The Oregon flag shows the state seal, with four Douglas-fir trees; the flag’s flip side features the only tree-chomping engineer in nature, the beaver. This symbolism says volumes about how important trees are to our state, from both aesthetic and economic perspectives. As Paul Ries, manager of the state’s Urban and Community Forestry Program puts it, “Trees are important to the quality of life here in Oregon, where we have some of the most productive forestland in the world and some of the most livable cities around.” Officially, the U.S. celebrates Arbor Day on April 24th. But our state is so enamored of trees that the Oregon legislature has also designated an Arbor Week—the first week in April. Really, there are enough tree-loving celebrations going on in the Beaver State that we’re considering April Arbor Month! As Oregon tree care specialists, we are thrilled to see such Oregon arborphilia in full bloom.
Oregon Celebrations for Arbor Month, April 2015
Arbor Week: April 6-10th. While America’s Arbor Day is always the last Friday in April, each state celebrates its own Arbor Day based on the region’s best time to plant trees. Florida, for instance, celebrates Arbor Day on the first Friday in January. Here in Oregon, we officially celebrate trees from April 6-10th. The Portland Arbor Day Festival was held on April 11th. On that day, the city honored the winners of the Bill Naito Community Trees Award. Tree information was shared, and families participated in crafts, nature stations, and tree-themed games. The previous day, the city’s urban forestry crews facilitated bucket truck rides, elevating Portlanders to a “squirrel’s eye view of downtown.”
April 10th: Statewide Heritage Tree Dedication. The Oregon Department of Forestry’s Salem headquarters hosted a dedication and award ceremony celebrating the state’s heritage trees and those who care for them. Groves and individual heritage trees are honored as fascinating, storied specimens. There are more than 50 heritage trees across Oregon.
April 25th: Southeast Portland Flowering Tree Tour. Portland Parks and Recreation Urban Forestry and the Sunnyside Tree Team are partnering up to provide a walking tour of spring flowering trees in southeast Portland. From 1 to 3 pm, participants will enjoy viewing local trees in full bloom. Refreshments will be provided at the meet up spot, the Belmont Library at 1038 Cesar Chavez Blvd. The tour will depart at 1:30pm.
Oregon Tree Cities. As your Portland tree care experts, we’re always rooting for increased urban canopy coverage here in the Rose City and in other Oregon towns. So, we were happy to read that 56 Oregon cities are designated as Tree City USA communities. The Tree City USA program is organized by the National Arbor Day Foundation and funded by the Oregon Department of Forestry. This year, a central Oregon burg, Stanfield, was added to the list of Oregon Tree Cities. About 3,400 cities across America qualify for this moniker, which indicates that they have a tree board/department and ordinance; spend a minimum of $2 per person on a tree program; and hold an Arbor Day celebration.
Keep the momentum of Arbor month going by arranging care for your own trees. Our arborists offer a full menu of Portland tree services, including pruning, removal, cabling, planting, and assessment. If you’re just getting started with tree care, we recommend a tree assessment, in which our Portland certified arborists visit your property and provide a spoken explanation of your trees’ condition. Available for a small fee, an assessment is a great way to get a few DIY solutions for any minor problems. And should more significant issues arise during your assessment, every member of our team is an ISA-certified arborist, so you can rest assured of their expertise. Contact us today to arrange Portland tree services.
