The tree planting season is in full swing, and East Portland neighborhoods are leading the pack!

Last summer, Environmental Services' outreach team hit the pavement around town to get homes and businesses signed up for new trees.  Planting is now underway with our contractors and community partners, including Friends of Trees.

1,500 new trees are planned for planting in the Parkrose, Argay, Wilkes, Parkrose Heights, Russell, Hazelwood, Mill Park, Glenfair, Centennial, Powellhurst-Gilbert, Pleasant Valley, and Lents neighborhoods. 

Additional trees are being planted in other neighborhoods across the city. 

Environmental Services has a special focus on getting more trees planted in areas of East Portland, where there is less tree canopy than in other parts of town.  During the Grey to Green effort (2008 to 2013), we planted about 3,500 new street and yard trees in East Portland with Friends of Trees and other partners. 

That's a more than 1000% increase in tree planting from the five years before 2008.  

Thanks to all of the great volunteers, property owners, and community organizations working in the area, we continue to add to that success.  Each tree will manage about 500 gallons of stormwater each year when full-grown. 

For East Portland, that means less stormwater runoff to pipes, the Columbia Slough, Johnson Creek and the Willamette River. 

In addition to thousands of new street trees in front of homes, East Portland projects also include:

- 200 new trees at schools, especially large native species that soak up lots of stormwater and help shade and cool classrooms

- 500 new trees along highway interchanges, including I-205 and Division and I-84 and NE 122nd Ave

- Trees planted by property owners utilizing the Treebate incentive 

And since we can't do this alone, we have to give a shout-out to Friends of Trees volunteers for the thousands of trees and shrubs they've planted along other parts of the I-205 corridor in recent years.   

Way to go Portland tree planting partners!

Have a spot for a tree?  Learn more about planting options.