Thanks to your efforts we're still standing.
Greetings!

Please take a look at these two letters and feel free to take action. Thank you - Albert Kaufman

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From: Jim Labbe < jlabbe@urbanfauna.org >
Date: Thu, Apr 19, 2018, 12:44 PM
Subject: Please fund the Street Tree Task Force (STTP) project in the City's "Spring Bump" budget adjustment

Dear Mayor Wheeler & City Council,

I am writing to strongly support $100,000 in funding through the spring 
bump budget adjustment for implemention of the Street Tree Task Force 
(STTF) project. The City Council unanimously supported this project last 
November after the Urban Forestry Commission's presentation.

Now is the time for you to act on this support.

As you will recall from the Urban Forestry Commission's presentation last 
November, the “Street Tree Task Force” (STTF) would develop proposals for 
City funding for equitable investment in street tree maintenance. The 
proposals would come back to the City Council for consideration. This 
Parks-led project would be headed up by the City Forester. STTF will be a 
first step in developing of the new Urban Forestry Management Plan and a 
critical complement to the PBOT-led “Streets 2035” aimed at developing a 
de facto ‘master plan for design of city streets’ and removing barriers to 
growing more large form street trees in every neighborhood.

For a number of reasons the UFC shared with you last November, both these 
projects are critical to addressing the inequities in size, health and 
distribution of street trees documented by the volunteer-led 2016 Citywide 
Street Tree Inventory. As Vivek Shandas's research at PSU indicates, the 
deficiencies in street tree and street tree canopy in some neighborhoods pose 
significent public health threats in neighborhoods with vulnerable populations.

We need to invest in street tree maintenance in low-income communities 
with deficient street trees because street tree maintenance is one 
significant barrier to growing large healthy street trees in these 
neighborhoods. We have the opportunity to build on the existing programs 
by Verde and Friends of Trees that create green jobs planting and 
esablishing street trees in low income neighborhoods. The STTP is the 
first step.

Please make good on your commitments last November and support funding for the 
STTP in the spring bump budget adjustment.

Sincerely,

Jim Labbe

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From:  Meryl Redisch < merylaredisch@gmail.com >
Date:  April 22, 2018 at 10:13:09 PM PDT
To:   Ted.Wheeler@portlandoregon.gov , Commissioner Fritz < amanda@portlandoregon.gov >, Commissioner Fish < nick@portlandoregon.gov >,  chloe@portlandoregon.gov , "Saltzman, Dan" < dan.saltzman@portlandoregon.gov >
Cc:  "Cairo, Jenn" < Jenn.Cairo@portlandoregon.gov >, "Landoe, Brian" < Brian.Landoe@portlandoregon.gov >, Daniel Newberry < daniel@jcwc.org >, Vivek Shandas < vshandas@pdx.edu >
Subject:   Street Tree Task Force Budget item
Dear Mayor Wheeler and City Council,
I am writing to request that funding in the amount of $100,000 be allocated for advancing the Street Tree Task Force Project that was unanimously supported at the November 12th City Council work session. At that session, Parks Director Mike Abbate and City Forester Jenn Cairo presented a very strong case as to why this initiative is needed now.
Jenn Cairo presented data from the 2016 Citywide Street Tree Inventory and from PSU’s Sustainability Department that demonstrated significant tree canopy inequities that exist within the City’s boundaries. Based on the recommendations from the Policy Committee, the Urban Forestry Commission voted unanimously in favor of the Street Tree Proposal and subsequent Task Force. The UFC believes strongly that this wise investment of public dollars will go towards the maintenance and stewardship of one of Portland’s most valuable assets- valued at .5 billion dollars along with a benefits package worth 18 million dollars. This project also complements the PBOT- led “ Streets 2035” plan, and will be used to better inform the next Urban Forestry Management Plan.
Volunteers, staff and advocates were pleased with the discussion and outcome from the November work session. Since that time, many partners have worked tirelessly to move the Street Tree Proposal and Task Force logistics forward. We are counting on your continued support and are requesting that funding for this phase come through the spring bump budget adjustment. Thank you very much.
Sincerely,

Meryl A. Redisch, 
Past Chair- Urban Forestry Commission
Past Chair- Urban Forestry Policy Committee
---------------

My sense is that our best bet for saving individual trees is to rally around them in person when you can. That's how we've won so far - and when there hasn't been anyone around or fighting back - in person - the trees get cut. So, if you know of a tree or trees that are threatened in your neck of the woods - get busy organizing people who live close to the trees. We have a lot of great guides/direction on our Facebook Group we use to organize efforts to protect trees. Post pictures of the tree(s) to Nextdoor and encourage neighbors to gather at the trees and do the same.
 
If you're not on our FB group for organizing on the issue of keeping tall trees standing in Portland - please join us! Nextdoor is also a great place to organize.
 
Albert Kaufman
Portland, Oregon

You can always email your comments and concerns about our trees lack of protections to:

Mayor Hales: MayorCharlieHales@portlandoregon.gov
Commissioner Fish: nick@portlandoregon.gov 
Commissioner Eudaly: chloe@portlandoregon.gov
Commissioner Fritz: amanda@portlandoregon.gov 
Commissioner Saltzman: dan@portlandoregon.gov
Planning & Sustainability Commission: PSC@portlandoregon.gov

Here they are in one handy-dandy list - cut and paste into your email client.
MayorCharlieHales@portlandoregon.gov, nick@portlandoregon.gov, chloe@portlandoregon.gov, amanda@portlandoregon.gov, dan@portlandoregon.gov, PSC@portlandoregon.gov