SALEM, Ore. – There will be two tree seedling give aways to help with reforestation and recovery from wildfires that took place in 2020. The first is April 1, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., and focused on restoration efforts after the Beachie Creek Fire. Marion County Environmental Services and partner organizations have an ongoing “Canyon Comeback” campaign to help restore the Santiam Canyon area that saw more than 700 homes and business properties burned. Area property owners can pick up seedlings at North Santiam Park. Those wanting seedlings need to RSVP first at the Canyon Comeback website. More details including pick up schedule, types of trees, and planting instructions are on the website. A community tree planting will also take place April 2 at Packsaddle Park from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., weather dependent.
The other seedling give away is focused on restoration efforts after the South Obenchain wildfire in Southern Oregon burned more than 32,000 acres. The Oregon Department of Forestry is sponsoring this event and seedlings can be picked up April 3-6 at ODF’s Southern Oregon District Office, 5286 Table Rock Road, Central Point. The pickup hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Area landowners can only pick up the seedlings by the full box—each box contains approximately 400 trees. For more information contact Marcus Havniear, ODF Stewardship Forester, at marcus.havniear@odf.oregon.gov or (541) 664-3328.
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SALEM, Ore. — State Forester Calvin Mukumoto has proclaimed all of April as Oregon Arbor Month, allowing lots of time for commemorative plantings and other tree-related activities.
“Trees play an essential role in the lives of Oregonians,” said State Forester Mukumoto. “Living through the extreme heat of 2021 and the isolation of the COVID pandemic has brought home to all of us the importance of urban trees to provide shade and cooling, as well as contact with nature right in our own neighborhoods. This proclamation highlights those and the many other benefits that both rural and urban forests provide to the people of Oregon.”
Read the full text of the proclamation here.
Scott Altenhoff, manager of the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Urban and Community Forestry Program said, “Arbor Month is the perfect time to reflect on the contribution trees make to our physical, mental and emotional health, to the livability of our communities, to our safety, the quality and quantity of our air and water, and to our economy.”
Altenhoff said, “With extreme weather events becoming more common, more and more communities are recognizing trees for the role they play in moderating temperatures and slowing rainfall runoff and erosion.”
At the same time, Altenhoff said urban trees face a wide range of threats. “Urban trees in Oregon are at risk from intensifying development, new pests and diseases, such as emerald ash borer, Mediterranean oak borer and sudden oak death and more extreme weather events,” he said.
The non-profit organization Oregon Community Trees supported the move from a week-long to a month-long recognition of trees back in 2020. OCT President Mike Oxendine said many towns and cities during the pandemic had to cancel in-person tree celebrations.
“This year, people are getting creative and planning many tree-related activities throughout Arbor Month, including public dedications of Hiroshima peace trees that had to be postponed back in 2020,” he said.
Oxendine cited the April 29 dedication in Oregon City and the May 20 one in Klamath Falls as two examples of communities celebrating their peace trees, which were grown from the seeds of trees that survived the atom bombing of Hiroshima, Japan in August 1945.
More money for urban forestry is on the horizon
ODF’s Altenhoff said he’s encouraged that substantial new federal funding for urban forestry is expected by ODF over the next few years. “The additional funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill will boost our capacity to help communities better manage and improve their urban forests. Whether it’s conducting a local tree inventory using free software linked to a statewide tree database, or banding together to secure long-term contracts for the growing of diverse trees now in short supply, cities and towns will be able to really make a difference.”
Altenhoff said a large share of the funding will be directed at helping historically underserved and marginalized communities, which often have less tree canopy than more affluent areas. “We will be able to help cities and towns start to make up for years of underinvestment in those areas,” said Altenhoff.
Altenhoff is also heartened by state legislation to earmark funding specifically for urban forestry for the first time. “If passed, Oregon will join other states which are investing in their urban forests so they continue to provide benefits to their people.”
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SALEM, Ore. – The Emergency Fire Cost Committee will meet virtually Monday, April 3 at 8 a.m. To join the virtual meeting use the Zoom video conference information found on the agenda. To provide public comment, please contact Chrystal Bader at 503-945-7220.
The committee’s agenda includes:
- Insurance policy for 2023 fire season
The meeting is open to the public to attend virtually via Zoom. Public comments will be accepted near the end of the meeting as noted on the agenda. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 72 hours before the meeting by contacting Chrystal Bader at 503-945-7220.
The Emergency Fire Cost Committee oversees the Oregon Forest Land Protection Fund (OFLPF), established by the Oregon Legislature as an insurance fund with the purpose of equalizing emergency fire suppression costs among the various Oregon Department of Forestry protection districts. The emergency funding system is designed to operate as an insurance policy whereby all districts contribute (pay premiums) into the fund so that money will be available to any individual district to pay fire suppression costs on emergency fires. View more information on the EFCC webpage.
TALENT, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Forestry has selected the southern Oregon town of Talent to be Oregon’s Tree City of the Year. Only one community is chosen each year from across the state. Cottage Grove was last year’s honoree.
To be eligible for Tree City of the Year honors, a community must be a Tree City USA. To become a Tree City USA, communities must meet requirements of the national Arbor Day Foundation for having basic tree-care policies and management in place. Talent has held that status for 23 years. Last year was also the fourth time the City earned a Growth Award for significant improvements to its urban forestry program.
