Portland, July 24th, 2013. Supporters kicked up their heels at the completion of a four-year project to plant 5,000 trees along the I-205 Multi-Use Path. Throughout the late-afternoon party in Lents, people passed by—on bike and by foot—taking the path home from work, heading to the next TriMet stop, or simply strolling or taking a leisurely bike ride. The travelers made a diverse and inspiring background for the party, which was hosted by Metro, Friends of Trees, and ODOT.
After listening to bluegrass by the Fellow Travelers and eating tamales from Micro Mercantes and salad from New Seasons Market, it was time for the evening’s speakers to cut the artistic cake from Pastrygirl.
“A New Forest Grows” cake made by Pastrygirl
Then there were reflections and thank-yous. ODOT Region 1 Manager Jason Tell explained that one of the first things he did after becoming Region 1 Manager seven years ago was tour the I-205 path that “ran through so many diverse neighborhoods.” He decided ODOT needed to make improvements. Some, such as new path lighting, have been accomplished with federal stimulus funds. “But the real significant thing we’ve done,” Tell said, “is plant trees.”
It’s satisfying to consider how “good the trees will be for the people who live in this area and how good they’ll be for the environment, too.”
The I-205 corridor is known to have high levels of air pollution, and PSU research has shown it is one of the hottest urban heat islands in the area. Not surprisingly, it also has the fewest trees. Unfortunately, heat and pollution contribute to poor health, and these factors are concentrated in areas where residents are more likely to have limited incomes, and where many immigrant and disadvantaged families live.
So it’s fitting that a good number of the 2,000 volunteers who helped plant the 5,000 trees came from diverse communities in East Portland and the greater Portland metro region, including I Have a Dream Oregon, the Association of Slavic Immigrants, Tzu Chi Academy, and neighbors involved in the East Portland Action Plan.
From left, Zach McKay (Portland OIC), Jason Tell (ODOT), Bob Stacey (Metro), Rex Burkholder (former Metro Councilor), Ricardo Moreno (Verde), Jim Chasse (EPAP), Scott Fogarty (FOT), and FOT mascot Garry Oak
The project began with a statewide agency (ODOT), a regional agency (Metro), and a nonprofit (Friends of Trees) working together toward a common goal: to improve livability, address equity issues, and improve human and environmental health by planting trees along the 16.5-mile I-205 Multi-Use Path. The nonprofit Verde, which serves communities by building environmental wealth through social enterprise, outreach and advocacy, was among the dozens of agencies, businesses, community groups, and nonprofits that partnered on the project.
Ricardo Moreno, Verde Landscape Program Manager, said Verde was proud to be a part of the project, which provided living wages with benefits and educational training to their crew members. “They take a lot of pride in their work,” Moreno said.
Another nonprofit partner, Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, provides education and job training and employment opportunities to disadvantaged or at-risk youth. Partnering on the I-205 Multi-Use Path project created eight green jobs each planting season for Rosemary Anderson High School students.
FOT’s Gustavo Rojas with FOT board member and J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. Communications Director Nancy Buley
One of the first Portland OIC students to work on the I-205 project, Zach McKay, spoke on behalf of his fellow students. He announced that he’d just received a job offer from New Seasons Market and looked forward to beginning his employment there. He thought it had probably helped to include his work with Friends of Trees on his resume.
“I actually fell in love with spending my time with the volunteers, getting to meet them,” he said of the I-205 planting project. “And it gave me so much more respect for the environment.”
How did ODOT, Friends of Trees, and Metro form a partnership?
Scott Fogarty recalled Friends of Trees planting on public land at Delta Park in 2006 with funding from a Portland BES Community Benefits Opportunity grant, which led to another planting on a public right-of-way in N-NE Portland. ODOT’s Shelli Romero called Fogarty to see if she and Tell could join the planting. Both came and were impressed by how many volunteers showed up to plant despite the cold, rainy weather.
The following January, when Friends of Trees planted with J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. near the I-205 Multi-Use Path, Tell again joined the planting, and the conversation between Fogarty and Tell began in earnest about how the two groups might work together to green ODOT property along the I-205 corridor. They just needed to find funding for it.
Metro Councilor Shirley Craddick with FOT mascot Garry Oak
That’s where Metro stepped in.
With the passage of Measure 26-80 in 2006, then-Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder asked that $15 million be allocated for 2:1 challenge grants for partnerships between Metro and community groups. He’d seen what these kinds of coalitions could accomplish.
