Portland's ongoing effort to bolster its leafy skyline is showing results with an impressive 15% bump in street trees over the last ten years, according to the latest findings from Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Urban Forestry division. Data, painstakingly gathered over a 3-year period and involving the measuring and identification of approximately a quarter of a million trees, points to a city that's both greener and breathing easier, with around 90% of its street trees in good or fair condition. Still, Portland's not resting on its laurels – or its Douglas firs, for that matter. Wide planting zones in the city continue to be underutilized, with smaller species planted where the canopy of larger trees could thrive.
Citywide estimates provided by PP&R place Portland's street tree total at a possible 333,000 when including harder-to-inventory areas. The fruits of Urban Forestry's extensive inventory project are ripe for public picking, with resources like the interactive Tree Inventory map, the detailed Street Tree Inventory dashboard, and an analytic Street Tree Inventory report all available online. Well-informed property owners and enthusiasts can also chew on the latest updates to the Approved Street Tree Planting Lists, which now include 15 climate-adapted species, adjustments to the recommended natives, and purged lower-performing varieties.
These decisions have a solid root system in the scientific data harvested by Urban Forestry. Changes to the planting list are especially notable, with new additions such as the Ponderosa pine and black hawthorn, while the grand fir and western hemlock have been quietly shown the exit. Also, say goodbye to 10 underachieving species that either didn't take root well in Portland soil or were as scarce as hens' teeth in local nurseries.
The Urban Forestry's mission, apart from responding to tree emergencies 24/7 and providing maintenance services, is to nurture street and park trees for the current and future generations. Their oversight extends to a green treasury valued at around $9.6 billion, which includes park trees numbering over 1.2 million, 330,000 street trees, and a whopping 2.9 million private property trees. And with programs that support community involvement and education, this branch of city governance is fostering more than just trees – it's growing a shade-filled legacy for all Portlanders. Their global recognition as a Tree City USA for 48 years, and accreditation from the Urban and Community Forestry Society, are just leaves in the forest of their achievements.
