Portland Launches $100M Tree Expansion with Friends of Trees Relaunch

Portland's Tree Planting Initiative: A New Era of Urban Forestry

Portland is taking significant steps to expand its urban forestry efforts, with a renewed focus on tree planting and care. The city’s Parks & Recreation department, specifically the Urban Forestry division, has announced an ambitious plan that includes restarting its collaboration with the nonprofit organization Friends of Trees.

The initiative aims to plant at least 15,000 trees over the next three years, more than doubling the current annual planting rate of about 3,500 trees. This season alone, over 6,700 trees are scheduled for planting. The effort is funded through a $40 million allocation from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund, which was established through a 1% tax on large retailers in the city.

In addition to this, Urban Forestry is launching two pilot programs using $70 million from the same climate fund. These include a street tree maintenance program and another initiative to provide free yard tree care services to low-income households.

Addressing Canopy Decline and Environmental Challenges

Portland has experienced a decline in its tree canopy in recent years, likely due to factors such as housing development and extreme weather events. City officials have noted an imbalance in tree cover across different neighborhoods, highlighting the importance of trees in combating heat waves and improving air quality.

The long-term plan calls for the planting of 660,000 trees over the next 40 years, with a particular focus on the far east side of the city, where many lower-income residents and people of color live.

To achieve these goals, Urban Forestry will partner with 12 contractors and 13 community-based organizations, including Friends of Trees. This nonprofit has played a key role in tree planting efforts for over a decade, bringing together hundreds of volunteers to plant roughly 40,000 trees across the city.

Rebuilding Relationships and Community Engagement

Friends of Trees had previously ended its contract with the city in 2022 after 14 years, prompting protests from local residents. However, the city has since reestablished a partnership with the nonprofit, announcing a $1.8 million agreement to plant 750 new street and yard trees over the next two seasons. The funding also covers three years of care and watering for each tree planted.

The new contract includes intensive community outreach and volunteer training, with the first community planting event scheduled for December 6. Friends of Trees will continue its efforts to engage residents through multilingual outreach, including sending postcards, delivering door hangers, and hosting bilingual events like tree walks and bike rides.

Expanding Access to Tree Planting and Care

Residents can now request a tree from Friends of Trees, which will organize mass plantings in different areas of the city. Additionally, individuals can request residential street trees through the city’s website and receive up to three free trees for their yard, though they must plant them themselves.

City staff will also reach out to homeowners whose planting strips qualify for a tree, covering the cost of the tree, planting, and three years of watering. Homeowners can opt out if they prefer not to have a tree.

Other tree-planting contractors include Bridgetown Construction and Landscaping, Pac Green Landscape, Seagraves Landscape, SymbiOp, Wyeast Gardens, A Plus Tree, Andres Landscape, Cascadian Landscapers, SaveATree, Super Trees, and Multnomah Landscape.

Supporting Diverse Communities

The 13 partner organizations will provide multilingual outreach to ensure diverse communities have access to free trees. Some will assist with registration at in-person events, while others will share program information through social media, newsletters, and other communication channels.

Urban Forestry is also rolling out two additional programs focused on tree care. The first involves developing a program to manage street trees, shifting maintenance responsibilities from property owners to the city. This will involve placing each of the city’s 240,000 street trees into a five- to 10-year management cycle that includes inspection, pruning, hazard abatement, removal, and replacement when necessary.

Another $5 million will support free yard tree care and arboriculture mentorship for low-income households, ensuring that all residents can benefit from the city’s green initiatives.