In Portland, a unique partnership is blossoming on the city streets, aiming to provide neighborhoods with much-needed greenery. Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry has teamed up with Bridgetown Construction & Landscaping LLC to plant trees through the Free Street Trees program, focusing on areas that are particularly lacking in shade and tree cover.
According to Portland Parks & Recreation, the initiative is designed to quickly add to the city's urban forest canopy. By planting and establishing new trees street by street, both parties stand to gain: Urban Forestry benefits from Bridgetown's participation in meeting planting goals, while Bridgetown Construction gains invaluable experience working in accordance with city specifications.
Efforts to maintain the newly planted trees are hands-on and detail-oriented. Crews are tasked to diligently provide twenty gallons of water weekly, carefuly ensuring that it's applied slowly to encourage strong root growth. Whether through a hose, buckets, or a watering bag, the maintenance routine also includes weeding, refreshing mulch, and checking the stakes and ties that support the young trees.
More than just planting and watering trees, the collaboration is an investment in the community. Bridgetown is not just any contractor; they are certified by Oregon's Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID). This certification allows a smaller, local company to not only grow but to also invest back into the community it serves.
With the spring season, the fruits of this partnership become visible. The report from Portland Parks & Recreation notes the evident growth in tree trunks and foliage that mark the success of the program. As Bridgetown and Urban Forestry's partnership thrives, so does the urban tree canopy that they’re cultivating, promising cooler blocks, cleaner air, and a more verdant cityscape for future Portland residents.
