees has planted 11,310 trees and shrubs in the Portland Metropolitan area. That equates to over 386,000 trees and shrubs in 20 years!

A staggering tree tally that will surely grow in the coming Saturdays.

NT Planting: 11.15.08, Vancouver
Friends of Trees plants several species of fruit trees. (Brian Black)

This past Saturday in Vancouver, Northwest Natural sponsored a large Neighborhood Trees (NT) planting and continued their tradition of providing an amazing post-planting meal.

Last year it was chili; this year it was hamburgers, garden burgers, chips, fruits, drinks and desserts, according to Valerie White, spokesperson for NW Natural.

“It provides an opportunity to give back to the community as well as allow our employees a volunteer opportunity,” said White.

Also, in Wilsonville, Friends of Trees planted trees and shrubs in Memorial Park via its Green Space Initiative (GSI) program.

GSI has two more plantings along the I-205 Multi-Use Path, two more in Forest Park, and one each in Tualatin and along the Johnson Creek Watershed.

So, remember the rules: all are welcome—and come out to a Friends of Trees planting before the season is over!

–Toshio Suzuki

3,631 trees and shrubs planted in two months

It’s almost time for Friends of Trees to give thanks.

Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, marks the two-month mark for this year’s planting season. In two months and only seven full plantings, Friends of Trees planted 3,631 trees and shrubs.

Not bad Green Space Initiative program (GSI)—not bad Neighborhood Trees program (NT):

Sept. 26, GSI planting/training, Browns Ferry Park, Tualatin = 120 trees & shrubs

Oct. 10, GSI planting, Mary Woodward, Tigard = 1800 trees & shrubs —complete coverage

GSI planting in Tigard

Oct. 17, GSI planting, S. Portland River Bank = 700 trees & shrubs —complete coverage

GSI planting, Willamette River

Nov. 7, NT planting/training, Vancouver = 140 trees

NT planting, Vancouver

Nov. 8, GSI planting along I-205 = 30 trees —complete coverage

Arbor Day Conference I-205 Planting

Nov. 14, GSI planting/training, Audubon Society = 400 trees & shrubs —complete coverage

GSI planting, Audubon Society

Nov. 21, GSI planting, King City Park = 320 trees & shrubs

GSI planting, King City

Nov. 21, NT planting/training, Brooklyn & Sellwood = 121 trees —complete coverage

NT planting, Sellwood

–Toshio Suzuki