Free Trees for All Portlanders!

News Article

Portland Parks & Recreation is hosting its 8th annual Yard Tree Giveaway event series. Learn more and register now at www.portland.gov/trees/tree-planting/free-trees

(Portland, OR) -

Portland Parks & Recreation's (PP&R) Urban Forestry divisionis giving away 3,000 trees this fall for Portlanders to plant on their private property. This is a dramatic increase from the 2,000 trees distributed annually over the past two years, and is made possible by funding from the Portland Clean Energy Fund(PCEF).

Over the course of the Yard Tree Giveaway program, Urban Forestry staff have distributed over 8,800 free yard trees to Portlanders. Registration and more information are available atPortland.gov/free-yard-treesor (503) 823-4963.

A man pauses to smile for the camera. He is carrying a young, free yard tree during a prior Portland Parks & Recreation giveaway event.

"Distributing free trees for planting on private property is an important and effective way to help grow Portland's tree canopy," says Portland City Forester Jenn Cairo. "We know that the tree cover in Portland has been in declinein recent years, and these tree giveaway events are a key part in reversing that trend and making our city more green."

When registering,choose which pick-up event you will attend to receive your free tree. Along with trees, you'll get watering buckets, mulch, and instructions for how to properly plant and care for your tree(s).

2024 Tree Pick-up Events (all events run 8:30am to 1pm)

• Saturday, October 5 - Mt. Olivet Baptist Church (Portsmouth)REGISTRATION FULL
• Saturday, October 12 - Glenfair Park (Glenfair) REGISTRATION FULL
• Saturday, October 19 - Helensview School (Sumner)
• Saturday, October 26 - Brentwood Park (Brentwood-Darlington)
• Saturday, November 2 - Mt. Tabor Nursery (Mt. Tabor)

A woman smiles as she carries a free yard tree in a black bucket, during a prior Yard Tree Giveaway event presented by Portland Parks & Recreation's Urban Forestry team.

While anyone living in Portland is eligible, Urban Forestry is specifically working to get more trees planted in the hottest areas of our city. Nearly all of these "heat islands" are located east of the Willamette River. The Yard Tree Giveaway prioritizes pick-up events in and near neighborhoods with the highest temperatures and fewest trees.

Free delivery is available to homes in the Parkrose, Parkrose Heights, Argay, Montavilla, Hazelwood, and Mill Park neighborhoods.

Planting assistance is also available for people who need an accommodation.

Guidelines for receiving a tree:

• Advance registration is required.
• Trees are for planting on private property (not in containers or as street trees).
• Trees must be planted within the City of Portland. This can be private yards, property around apartment buildings or neighborhood common spaces, as long as there is property owner approval. Businesses, places of worship, and schools are eligible.
• Limit two trees per address.

Trees are part of the very fabric of our city

Trees help keep Portland green and healthy. They offer shade; lower temperatures in homes and neighborhoods; provide wildlife habitat, beauty, and cleaner air; and help mitigate the effects of climate change. Urban Forestry regularly plants new trees in areas of town where the canopy is not yet as robust as others. Still, the most recent PP&R studyshowed Portland's tree coverage has declined in recent years.

About the PP&R Urban Forestry division

The mission of PP&R Urban Forestryis to manage and care for Portland's urban forest infrastructure. Our urban forest consists of more than 236,000 street trees, 1.2 million park trees, and about 2.9 million private property trees valued at over $6 billion. Some of the services Urban Forestry provides include creating and implementing the city's Urban Forest Plan; fostering community awareness and stewardship of trees; developing tree policies and programs; monitoring and assessing the urban forest; issuing permits for planting, pruning, and removal of public and some private trees. PP&R Urban Forestry staff are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to tree emergencies on City property. 

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