A fast-moving wildfire in 2020 destroyed about 40 percent of the city, leaving thousands without homes and killing a heart-breaking number of its trees. Before the fire, Talent did not have an accurate inventory of its urban trees. With help from ODF urban forestry grants, Talent has gained access to inventory software from PlanIt Geo (Treeplotter). The City inventoried 1,500 street and park trees throughout the community – about one-third of the estimated public trees in Talent. From this data Talent is able to figure out the size, diversity, ecosystem services, and economic loss resulting from the destroyed portion of its urban forest.
“After being devastated by the 2020 wildfire, Talent has rallied as a community, becoming very invested and committed to their urban forest. In the face of traumatic and devastating loss, they still managed to outscore all of our other growth award applicants,” said ODF Urban and Community Assistance Forester Brittany Oxford. “Most notably, they have been mapping their canopy with an equity-informed focus guiding their reforestation efforts. The City is working hard to ensure the historically underserved in Talent are the starting point from which they begin to reforest and recover.”
“This recognition was earned by the hard work of so many dedicated people in Talent, from elected city commissioners, Tree Board, volunteers and city staff, such as our new Hazard Mitigation Coordinator Mike Oxendine,” said Talent Mayor Darby Ayres-Flood. “It shows the resilience and determination of our town to come back even better than we were before the wildfire.”
A certified arborist, Oxendine has been helping Talent with its citywide hazard tree assessment and removal. He has also been staff liaison to the Talent Urban Forestry Committee and is project lead on drafting a master plan for the City’s urban forest. This is in addition to seeking out and overseeing grant funding for hazard mitigation and canopy restoration, including tree plantings.
“Post-fire grants have allowed us to hire a GIS professional contractor Nikki Hart-Brinkley, who is the owner and principal of Green Top Planning, Development, and Research,” said Oxendine.
He said Hart-Brinkley has been working on a series of maps detailing canopy coverage before and after the wildfire of 2020.
“The maps are the basis for our Urban Tree Canopy Assessment. They show that within Talent city limits (total 851 acres) before the wildfire we had 142 acres of canopy coverage and post-fire we have 104 acres. That’s a drop in tree canopy coverage from 16.7% to 12.3%. That’s roughly a loss of one tree in four,” explained Oxendine.
“This canopy assessment is also informing our decisions about achieving equity in our reforesting efforts. We are analyzing heat islands and overlaying that data layer with socioeconomic data to show where our heat islands intersect with historically underserved populations. We can see where there is lots of asphalt and concrete and where shade trees are most needed,” said Oxendine.
Oxford said Talent is also adding to knowledge about tree performance in southern Oregon conditions, reporting data on 10 common urban trees’ growth rates in their community.
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Salem, OR—Ten project proposals in Oregon, including one by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), have been selected to be funded by the Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG). The proposals focus on assisting communities in developing Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP), and funds immediate actions to reduce wildfire risk for communities that already have an active CWPP, key roadmaps for addressing wildfire risks locally.
Funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CWDG program helps communities, tribes, non-profit organizations, state forestry agencies and Alaska Native corporations plan for and mitigate wildfire risks as the nation faces an ongoing wildfire crisis. Scoring priority was given to project proposals that are in an area identified as having a high or very-high wildfire hazard potential, benefit a low-income community or are located in a community impacted by a severe disaster within the previous 10 years that increased wildfire risk.
Of those that applied, the states with the largest dollar amount for their communities were Oregon, California and Washington.
Examples of proposals that have been selected for funding include:
- Oregon Department of Forestry, John Day; Grant County Defensible Space
$681,041 to focus on 300 acres of fuels reduction treatments for Grant County landowners in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), installation of Firewise Communities, and outreach and education in the high-risk communities of John Day, Mt. Vernon, Prairie City, Dayville, Granite, Monument, Canyon City, Long Creek and Seneca.
- Klamath Watershed Partnership, Chiloquin Wildfire Risk Reduction and Education
$616,404 to implement 165 acres of defensible space treatments over five years; to develop and implement a "Brush Dump" program; to design, purchase, and deploy a multi-use wildfire education trailer for community education and outreach events, and a mobile information distribution point during a wildfire as needed; and to build capacity and sustainability within Chiloquin Fire and Rescue through development of a part-time Mitigation Specialist position to coordinate the activities of this project and to plan future projects.
- Douglas Electric Cooperative Fuels Treatments, Vegetation Management, and Other Mitigation
$9,151,505 to reduce fuel buildup in high-risk wildfire areas, enhance the utility right-of-way's ability to function as fire breaks, increase forest health, and minimize the probability that Douglas Electric's transmission and distribution system may be the origin or contributing source for the ignition of a fire. Funding from this program will enable DEC to reduce its vegetation management program to a 3-to-4-year cycle while addressing hazard trees (snags and cycle busters) not in the traditional utility space.
ODF has partnered with other organizations around the state whose applications have been selected for funding and will provide support for their proposals through various avenues.
For more information on funded proposals, visit www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/grants/funded-proposals. The Forest Service will announce the second round of funding later in 2023.
The 2023 application period for additional grant awards is planned to open spring of 2023. Revised guidance for 2023 will be posted when received from the USDA Forest Service. The 2022 eligibility flowchart and 2022 CWDG Program fact sheet remain helpful tools to plan for the upcoming 2023 application process.
SALEM, Ore. — The Committee for Family Forestlands will meet virtually on Thursday, March 23 from 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. To join virtually, please use the Zoom video conference information found on the agenda.
