Deadlines and Dates for Upcoming Events, Awards, and Grants
Oregon Urban and Community Forestry Awards
Submission deadline February 15, 2021
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Oregon Heritage Tree Hero Awards
Submission deadline April 30, 2021
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Tree City USA Virtual Conference
February 10, 17, 24 (Wednesdays)
9:00 am - 11:15 am
(see article below right)
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Ongoing CEU Opportunities
PNW-ISA classes on tree care. For upcoming classes go HERE.
Urban Forest Connections Webinar Series. USDA Forest Service Research (2nd Wednesdays of the month) - Info, registration, and class descriptions HERE. You can view past webinars too.
Tree Fund Webinars
Perhaps the least well known of urban forestry webinars, these presentations are excellent! They have just added several upcoming CEU-offering webinars to the list! Info, registration, archive, and class descriptions HERE
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For Further Reading and Viewing
We are listing these articles again, in case you missed them in the September CTC Issue.
Climate Change
Urban Wood
Oregon is starting a Chapter of the Urban Wood Network. If you would like to be kept in the loop, please contact Kristin.
Equity, Inclusion and Diversity
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Kristin Ramstad
Urban & Community Forestry Program Manager
503-945-7390
Katie Lompa
Community Assistance Forester
541- 480-3790
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Community Tree Connections (CTC) is a periodic publication by the Oregon Department of Forestry, Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program. Our mission is to help Oregonians improve their quality of life by promoting community investment in our urban forests. Subscriptions to
Community Tree Connections are free and available by subscribing HERE. CTC is published in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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Dear Tree Friends,
Let's reconnect!
The Community Tree Connections newsletter has been on hiatus
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Rainbows down Lincoln St Photo: UCF Library
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since September, so this issue is long overdue. Our intention with this newsletter is to inform you of our 2020 successes and our 2021 plans. Then, in 3-4 weeks, we will be sending out an "Arbor Month" issue packed with information and ideas. 2020 was a difficult year for many reasons, but the ODF urban and community forestry team can look back on several program successes. - Despite the pandemic, Oregon's 67 Tree City USAs and 7 Tree Campus "Higher Education" universities have remained committed to maintaining their Tree City/Campus USA efforts. The City of Donald is joining the TCUSA list this year, and the City of Rivergrove is back after a brief absence, bringing the total to 69!
- In 2020, the ODF-UCF team produced 8 training webinars, which garnered attendance from 60 different cities/organizations. 151 people attended these webinars -- some more than one webinar -- with an average of 19 people at each training.
- ODF-UCF received a federal grant to increase community preparedness for invasive insects
- Oregon communities, schools, and churches planted almost three dozen Hiroshima Peace trees throughout Oregon (making Oregon a place with one of the highest number of these trees).
- Oregon Community Trees created a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee to facilitate statewide urban and community forestry outreach and education to often-underserved populations.
- The ODF-UCF team (Kristin, Katie, and Jim Gersbach) received an agency Team award that recognizes the ongoing work and projects of the U&CF program.
While we are glad to have 2020 behind us, we are also heartened by the support and connection we have had with many of you over the past year. Thank you for keeping in touch with us and working to make your city's trees better than ever.
Kristin Ramstad & Katie Lompa
Oregon Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program (ODF-UCF)
P.S. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you, and you would like to subscribe, please visit the U&CF Program Webpage
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Happy Award Winners from Years Past - Photo: UCF Library
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Opportunities to Highlight Inspiring Work
It's the Awards Season - and no, I am not talking about the Academy.
The Annual Oregon Urban and Community Forestry Awards - submission deadline: Feb 15, 2021
From the website: "These awards recognize powerful examples of inspirational individuals engaging citizens, promoting tree planting and quality tree care, raising awareness and knowledge about Oregon's trees and forests, and protecting Oregon's urban and community forests to improve the quality of life in towns and cities around the state ." For more information and an application for the Annual Oregon Urban and Community Forestry award, go HERE.
Do you know a person or a group that views trees through an historic lens? The Oregon Heritage Tree Committee is launching a new award this year.
Heritage Tree Hero of the Year Award
- submission deadline: April 30, 2021
From the website: "The Oregon Heritage Tree Committee has created a brand new award! The Heritage Tree Hero award recognizes individuals and groups that view Oregon's history from the perspective of the trees that witness/are witnessing it. Tell us about an inspirational individual or organization engaging communities through education and raising awareness about Oregon's history told through trees and forests. We encourage nominations that tell the stories of historically under-represented communities whose contributions are an integral part of Oregon's history." For more information and an application for the Heritage Hero award go HERE.
To nominate a tree or grove of trees for inclusion in the Oregon Heritage Tree Program, or to nominate someone for the Maynard Drawson (Lifetime Achievement) Award (both available through the year)-- please go HERE.
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Urban & Community Forestry Assistance Program Plans for 2021
The ODF-UCF program has many plans for the coming year, which we will tell you more about in upcoming newsletters. Here are a few of them:
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Does anyone see a face? -UCF Library
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- We will be recognizing April as Arbor Month this year! Oregon used to recognize only the first week in April as Arbor Week. However, given the importance of trees both physically and symbolically, we are celebrating all of April as Arbor Month.
- We are improving the landing page on our Oregon Tree Plotter inventory site to make it easier to navigate. If your community would like to learn more about how to conduct a tree inventory and map its trees, go to the ODF-UCF website.
- We will be offering another series of webinars this summer. Our "working list" of topics include Urban Forestry and Climate Change; Creating a Culturally Sensitive Significant Tree Program; Writing and Implementing Annual Tree Care Plans; and Using Volunteers to Conduct Tree Inventories.
- We will launch an Urban Forestry "Read and Discuss Group" - wherein we gather on Zoom 3-4 times/year to discuss specific urban forestry topics. Participants will be asked to register in advance to receive 2-5 short PDFs on the topics we will be discussing.
We look forward to connecting with you!
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Central Point TCUSA 2017 -UCF Library
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It's Not to Late to Register for All/Part of the VIRTUAL Tree City USA Conference!
We are excited to share with you this first-of-its-kind event! A virtual learning opportunity developed with all of you in mind. You -- who do the important tree work in your Tree City USA community!
Announcing the Arbor Day Foundation's - virtual Tree City USA Conference!
No matter the size or how urbanized your Tree City USA is, we know you will find the presentation content inspiring!
Attend and grow your community's program, discover innovative ways to manage trees and connect with other Tree City USA community members. This year's agenda is committed to helping you enhance the critical role that urban and community forestry holds in addressing climate change, environmental justice, and sustainable urban development.
WHEN: Wednesdays, February 10, 17, and 24. 9:00 AM-11:15 PM.
WHO should attend:
- Tree City USA Cities Representatives
- Urban Foresters
- Tree Board Members
- City Mayors
- Other Municipal Employees
Designated Tree City USAs and TCUSA-curious cities can register for less than the $30 registration fee! To get your code please email treecity@arborday.org. Indicate if you are a community wanting to know more about the TCUSA program, or if you are already a Tree City USA.
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Your "Click of Trees" *
Your "reward" for reading all the way down a lo-o-o-ng newsletter. Here is a link to an interesting tree feature on the web.
*Credit to OPB's online newsletter and "Click of Zen" feature.
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