“It was an amazing day, perfect weather, awesome people and healthy trees! Couldn’t ask for a better planting day, truly.”
Alex, volunteer tree planter
So far in our 2019-20 planting season we’ve planted more than16,000 trees and native shrubs! Here are some highlights from some amazing days this season:
Neighborhood Trees Program: 820 trees planted
“It was wonderful to plant in our neighborhood! I look forward to checking up on all of our trees over the next few years.”
-Neighborhood Trees volunteer planter
above photo from our November planting in Vancouver
820 street and yard trees have been planted at nine events so far this season. 900 volunteers turned out to plant trees in Portland, Eugene, Vancouver, Oregon City, Beaverton, and Clark County, WA. Some highlights:
Crew Leaders do an amazing job
“I feel like Crew Leaders did an exceptionally great job during a southeast Portland planting event earlier this month. It was pouring rain and the volunteers who came back to the staging site after planting were just sopping wet. Yet everyone stayed, they sat and ate lunch together and talked – and everyone left with a smile on their face! So I give a big kudos to Crew Leaders for keeping tree planters happy and engaged.”
– Litzy, FOT Neighborhood Trees Senior Specialist
above photo, SE Portland planting event
Miles is still planting trees!
“I just went to my first volunteer event since I left Portland, a community planting right on campus. It was so great to get my hands dirty again! We were digging holes and planting trees and plants by a creek on campus, mainly to reduce soil erosion and keep the water clean. We pounded stakes, which among so many other things, reminded me of volunteering with Friends of Trees.”
– Miles, FOT volunteer now at Vassar College
Miles will be back to plant during his winter break
(Miles volunteered at more than a dozen events last season – and ran to all of them!
His college application highlighted his Friends of Trees volunteer experience)
Green Space Program: 15,800 trees planted
“The team created a warm and welcoming environment. It was a lovely event that we truly enjoyed!”
-Green Space planting volunteer
above photo taken at our Cornelius event in November
15,800 trees and shrubs have been planted in natural areas at 16 events since October. 1,000 volunteers turned out for restoration events in Eugene, Hillsboro, Troutdale, Tigard, Salem, Tualatin, Gresham, Cornelius, Happy Valley, and Wilsonville. Highlights:
50 trees for 50 years
“During an extremely rainy planting event in Happy Valley I saw that one of the groups registered that day was called ‘Pamela’s Birthday.’ It turns out that Pam brought 20 of her friends, and their goal was to plant 50 trees in honor of Pam’s 50th birthday. They ended up planting 75 trees and Pam declared it ‘the best birthday ever.‘ “
– Max, FOT Green Space Senior Specialist
above photo, Pam is on the left
A great day in Cornelius
” ‘Twas a cold, frost-covered morning out in Washington County with a beautiful sunrise that quickly became warm and sunny. We had lots of happy planters excited to be outside, and most of them were local! One of our Crew Leaders biked to the site, a volunteer planter arrived on a longboard, and there was lots of carpooling, which was awesome.It was a great day, with about 90 volunteers who planted 700 trees and native shrubs.”
-Hanna, FOT Green Space Specialist
THE EUGENE BRANCH
News from Friends of Trees Eugene
The Eugene tree planting season so far: 261 trees and native shrubs planted in neighborhoods and natural areas in Eugene and Springfield.
It’s been a busy season for Friends of Trees Eugene! In addition to undertaking the 101+ tasks associated with community tree planting events, we moved into a new office; held Crew Leader training events; are working with the City of Eugene to continue our partnership; we’re coordinating with Parks and Open Space staff to collaborate on this season’s planting events … and more!
And we’ve been awarded! FOT Eugene received the Daniel Swantek Award from Greenlane Sustainable Business Network, which will help care for the young trees and shrubs we’ve planted along NW Expressway.
Finally, as part of our efforts to identify the most climate adaptive trees, we’re trying out some new species. This season new trees we’re planting include American hophornbeam, cork oak, holly oak, and silverleaf oak.
photos are (top) from a Eugene Neighborhood Trees planting and (middle) a Northwest Expressway planting event.
Tree Team Gear for the holidays
Need something extra special for the tree hugger* in your life? Purchasing Friends of Trees gear shows your green roots AND your purchase plants trees! Details and pricing here. * it’s totally okay if that “tree hugger” is you 😉
Willamette Week’s Give!Guide runs through December 31st and is a great way to learn about organizations that are doing amazing work on behalf of people, places, critters and causes (including trees + community, of course ;). Donate here!
G!G donors to Friends of Trees get delicious incentives from our generous partners! $10+ donors get a free slice from HOTLIPS Pizza and the first 300 donors of $25 or more get a pint of beer at Level Beer (plus that slice).
GET INVOLVED
It’s tree planting season! Did you know that planting trees in cold, rainy weather is best for their survival? It’s true! Help us plant trees this winter, it’s a great way to get outside, meet new people, and have a great time while making a difference.
Upcoming volunteer events include:
December 21 in Banks
January 11 in Salem and Eugene
MLK Jr weekend, Jan 18 & 20 in Portland, Gresham and Eugene