The committee’s agenda includes:
- Forest Resources Division update
- Private Forest Accord Small Forestland Investment in Stream Habitat Program (SFISH) update
- Legislative update
- Forest legacy update
- Board of Forestry update including Forestry Plan for Oregon (FPFO)
- Discuss procedure and topics for CFF annual report
- CFF members and succession
- Round table discussion
The meeting is open to the public to attend online via Zoom. Public comments will be accepted near the start of the meeting. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 24 hours before the meeting by emailing committee.of.family.forestlands@odf.oregon.gov.
The 13-member committee researches policies that affect family forests, natural resources and forestry benefits. Based on its findings, the committee recommends actions to the Oregon Board of Forestry and the State Forester. View more information on the CFF webpage.
SALEM, Ore. — The Adaptive Management Program Committee will hold a hybrid meeting Monday, March 27, at noon. To join virtually, please use the Zoom video conference information found on the agenda. To attend in-person, go to the ODF Headquarters, Building D, Santiam Conference Room, 2600 State Street, Salem.
The committee’s agenda includes:
- Elect co-chairs
- Finalize Independent Research and Science Team (IRST) nominees
- Finalize AMPC charter
The meeting is open to the public to attend in person and online via Zoom. Public comments will be accepted near the start of the meeting. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours before the meeting by emailing adaptivemanagementprogram@odf.oregon.gov.
The 13-member committee The Adaptive Management Program Committee helps determine if forest practices are meeting their goals to protect natural resources through a science-based and transparent process. The committee sets the research agenda that the Independent Research and Science Team (IRST) implements. View more information on the AMPC webpage.
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – This year Klamath Falls is marking 20 years as a Tree City USA community. ODF administers the Tree City USA program in Oregon for the national Arbor Day Foundation. ODF Community Assistance Forester Brittany Oxford explains that cities and towns need to meet four criteria to become a Tree City USA:
- Maintain a tree board or department
- Have a community tree ordinance
- Spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry
- Celebrate Arbor Day
Klamath Falls is also one of three dozen Oregon cities that has planted a peace tree, one grown from the seeds of a ginkgo tree that survived the atom bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. Oxford said, “In fact, Klamath Falls is one of only a handful of Oregon cities to actually have two Hiroshima peace trees, two ginkgos planted at the high school.”
Oxford said cities benefit from sustained support of their urban forestry programs. “Trees are a long-term investment. Keeping engaged with maintenance and replacement tree plantings can help a community increase its tree canopy and keep that urban forest healthy, helping make that community more climate resilient,” she said.
Other cities marking milestone years include:
- Rogue River – 40 years
- Grants Pass – 35 years
- Madras – 30 years
- Coburg, Seaside and Wilsonville – 25 years
- Bend – 20 years
- Cannon Beach, Dallas, Gresham and Lincoln City – 15 years
- Central Point – 10 years
- Hillsboro and Umatilla – 5 years
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MADRAS, Ore. – Madras and Bend mark significant milestones as Tree City USA communities this year. ODF administers the Tree City USA program in Oregon for the national Arbor Day Foundation. ODF Community Assistance Forester Brittany Oxford explains that cities and towns need to meet four criteria to become a Tree City USA:
- Maintain a tree board or department
- Have a community tree ordinance
- Spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry
- Celebrate Arbor Day
Madras has maintained its designation for 30 years, according to Oxford. “Right behind them is Bend, which has now had Tree City USA status for 20 years. Bend is also one of three dozen Oregon cities that has planted a peace tree, one grown from the seeds of a ginkgo tree that survived the atom bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.”
Oxford said cities benefit from sustained support of their urban forestry programs. “Trees are a long-term investment. Keeping engaged with maintenance and replacement tree plantings can help a community increase its tree canopy and keep that urban forest healthy, helping make that community more climate resilient,” she said.
Other cities marking milestone years include:
- Rogue River – 40 years
- Grants Pass – 35 years
- Coburg, Seaside and Wilsonville – 25 years
- Klamath Falls – 20 years
- Cannon Beach, Dallas, Gresham and Lincoln City – 15 years
- Central Point – 10 years
- Hillsboro and Umatilla – 5 years
“Although it’s only been a Tree City for five years, Hillsboro has already earned two growth awards for improving and enlarging their urban forestry program, including one this year,” said Oxford.
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GRANTS PASS, Ore. – Three Oregon communities in Josephine and Jackson counties mark significant milestones as Tree City USA communities this year. ODF administers the Tree City USA program in Oregon for the national Arbor Day Foundation. ODF Community Assistance Forester Brittany Oxford explains that cities and towns need to meet four criteria to become a Tree City USA:
- Maintain a tree board or department
- Have a community tree ordinance
- Spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry
- Celebrate Arbor Day
Rogue River in southern Oregon has maintained its designation for 40 years, according to Oxford. “Right behind them is Grants Pass, which has now had Tree City USA status for 35 years, and Central Point for 10 years.”
Oxford said cities benefit from sustained support of their urban forestry programs. “Trees are a long-term investment. Keeping engaged with maintenance and replacement tree plantings can help a community increase its tree canopy and keep that urban forest healthy, helping make that community more climate resilient,” she said.
Oxford said Grants Pass was also honored as Oregon Tree City of the Year back in 2020.
“All three communities have really gone the extra mile, planting peace trees in recent years that were grown from seeds of trees that survived the atom bombing of Hiroshima in 1945,” she said. “These communities pulled out all the stops for those community-building plantings. Central Point actually has two peace trees.”
