Urban Forestry Stewardship Support for Tree Teams and Tree Stewards

PP&R Urban Forestry offers financial, in-kind, and limited staff support for tree stewardship events- presentations, workshops, community projects and outreach activities for Neighborhood Tree Stewards and Neighborhood Tree Teams. 

Project Eligibility:

• Applicant must be either a Neighborhood Tree Steward or Tree Team.
• Event must be conducted within the City of Portland and arranged by volunteers.
• Projects must benefit trees that are publicly owned, regulated, or in public use and projects must show a clear public benefit. Funding is not available for trees that are solely privately owned and/or accessible. Priority is given to projects benefiting trees on City of Portland property or the public right-of-way.
• All tree purchase requests will require a two year establishment plan and plans for long term maintenance of the tree. The establishment and long term maintenance plans must be documented in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the property owner and responsible volunteer group.

Here are some examples of stewardship support:

Workshops and presentations by Urban Forestry staff. To schedule a workshop or presentation in your neighborhood, please contact Nik.Desai@portlandoregon.gov. Here are some examples:

• Tree History
• Tree Selection for Diversity
• The Importance of Trees
• Tree Establishment, Tree Care and Pruning workshops

Funding for Stewardship projects or events - available to Neighborhood Tree Teams or Tree Stewards, once each year (please complete Stewardship Support Form).

Support falls into one of the following categories:

1. Supplies and equipment - These may be borrowed from Urban Forestry for one-time events for no cost OR you can apply for the purchase of these items for on-going activities.

• Pruning equipment: pole saws, hand saws, hand pruners, pole pruners, and loppers
• Planting equipment: shovels, stake pounders, tree tie
• Safety vests, gloves, hard hats
• Watering equipment- hoses, buckets, water carts, watering bags
• PP&R handbooks on pruning, winter tree id, summer tree id, and Heritage Trees

Example: The Roseway Tree Team requested watering equipment for community members to care for trees recently planted through a Tree Team/Urban Forestry organized tree planting event in the Roseway Park Blocks. Total cost was $400.

2. Event Support- Reimbursement is available for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Tree Teams or Neighborhood Tree Stewards ($100 max):

• Event site reservations (up to $100; may be free at PP&R sites)
• Refreshments for volunteers (up to $75 per event)
• Publicity, photocopying, flyers, signage (up to $100)

Example: Roseway Tree Team bought coffee for a Tree Walk event and submitted receipts for reimbursement. Cost was $60.

3. Event Support- Urban Forestry can cover the cost of the above through direct purchase order ($100 max does NOT apply).

Example 1: Roseway Tree Team wanted to host an event at a local church. Cost for space reservation was $200.

4. Community Tree Projects - This is a more involved endeavor and will require submitting the Stewardship Support Form AND a project proposal describing goals, objectives, benefit to community and explanation of costs involved.

Example: Albina Neighborhood Tree Team (ANTT) submitted a project proposal to contract for the removal of dead/dying cherry trees (identified through the Street Tree Inventory) for self-identified low-income neighbors. ANTT also arranged for the donation of replacement trees (and replanting) with Friends of Trees.

How to apply for Stewardship Support:

• Complete Stewardship Support Form and email funding request form to: Nik.Desai@portlandoregon.gov.
• Forms are due on the 15^th of each month.
• Applicants are notified by the end of the following month (some projects may need additional lead time).

For questions or more information about the Urban Forestry Stewardship Support, please contact: Nik.Desai@portlandoregon.gov