After a series of grant submissions were rejected because they didn’t meet the requirements, “I was beginning to fear the bar was set too high,” Burkholder said. ”This led me to ask Friends of Trees to submit a grant because I knew they had the capacity, the connections, and the vision to come up with something creative … and boy, did they ever!”
The creative and visionary part? The three partner groups had to consider trees as capital assets, which few, if any, had done before. As opposed to gray infrastructure such as bridges, which depreciate over time, green infrastructure like trees will appreciate as the trees grow, providing more benefits to the community.
Metro Councilor Bob Stacey, whose district includes the I-205 Multi-Use Path, said he was pleased that Metro played a role in the project. “It’s the kind of model we should set for other roadways in the region and statewide.”
Noting that so many diverse groups and people came together to green the path—and how many will now appreciate and benefit from the new trees—he said, “Something was planted here besides trees: The seeds of community.”
Portland, July 16th, 2013. Formally launched with two dozen partners in 2011, The Intertwine Alliance (The Alliance) a new model of coalition working to advance urban greenspaces in the Portland-Vancouver region just welcomed its 100th partner, the Clean Water Institute (CWI).
The Alliance’s rapid growth validates the young nonprofit’s innovative premise that a public-private coalition, rather than any single agency working independently, will be more effective at engaging metropolitan residents with their local parks, trails and natural areas.
Columbia Springs supporters releasing the last of the Coho at Klineline Park.
“Our business plan forecast that at this point in our development we would have 57 partners,” said Intertwine Alliance Executive Director Mike Wetter.
“But there’s a change in the winds for conservation across the U.S. In the past, attention focused on ‘wild’ lands investing in nature only where people are not. Today, there is growing recognition that metropolitan regions are ecologically important, and that access to nature is key to the health of a population,” Wetter said.
CWI, The Alliance’s 100th partner, is a perfect example of how Alliance partners work to integrate natural systems with urban life. A nonprofit founded by public wastewater utility Clean Water Services, CWI’s watershed-based strategies satisfy regulatory compliance requirements while maximizing environmental benefits. For example, CWI’s innovative water quality trading program cools Washington County streams warmed by clean effluent by planting native shade trees and shrubs along riparian corridors.
In turn, the growing strength of The Alliance helps to favorably brand a region seeking talent and economic advantage; reduce healthcare, utility and transportation costs; enhance water quality and biodiversity; and support partners in building capacity and achieving their goals.
One of only six metropolitan conservation coalitions in the U.S., the success of The Intertwine Alliance is helping to lead a national movement of like-minded coalitions, with Alliance staff now mentoring other cities, including Denver and Seattle.
Portland, March 23rd, 2013,. U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer inspired more than 100 volunteers set to plant 200 trees in Portland’s Vernon and Concordia neighborhoods, sending them off with praise for Portland, its green innovations, and the legacy the planters would leave for future generations.
In reflecting about what makes Portland special, Rep. Blumenauer praised NW Natural, which generously sponsored Saturday’s planting, and Portland General Electric, which has supported Friends of Trees for decades and whose Renewable Power Program Manager Thor Hinckley is a Friends of Trees board member.
“Our local utilities are among the national leaders in trying to do things differently,” said Rep. Blumenauer. NW Natural “took the lead in a program to change the way we pay our gas bills … so there was actually an incentive to save. Before that, they were penalized if there was conservation.” About PGE he said, “We probably have more per capita green energy voluntary bill payers in Portland, who pay a little bit more to support energy sources that are easier on the planet” than anywhere else. And now, if you sign up for Paperless Billing, “they’ll kick in a buck so we’re saving a tree and we’re planting a tree.”
FOT Board Member Nancy Buley presents a Friends of Trees “Tree Team” T-shirt to Rep. Earl Blumenauer at FOT’s March 23 planting in Portland. (Photo by Mark Ferris)
About trees and their impact on our stormwater management system, Rep. Blumenauer said, “There’s a reason why the Bureau of Environmental Services is involved with supporting this [tree planting]. Because the more that we are able to build the green infrastructure, it’s not just that we’re getting help with climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, but trees act as sponges—the root system, the leaves— … and the city has made the rational decision that the more they can help this effort in greening the city, the less we have to worry about stormwater getting into the sewer system. … It’s part of the Portland approach.”