Other cities marking milestone years include:
- Madras – 30 years
- Coburg, Seaside and Wilsonville – 25 years
- Bend, Klamath Falls – 20 years
- Cannon Beach, Dallas, Gresham and Lincoln City – 15 years
- Hillsboro and Umatilla – 5 years
“Although it’s only been a Tree City for five years, Hillsboro has already earned two growth awards for improving and enlarging their urban forestry program, including one this year,” said Oxford.
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SEASIDE, Ore. – Three coastal towns are among 16 Oregon communities marking significant milestones as Tree City USA communities this year. ODF administers the Tree City USA program in Oregon for the national Arbor Day Foundation. ODF Community Assistance Forester Brittany Oxford explains that cities and towns need to meet four criteria to become a Tree City USA:
- Maintain a tree board or department
- Have a community tree ordinance
- Spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry
- Celebrate Arbor Day
Seaside has maintained its Tree City USA designation for a quarter century, and Cannon Beach and Lincoln City for 15 years, according to Oxford.
“These communities really shine,” said Oxford. “For example, Seaside is also one of three dozen Oregon communities that has planted a peace tree – a tree grown from seeds of trees that survived the atom-bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.”
Oxford said cities benefit from sustained support of their urban forestry programs. “Trees are a long-term investment. Keeping engaged with maintenance and replacement tree plantings can help a community increase its tree canopy and keep that urban forest healthy, helping make that community more climate resilient,” she said.
Other cities marking milestone years include:
- Rogue River – 40 years
- Grants Pass – 35 years
- Madras – 30 years
- Coburg and Wilsonville – 25 years
- Bend, Klamath Falls – 20 years
- Dallas and Gresham – 15 years
- Central Point – 10 years
- Hillsboro and Umatilla – 5 years
“Although it’s only been a Tree City for five years, Hillsboro has already earned two growth awards for improving and enlarging their urban forestry program, including one this year,” said Oxford.
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SALEM, Ore. – Sixteen Oregon communities mark significant milestones as Tree City USA communities this year. ODF administers the Tree City USA program in Oregon for the national Arbor Day Foundation.
ODF Community Assistance Forester Brittany Oxford explains that cities and towns need to meet four criteria to become a Tree City USA:
1. Maintain a tree board or department
2. Have a community tree ordinance
3. Spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry
4. Celebrate Arbor Day
Rogue River in southern Oregon has maintained its designation for 40 years, according to Oxford. “Right behind them is Grants Pass, which has now had Tree City USA status for 35 years, and Madras in central Oregon for 30 years.”
Oxford said cities benefit from sustained support of their urban forestry programs. “Trees are a long-term investment. Keeping engaged with maintenance and replacement tree plantings can help a community increase its tree canopy and keep that urban forest healthy, helping make that community more climate resilient,” she said.
Other cities marking milestone years include:
• Coburg, Seaside and Wilsonville – 25 years
• Bend, Klamath Falls – 20 years
• Cannon Beach, Dallas, Gresham and Lincoln City – 15 years
• Central Point – 10 years
• Hillsboro and Umatilla – 5 years
“Although it’s only been a Tree City for five years, Hillsboro has already earned two growth awards for improving and enlarging their urban forestry program, including one this year,” said Oxford.
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Tillamook State Forest, Ore. – The Tillamook Forest Center is re-opening to the public starting March 17, offering opportunities to connect with and learn about Oregon’s fascinating state forests.
Located in the heart of the Tillamook State Forest along Highway 6, the Tillamook Forest Center has been closed for about three years starting with the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. Initial limited hours will be Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., then expanding to a five-days a week summer schedule starting May 3.
“We are thrilled to be welcoming visitors back to the Tillamook Forest Center and to share our passion and knowledge about Oregon’s forests once again,” Interim Center Director Denise Berkshire said.
In addition to regular programming, for the next six months, the Tillamook Forest Center is hosting a traveling exhibit in partnership with the Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center titled, Timber Culture. The exhibit transports you to 1920’s eastern Oregon and tells the story of multicultural loggers, and their families, who traveled to Oregon during the Great Migration. In sharing and discussing the history of the segregated logging community of Maxville, Oregon, the exhibit examines issues of race and social justice through the lens of Oregon’s history. Bringing this exhibit to the Tillamook Forest Center was made possible with the support of the non-profit State Forests Trust of Oregon.
For a full calendar of events and to learn how you can visit or volunteer at the Center, visit tillamookforestcenter.com. To make a donation in support of private/public partnerships that goes toward enhancing recreation, education and interpretation activities on Oregon’s state forest lands visit the Trust’s website.
About the Tillamook Forest Center: Nestled in the heart of the Tillamook State Forest, the Tillamook Forest Center is the region’s largest forest-based interpretive and educational center, located 50 miles west of Portland and 22 miles east of Tillamook at 45500 Wilson River Highway, Tillamook, Ore. It is a special place to develop a deeper connection with Oregon’s forests through experience and exploration. Spring hours for the Center are Friday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with expanded hours starting May 3. A $5 donation is suggested.
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SALEM, Ore. — The Forestry Program for Oregon Subcommittee will meet virtually on Wednesday, March 15 from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. To join virtually, please use the Zoom video conference information found on the agenda.
The subcommittee’s agenda includes:
- Forestry Program for Oregon (FPFO) content development
- Updates from ODF
- Action items, deliverables, next steps
Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling ODF’s Public Affairs Office at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at forestryinformation@odf.oregon.gov.
