With tree giveaways, Arbor Day comes to East Portland

Find out where you can get free yard trees, and learn more about the upcoming outer East Portland celebration …

Bringing in another load of trees for the outer East Portland “Yard Tree Giveaway” is Parks Bureau Horticulturalist Guyton Powell.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Thanks to Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) Urban Forestry, hundreds of homes will soon have new trees in their yard, thanks to the “Yard Tree Giveaway” to be held on three days in October and November.

And, an outer East Portland park will be the site of the City’s October 12 “Arbor Day 2019” celebration, according to Bureau specialists.

Reservations coming in fast for Yard Tree Giveaways

“Sign up – now – for free trees”, encourages Urban Forestry Tree Specialist Molly Wilson: “They’re going fast!”

“This is our third year for the Yard Tree Giveaway, in which we’re giving away 750 trees, at three different locations, on three different days,” smiled PP&R Community Tree Planting Specialist Urban Forestry Molly Wilson.

“Any Portlander can sign up and receive up to two trees, per address, to plant on their private property,” Wilson told East Portland News, as she examined tree stock being brought in to their Tabor Yard on September 25.

The first one of the three tree giveaways, the one to be held on Saturday, October 19 at Gateway Discovery Park, had already “sold out”, she said – which means trees brought to this distribution site have already been spoken for.

“This is why I’m telling people to go online, right now, and sign up to get one or two trees that they can plant in their back yards, side yards, and front yards,” Wilson advised.

CLICK HERE to visit the
Yard Tree Giveaways registration page.

Because the Parks Bureau’s Urban Forestry Department is charged with managing, preserving, and growing trees all across the City of Portland – including both public and private property – they hold these tree giveaways, she said.

“The fact is, the most space available for planting in the city is in private yards; we’re making these free trees available in areas of outer East Portland were the ‘tree canopy’ is low,” Wilson said.

As of this writing, there are still trees available for the giveaway to be held in the Centennial neighborhood:

Saturday, November 2
Parklane Park, SE 155th Avenue & Main Street
10:00 a.m. until Noon

“I know it’s a bit of a drive, but any Portland resident can get free trees at any of our events – trees for which they’ve signed up in advance – including the mid-November event, to beheld in the St. Johns neighborhood,” Wilson said.

Saturday, November 16
Cathedral Park, 6635 N Baltimore Ave
10:00 a.m. until Noon

“There, we show people how to choose the right tree, how to plant and maintain the tree – and we even help put it in their vehicle! A large car or truck works best.”

If you’re interested in a free tree, CLICK HERE
to visit the Yard Tree Giveaways registration page.

Celebrate Arbor Day by helping plant trees

Ready for “Arbor Day 2019” is Urban Forestry Outreach & Stewardship Coordinator Clare Carney.

Also taking place when we visited Tabor Yard, PP&R Urban Forestry Outreach & Stewardship Coordinator Clare Carney was on hand to talk about celebrating “Arbor Day 2019” in outer East Portland.

“We’re proud that we’ve been designated by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA for 42 years; and, as part of this, we celebrate Arbor Day every year,” said Carney.

“Rain or shine, we’ll be celebrating Arbor Day on October 12 from 10:00 a.m. until noon, with a volunteer planting of nine new trees in East Holladay Park – just west of Glendoveer – where we’re welcoming all ages and abilities, with no previous planting experience required,” Carney advised.

These are some of the trees to be planted during Arbor Day 2019.

“East Holladay Park has relatively little ‘canopy’; adding trees will provide shade and beauty to this small park,” Carney said.

“We look forward to seeing people who come out to celebrate our designation as a Tree City USA – an honored status that shows that we have the commitment to be preserving and protecting our urban forest.”

Arbor Day 2019
October 12
10:00 a.m. until noon
East Holladay Park, 12999 NE Holladay St., 97230

The park is located between NE Halsey and Gleason streets, just east of NE 128^th Avenue along NE Holladay Street.

For more information about Arbor Day 2019, CLICK HERE.

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