While jogging to the planting that morning, Rep. Blumenauer said he saw “the legacy that the people 20, 40, 60, 100, 120 years ago planted that we’re enjoying today,” and he recalled the “poetry” of the presentations that Heritage Trees Program founder Jane Glazer gave to Portland City Council when he was a city commissioner, which highlighted the history of many Portland trees.
“Today you’re making history,” he said. “You’re out in our neighborhoods planting a legacy that’s going to make a difference for generations to come. You’re not only enriching Portland today, but you’re enriching Portland for our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, allowing us to live a little more lightly on the planet.”
After being presented with an honorary Friends of Trees “Tree Team” T-shirt, Rep. Blumenauer lifted the shirt up and said, “I’m going to wear it when I run on the mall next month.”
Friends of Trees is honored that Rep. Blumenauer, a longtime advocate for the environment and urban forestry, came to our planting and spoke so eloquently about the importance of planting trees.
The slide show above of Rep. Blumenauer and Saturday’s planters was provided by Friends of Trees Board Member Nancy Buley, Communications Director for J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., and FOT volunteer Mark Ferris.
Katsura Heritage Tree in Laurelhurst Park, Portland (Phyllis Reynolds)
Portland, November 29th. Did you know that Friends of Trees has a program to help you plant trees? If you are not signed up to buy a tree, visit FriendsofTrees.org to get started.
If you’ve signed up for planting day, had your planting strip inspected, and are now ready to make your tree selection, but which tree will be best for you?
How can you best maximize beauty and habitat value? You like the idea of a flowering tree, but with so many species available, what other characteristics should you consider? Would a tree with fiery red fall color look best with your house, or would a warm, golden yellow go better?
Whether you need help in choosing the right tree for your yard or planting strip, or you just want to learn more about the types of trees that make up Portland’s incredible urban forest, you’ll be happy to know that Friends of Trees has organized two upcoming informative slideshow/Q&A sessions for just these reasons!
Please join local tree expert Jim Gersbach and Friends of Trees staff for an evening of tree talk and light refreshments on one of the following days:
NORTH: Thursday, Nov. 29, 7-9 p.m. – The New Columbia Community Education Center, 4625 N Trenton St., Portland
NORTHEAST: Thursday, Dec. 6, 7-9 p.m. – Kennedy School Community Room, 5736 NE 33rd Ave., Portland
Be sure to note which planting strip size(s) you have been approved for as this is an important part of helping you find the best tree for your location. This information is available when you log into your account (or on the planting permit you may have received from Urban Forestry, if a permit was initiated with them).
If you are not signed up to buy a tree yet, visit FriendsofTrees.org today and we’ll get you started!
Contact Friends of Trees at 503-595-0212 if you have any questions about these tree talk events, or if you’d like some help selecting and ordering a tree.
By Erica Timm,
-Timm is Neighborhood Trees Senior Specialist for Friends of Trees.
Portland, October 8th. The Timbers’ “Stand Together Week ” is drawing more people into nonprofit work. Organized with the help of Hands On Greater Portland and supported by adidas, Alaska Airlines, Fred Meyer, JELD-WEN Windows and Doors, and KPTV, Stand Together Week includes 40 projects across the Portland metro area benefiting more than 30 nonprofit organizations focused on youth and the environment.
The projects and volunteer opportunities affiliated with Stand Together Week range from leading youth activities to outdoor/garden maintenance and construction projects. In total, Stand Together Week will bring together nearly 1,000 volunteers, including Timbers players and staff, supporters and members of the community. Volunteer opportunities are offered through Sunday, October 14th. Click here for a link to the Hands on Greater Portland sign up page!
Timber Joey volunteer with Fred Meyer at Portland YouthBuilders for Stand Together Week (L.M. Parr/Portland Timbers)
Community Cycling Center volunteers.
1,000 volunteers will be involved over the course of the week.
Timber Joey volunteers with fans at Ockley Green K-8 School for Growing Gardens as part of Stand Together Week. (Matthew Ellis for Portland Timbers)
Portland Timbers forward Kris Boyd (9) volunteers with fans at Ockley Green K-8 School for Growing Gardens as part of Stand Together Week on October 8, 2012 in Portland, Oregon. (Matthew Ellis for Portland Timbers)
Bright Dike and Timbers Joey with volunteers that helped prepare reclaimed lumber at the ReBuilding Center in North Portland during Stand Together Week . (Justin Silvey/Portland Timbers)
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