Subcommittee purpose: Collaborative work forum for board and agency leadership to advance efforts to jointly develop a modern Forestry Program for Oregon (FPFO). The subcommittee will serve until completion of the FPFO, targeted for December 2023. Read more information about the subcommittee.
HALSEY, Ore. – The latest Oregon community to earn a Tree City USA from the national Arbor Day Foundation is Halsey. Nestled in the heart of the Willamette Valley just west of I-5 in Linn County, Halsey is the 70th city in Oregon to gain the designation as a tree-friendly community. With a population of just 952, the town is also one of Oregon’s smallest Tree City USA communities. It’s also one of the oldest, having been incorporated in 1876.
ODF administers the Tree City USA program in Oregon for the Arbor Day Foundation. ODF Community Assistance Forester Brittany Oxford explained that Halsey needed to meet four criteria to become a Tree City USA:
- Maintain a tree board or department
- Have a community tree ordinance
- Spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry
- Celebrate Arbor Day
“Halsey has successfully met all the requirements,” said Oxford. She noted that at Halsey’s first Arbor Day celebration last spring the city gave residents 60 native trees to plant provided by the Native Grounds Nursery in Brownsville.
The city plans a similar tree-giveaway as part of their Oregon Arbor Month celebration at the end of April. The city plans to plant four trees in Halsey Memorial Park on April 29.
Halsey Mayor said Mayor Jerry Lachenbruch said, “It is extremely exciting to be awarded “Tree City” status. The commitment to our community in general and the trees in our community specifically is much more important than one would think. We all know that trees eat the greenhouse gases that cause climate change and in doing so make our air cleaner for us to breathe, but trees do so much more.
The City has drafted a master plan for the two-acre park on the town’s south end and is seeking a grant from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to fund improvements at Halsey Memorial Park.
The Park Master Plan also proposes a new park on the town’s north end. About half the space in the as-yet-to-be-named new park would be improved as a traditional park with play equipment and a small picnic shelter and lawn and shade trees. The northern half of the property would have native plantings, including a meadow, shrubs and trees, a short walking trail, and a viewing platform.
The park plan was completed with the assistance of the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program, according to Julia Fox, Halsey’s Community Development Coordinator this year and a RARE program participant. She worked with a citizen committee, and a citizen survey, as well as many other resources including ODF’s Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program to develop the plan.
Mayor Lachenbruch said of Fox’s work, “I am very proud of our Tree City designation and the hard work of RARE member Julia Fox”.
ODOT is currently working on Highway 99E in Halsey. ODOT is improving the highway from property line to property line, including curbs, gutters, sidewalks bike lanes, storm drainage – and planting strips with street trees. Altogether the project will result in about 80 new public trees for Halsey, lining the main street through town. Streetside trees have been shown to calm traffic, slowing average motorist driving speeds compared to streets with no trees. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2024.
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SWEET HOME, Ore. – Oregon Community Trees (OCT) has awarded Sweet Home and five other Oregon communities a total of almost $3,000 to help them boost their Oregon Arbor Month events. During the month of April, Oregonians across the state celebrate their community trees and the many benefits they bring.
“These grants help smaller communities achieve a lot of what they hope to do during Arbor Month, from planting trees to engaging youth in tree-related education and activities,” said Morgan Holen, Chair of OCT’s Grants Subcommittee.
To be eligible for a grant, a community must be a Tree City USA. To become a Tree City USA, communities must meet requirements for having basic tree-care policies and management in place. About 70 Oregon communities meet this standard.
Sweet Home is receiving $381 to help pay for eight new shade trees to be planted in the City’s new fenced dog park inside Northside Park. Two of the trees are stately Allee elms with attractive exfoliating bark for year-round interest. The Linn County community has been a Tree City USA for 36 years.
Since 2014, OCT has awarded 56 grants to 39 different Oregon Tree City USA communities.
Other recipients this year are:
La Grande
Few Oregon cities have enjoyed Tree City USA status as long as La Grande, at 33 years. This year the City is receiving $395 for prizes to give to winners of the annual Arbor Day Poster Contest for fourth and fifth-grade students. The City’s Parks and Recreation Department will host a field day for the participating classes with tree-themed presentations and activity stations, ending with the announcement of the poster contest winners. All 200-plus posters will be displayed at La Grande’s public library throughout April to celebrate Oregon Arbor Month.
Umatilla
OCT is giving $750 to the City for trees, planting supplies, and educational materials to support their Arbor Month celebration. Some 130 fifth-grade students at McNary Heights Elementary will be taking part in planting a variety of trees at the local municipal Big River Golf Course on April 28. This is the first grant OCT has made to Umatilla, which has been a Tree City USA for five years.
Klamath Falls
Klamath Falls is using the $500 it received from OCT to buy a reusable 3’ x 6’ mesh-type banner with grommets and a collapsible aluminum stand with carrying case. The banner will promote the Klamath Tree League, the City’s Tree Advisory Board and Arbor Day celebration partner to increase awareness of this local urban forestry education resource and advocate. Klamath Falls is celebrating 20 years as a Tree City USA this year.
