This winter, contractors working for Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Urban Forestry division began planting new street trees throughout Montavilla. The Free Street Tree Planting Program is part of the City’s urban tree canopy growth strategy, and it includes no-cost tree support for the first three years. Then, the trees become the adjacent property owner’s responsibility for upkeep and replacement. The initial program launched in seven priority neighborhoods last year with an extensive site survey of available planting spaces in the public right-of-way. From November 2023 through this March, crews will plant up to 1,100 street trees.

This program receives funding from Portland’s Tree Planting and Preservation Fund. People pay into the fund when they remove trees during development or other site work. Portland staff selected the East Columbia, Humboldt, Piedmont, Powellhurst-Gilbert, Woodlawn, Overlook, and Montavilla neighborhoods due to their high need for additional tree canopy. Contractors will plant all trees in the public right-of-way planting strip between the curb and sidewalk. In 2023, the City notified affected property owners first on September 15th and again on October 1st. They had until October 16th, 2023, to opt out of receiving a tree.

Owning a street tree in Portland comes with the responsibility of caring for and replacing the tree under City Code 11.60.060.A.2.a. Costs to repair sidewalk damage due to tree roots also fall on property owners. For some Portlanders, the burden of street tree costs has kept them from adding new trees unless the City code requires it. However, many people recognize the urgent need for heat-reducing street trees, and this PP&R program makes participation easy. Arborists have found planting locations that avoid utility conflicts and selected low-maintenance tree cultivars that are drought tolerant. City-funded watering occurs for the three summers after planting to establish the tree. People who receive these new plantings will see watering and maintenance contractors tending the trees from May through October during the 2024, 2025, and 2026 years. After that time, the property owner must become responsible for the tree’s upkeep, particularly during hot and dry weather.

People can identify PP&R installed trees by its green and white card featuring the bureau’s logo. With so many new plantings, most residents will likely encounter these new trees while walking around the neighborhood. This program will expand to other neighborhoods after this initial launch based on areas outlined in the 2018 Growing a More Equitable Urban Forest strategy document. PP&R will have people in the neighborhood conducting tree inspections over the next few weeks after the planting crew completes their work. People with questions about a PP&R planted tree or other program inquiries can leave a message with program staff at 503-823-4025 or FreeTrees@portlandoregon.gov.

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