Tree-planting in Portland’s Bayside neighborhood to enhance canopy cover
Photo / Courtesy Project Canopy
Much of Portland’s land area is suitable for tree planting, according to a 2018 report.
The city of Portland said that 150 new street trees will be planted this summer across the Bayside neighborhood.
“The Bayside neighborhood has the lowest percentage of tree canopy cover in the city of Portland and this project will go a long way toward correcting that,” said Ethan Hipple, director of the city’s Parks, Recreation and Facilities Department. “There’s an old saying that the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, and the second best time to plant a tree is today. This tree planting surge is just a start, and we will continue planting trees around the Bayside neighborhood each year so that future generations can enjoy all the benefits that trees bring to our neighborhoods.”
The Bayside Tree Planting Project, managed by the city’s parks division and funded by a combination of federal American Rescue Plan Act and Community Development Block Grant funds, places an emphasis on streets with insufficient tree canopy cover.
Additional considerations for site selection include whether the street has enough space for a tree well while maintaining ADA accessible sidewalks, prioritization of residential streets over commercial, proximity to overhead and underground utilities, and anticipated street, sidewalk or development projects that might disrupt the newly planted trees in the near future.
Work started in June with the planting of 20 trees. Through early fall, the city's contractor, Nelson Property Services, will be seen preparing tree wells, patching sidewalks and planting these much-anticipated trees throughout Bayside.
Frequently, tree wells and esplanades are filled with pavement, rock and concrete spoils a few inches beneath the surface. The material makes it difficult for new street trees to survive.
By contrast, the Bayside Tree Planting Project involves the removal and replacement of existing material before planting, and providing an abundance of planting soil to help the newly planted street trees get established and live to maturity.
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