Lincoln City
The OCT is helping Lincoln City Parks and Recreation cover the cost of a native Pacific dogwood to be planted at the Community Center and a sign for the tree. Schoolchildren, Teen Center patrons and community members will plant the tree and dedicate it. Taft High School students will participate in the planting as well as a contest to name the tree. Forestry students at the high school will also give short talks about the benefits of the trees. The $500 grant will also help pay for contest prizes to support the community’s Arbor Month celebration at the Community Center. Lincoln City has held Tree City USA status for 15 years.
Newport
Monterey cypress are native to only a tiny strip of California coastline. Seafarers have long brought back seeds of this picturesque tree to plant in the Newport area, making the trees a highly recognizable feature on this part of the Oregon coast. A number of the cypress were removed during redevelopment projects in the south beach area, so Newport Parks and Recreation is getting $444 to buy a specimen Monterey cypress. The tree will be planted at the south end of the Yaquina Bay Bridge, which opened in 1936. . The grant will also cover printing costs for tree-related educational materials. Newport has been a Tree City USA for 11 years.
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LINCOLN CITY, Ore. – Oregon Community Trees (OCT) has awarded Lincoln City and Newport on the Oregon coast as well as four other inland cities a total of almost $3,000 to help them boost their Oregon Arbor Month events. During the month of April, Oregonians across the state celebrate their community trees and the many benefits they bring.
“These grants help smaller communities achieve a lot of what they hope to do during Arbor Month, from planting trees to engaging youth in tree-related education and activities,” said Morgan Holen, Chair of OCT’s Grants Subcommittee.
To be eligible for a grant, a community must be a Tree City USA. To become a Tree City USA, communities must meet requirements for having basic tree-care policies and management in place. About 70 Oregon communities meet this standard.
Lincoln City
The OCT is helping Lincoln City Parks and Recreation cover the cost of a native Pacific dogwood to be planted at the Community Center and a sign for the tree. Schoolchildren, Teen Center patrons and community members will plant the tree and dedicate it. Taft High School students will participate in the planting as well as a contest to name the tree. Forestry students at the high school will also give short talks about the benefits of the trees. The $500 grant will also help pay for contest prizes to support the community’s Arbor Month celebration at the Community Center. Lincoln City has held Tree City USA status for 15 years.
Newport
Monterey cypress are native to only a tiny strip of California coastline. Seafarers have long brought back seeds of this picturesque tree to plant in the Newport area, making the trees a highly recognizable feature on this part of the Oregon coast. A number of the cypress were removed during redevelopment projects in the south beach area, so Newport Parks and Recreation is getting $444 to buy a specimen Monterey cypress. The tree will be planted at the south end of the Yaquina Bay Bridge, which opened in 1936. . The grant will also cover printing costs for tree-related educational materials. Newport has been a Tree City USA for 11 years.
Since 2014, OCT has awarded 56 grants to 39 different Oregon Tree City USA communities.
Other recipients this year are:
La Grande
Few Oregon cities have enjoyed Tree City USA status as long as La Grande, at 33 years. This year the City is receiving $395 for prizes to give to winners of the annual Arbor Day Poster Contest for fourth and fifth-grade students. The City’s Parks and Recreation Department will host a field day for the participating classes with tree-themed presentations and activity stations, ending with the announcement of the poster contest winners. All 200 plus posters will be displayed at La Grande’s public library throughout April to celebrate Oregon Arbor Month.
Umatilla
OCT is giving $750 to the City for trees, planting supplies, and educational materials to support their Arbor Month celebration. Some 130 fifth-grade students at McNary Heights Elementary will be taking part in planting a variety of trees at the local municipal Big River Golf Course on April 28. This is the first grant OCT has made to Umatilla, which has been a Tree City USA for five years.
Klamath Falls
Klamath Falls is using the $500 it received from OCT to buy a reusable 3’ x 6’ mesh-type banner with grommets and a collapsible aluminum stand with carrying case. The banner will promote the Klamath Tree League, the City’s Tree Advisory Board and Arbor Day celebration partner to increase awareness of this local urban forestry education resource and advocate. Klamath Falls is celebrating 20 years as a Tree City USA this year.
Sweet Home
Sweet Home is receiving $381 to help pay for eight new shade trees to be planted in the City’s new fenced dog park inside Northside Park. Two of the trees are stately Allee elms with attractive exfoliating bark for year-round interest. The Linn County community has been a Tree City USA for 36 years.
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KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Oregon Community Trees (OCT) has awarded half its grants to help communities celebrate Oregon Arbor Month to three eastern Oregon cities - Klamath Falls, La Grande and Umatilla. Along with Lincoln City, Newport and Sweet Home in western Oregon, the communities will share a total of almost $3,000. During the month of April, Oregonians across the state celebrate their community trees and the many benefits they bring.
“These grants help smaller communities achieve a lot of what they hope to do during Arbor Month, from planting trees to engaging youth in tree-related education and activities,” said Morgan Holen, Chair of OCT’s Grants Subcommittee.
To be eligible for a grant, a community must be a Tree City USA. To become a Tree City USA, communities must meet requirements for having basic tree-care policies and management in place. About 70 Oregon communities meet this standard.
Since 2014, OCT has awarded 56 grants to 39 different Oregon Tree City USA communities.
Other recipients this year besides La Grande are:
Klamath Falls
Klamath Falls is using the $500 it received from OCT to buy a reusable 3’ x 6’ mesh-type banner with grommets and a collapsible aluminum stand with carrying case. The banner will promote the Klamath Tree League, the City’s Tree Advisory Board and Arbor Day celebration partner to increase awareness of this local urban forestry education resource and advocate. Klamath Falls is also celebrating 20 years as a Tree City USA this year.
