Categories
Uncategorized

Meet Friends of Trees on April 10

Learn how 910,000 trees got planted in the Willamette Valley, the work being done in your neighborhood, and how to care for your own yard trees.

Join Harrison Layer and learn about the Willamette Valley based non-profit, Friends of Trees, who have planted 910,000 trees and native shrubs in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem and Eugene-Springfield metro areas since 1989.

Harrison Layer joined FOT in November 2016 and toke up the role of Green Space Specialist in 2019. He will share about his journey and pathway into the natural resources field, the history of Friends of Trees, define the planting programs, the various partnerships involved, the considerations for planting in cities vs natural areas, sourcing plant material, talk about the ‘Crew Leader’ role, and how to volunteer as a general volunteer.

He will also cover general plant identification techniques, climate-adaptive plantings Friends of Trees has done, green roofs/walls, rain gardens & other stormwater infrastructure, and some of the ways
that humans relate to plants within the industry and overall. There will be instruction on how to plant a tree and the opportunity to ask questions

Scottish Rite Temple, 4090 Commercial St SE, Salem
Starts at 7pm, doors open at 6:30pm, on April 10, 2023.

Read more about the event or Sign up to attend.

Friends of Trees has been planting in coordination with City of Salem partners for the past 9 years. We have two Friends of Trees planting programs engaged in Salem. One is the Green Space Program, engaging volunteers to focus on habitat enhancement work along streams and other riparian (adjacent to water) sites, planting a wide array of native plants, including trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants. This work provides diverse habitat in urban natural areas for all kinds of native species, including birds, animals, reptiles, amphibians and aquatic life. Some goals of planting include increasing natural beauty, reducing erosion along stream banks, cooling water temperatures for aquatic species and improving water quality.

The other Friends of Trees program engaged in Salem is the Neighborhood Trees Program, facilitating large-stock tree planting on neighborhood streets and within public parks. This work aims to decrease urban heat island related temperatures in city neighborhoods, with a particular emphasis on lower-resource, lower canopy areas. Some other benefits of trees include a connection to nature right outside someone’s front door, an increase in neighborhood beauty and community connection as well as providing habitat for pollinators and other species.

Harrison Layer on working in Salem, OR