La Grande
Few Oregon cities have enjoyed Tree City USA status as long as La Grande, at 33 years. This year the City is receiving $395 for prizes to give to winners of the annual Arbor Day Poster Contest for fourth and fifth-grade students. The City’s Parks and Recreation Department will host a field day for the participating classes with tree-themed presentations and activity stations, ending with the announcement of the poster contest winners. All 200-plus posters will be displayed at La Grande’s public library throughout April to celebrate Oregon Arbor Month.
Umatilla
OCT is giving $750 to the City for trees, planting supplies, and educational materials to support their Arbor Month celebration. Some 130 fifth-grade students at McNary Heights Elementary will be taking part in planting a variety of trees at the local municipal Big River Golf Course on April 28. This is the first grant OCT has made to Umatilla, which has been a Tree City USA for five years.
Lincoln City
The OCT is helping Lincoln City Parks and Recreation cover the cost of a native Pacific dogwood to be planted at the Community Center and a sign for the tree. Schoolchildren, Teen Center patrons and community members will plant the tree and dedicate it. Taft High School students will participate in the planting as well as a contest to name the tree. Forestry students at the high school will also give short talks about the benefits of the trees. The $500 grant will also help pay for contest prizes to support the community’s Arbor Month celebration at the Community Center. Lincoln City has held Tree City USA status for 15 years.
Newport
The Monterey cypress are native to only a tiny strip of California coastline. Seafarers have long brought back seeds of this picturesque tree to plant in the Newport area, making the trees a highly recognizable feature on this part of the Oregon coast. A number of the cypress were removed during redevelopment projects in the south beach area, so Newport Parks and Recreation is getting $444 to buy a specimen Monterey cypress. The tree will be planted at the south end of the Yaquina Bay Bridge, which opened in 1936. The grant will also cover printing costs for tree-related educational materials. Newport has been a Tree City USA for 11 years.
Sweet Home
Sweet Home is receiving $381 to help pay for eight new shade trees to be planted in the City’s new fenced dog park inside Northside Park. Two of the trees are stately Allee elms with attractive exfoliating bark for year-round interest. The Linn County community has been a Tree City USA for 36 years.
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LA GRANDE, Ore. – Oregon Community Trees (OCT) has awarded La Grande and five other Oregon communities a total of almost $3,000 to help them boost their Oregon Arbor Month events. During the month of April, Oregonians across the state celebrate their community trees and the many benefits they bring.
“These grants help smaller communities achieve a lot of what they hope to do during Arbor Month, from planting trees to engaging youth in tree-related education and activities,” said Morgan Holen, Chair of OCT’s Grants Subcommittee.
To be eligible for a grant, a community must be a Tree City USA. To become a Tree City USA, communities must meet requirements for having basic tree-care policies and management in place. About 70 Oregon communities meet this standard.
Few Oregon cities have enjoyed Tree City USA status as long as La Grande, at 33 years. This year the City is receiving $395 for prizes to give to winners of the annual Arbor Day Poster Contest for fourth and fifth-grade students. The City’s Parks and Recreation Department will host a field day for the participating classes with tree-themed presentations and activity stations, ending with the announcement of the poster contest winners. All 200-plus posters will be displayed at La Grande’s public library throughout April to celebrate Oregon Arbor Month.
Since 2014, OCT has awarded 56 grants to 39 different Oregon Tree City USA communities.
Other recipients this year besides La Grande are:
Umatilla
OCT is giving $750 to the City for trees, planting supplies, and educational materials to support their Arbor Month celebration. Some 130 fifth-grade students at McNary Heights Elementary will be taking part in planting a variety of trees at the local municipal Big River Golf Course on April 28. This is the first grant OCT has made to Umatilla, which has been a Tree City USA for five years.
Klamath Falls
Klamath Falls is using the $500 it received from OCT to buy a reusable 3’ x 6’ mesh-type banner with grommets and a collapsible aluminum stand with carrying case. The banner will promote the Klamath Tree League, the City’s Tree Advisory Board and Arbor Day celebration partner to increase awareness of this local urban forestry education resource and advocate. Klamath Falls is also celebrating 20 years as a Tree City USA this year.
Lincoln City
The OCT is helping Lincoln City Parks and Recreation cover the cost of a native Pacific dogwood to be planted at the Community Center and a sign for the tree. Schoolchildren, Teen Center patrons and community members will plant the tree and dedicate it. Taft High School students will participate in the planting as well as a contest to name the tree. Forestry students at the high school will also give short talks about the benefits of the trees. The $500 grant will also help pay for contest prizes to support the community’s Arbor Month celebration at the Community Center. Lincoln City has held Tree City USA status for 15 years.
Newport
The Monterey cypress are native to only a tiny strip of California coastline. Seafarers have long brought back seeds of this picturesque tree to plant in the Newport area, making the trees a highly recognizable feature on this part of the Oregon coast. A number of the cypress were removed during redevelopment projects in the south beach area, so Newport Parks and Recreation is getting $444 to buy a specimen Monterey cypress. The tree will be planted at the south end of the Yaquina Bay Bridge, which opened in 1936. The grant will also cover printing costs for tree-related educational materials. Newport has been a Tree City USA for 11 years.
Sweet Home
Sweet Home is receiving $381 to help pay for eight new shade trees to be planted in the City’s new fenced dog park inside Northside Park. Two of the trees are stately Allee elms with attractive exfoliating bark for year-round interest. The Linn County community has been a Tree City USA for 36 years.
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SALEM, Ore. – Oregon Community Trees (OCT) has awarded a total of almost $3,000 to six Oregon communities to help them boost their Oregon Arbor Month events. During the month of April, Oregonians across the state celebrate their community trees and the many benefits they bring.
“These grants help smaller communities achieve a lot of what they hope to do during Arbor Month, from planting trees to engaging youth in tree-related education and activities,” said Morgan Holen, Chair of OCT’s Grants and Awards Committee.
To be eligible for a grant, a community must be a Tree City USA. To become a Tree City USA, communities must meet requirements for having basic tree-care policies and management in place. About 70 Oregon communities meet this standard.
Since 2014, OCT has awarded 56 grants to 39 different Oregon Tree City USA communities. This year’s recipients are:
Umatilla
OCT is giving $750 to the City for trees, planting supplies, and educational materials to support their Arbor Month celebration. Some 130 fifth-grade students at McNary Heights Elementary will be taking part in planting a variety of trees at the local municipal Big River Golf Course on April 28. This is the first grant OCT has made to Umatilla, which has been a Tree City USA for five years.
Klamath Falls
Klamath Falls is using the $500 it received from OCT to buy a reusable 3’ x 6’ mesh-type banner with grommets and a collapsible aluminum stand with carrying case. The banner will promote the Klamath Tree League, the City’s Tree Advisory Board and Arbor Day celebration partner to increase awareness of this local urban forestry education resource and advocate. Klamath Falls is also celebrating 20 years as a Tree City USA this year.
Lincoln City
The OCT is helping Lincoln City Parks and Recreation cover the cost of a native Pacific dogwood to be planted at the Community Center and a sign for the tree. Schoolchildren, Teen Center patrons and community members will plant the tree and dedicate it. Taft High School students will participate in the planting as well as a contest to name the tree. Forestry students at the high school will also give short talks about the benefits of the trees. The $500 grant will also help pay for contest prizes to support the community’s Arbor Month celebration at the Community Center. Lincoln City has held Tree City USA status for 15 years.
La Grande
Few Oregon cities have enjoyed Tree City USA status as long as La Grande, at 33 years. This year the City is receiving $444 for prizes to give to winners of the annual Arbor Day Poster Contest for fourth and fifth-grade students. Students whose art is selected may receive a stainless steel water bottle or a reusable tote bag. The posters will be displayed at La Grande’s public library throughout April to celebrate Oregon Arbor Month.
Newport
The Monterey cypress are native to only a tiny strip of California coastline. Seafarers have long brought back seeds of this picturesque tree to plant in the Newport area, making the trees a highly recognizable feature on this part of the Oregon coast. A number of the cypress were removed during redevelopment projects in the south beach area, so Newport Parks and Recreation is getting $444 to buy a specimen Monterey cypress. The tree will be planted at the south end of the Yaquina Bay Bridge, which opened in 1936. . The grant will also cover printing costs for tree-related educational materials. Newport has been a Tree City USA for 11 years.
Sweet Home
Sweet Home is receiving $381 to help pay for eight new shade trees to be planted in the City’s new fenced dog park inside Northside Park. Two of the trees are stately Allee elms with attractive exfoliating bark for year-round interest. The Linn County community has been a Tree City USA for 36 years.
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SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Board of Forestry will meet for a hybrid public meeting on Wednesday, March 8 in Corvallis and host a field tour the following day. Both events are open to the public.
The meeting will be at the LaSells Stewart Center on the Oregon State University (OSU) campus, Construction and Engineering Hall – 875 SW 26 Street, Corvallis, OR 97331. The meeting begins at 7:30 8 a.m. and will also be livestreamed on the Department of Forestry’s YouTube channel.
The board’s business agenda includes:
- Forest Protection Association overview
- Proposal for new climate-smart forestry award
- Forestry Program for Oregon update and Oregon Kitchen Table proposal for engaging Oregonians
- 2023 Legislative Session update
- Sightline Institute: Long rotational forestry discussion
- Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee testimony
- Field tour overview
The full agenda is available on the board’s webpage. Live testimony is available for item #1 – State forester and board member comments. Sign-up is required and instructions to provide live testimony are available online. Sign-up closes Friday, March 3 at 5 p.m. Written public testimony will also be accepted. Written comments can be submitted before or up to two weeks after the meeting day to boardofforestry@odf.oregon.gov with the appropriate agenda item included with the submission.
On March 9, the board will host a tour that is open to the public. The field tour itinerary will be posted on the board’s webpage a week prior to the tour. Members of the public wishing to join the tour are asked to bring their lunch and RSVP to boardofforestry@odf.oregon.govby Friday, March 3 at 5 p.m. to secure a seat in an ODF vehicle. Private vehicles are also allowed on the tour, but carpooling is encouraged. The first tour stop is on OSU’s campus, and parking at OSU requires a permit to be purchased online. The field tour on March 9 will not have a virtual option, but a recording will be posted on the board’s webpage following the tour.
Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling ODF’s Public Affairs Office at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at forestryinformation@odf.oregon.gov.
The Oregon Board of Forestry consists of seven citizens nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. Responsibilities include appointing the State Forester, setting management direction for state-owned forests, adopting rules governing timber harvest and other practices on private forestland, and promoting sustainable management of Oregon’s 30 million-acre forestland base. Read more information about the board.