Making the World a Better Place, One Tree at a Time: Friends of Trees in Oregon

With continued migration to urban areas, cities have become increasingly large. Residents of urban areas have spent more and more of their time in man-made environments. We have become accustomed to living our lives in an industrial world, with poorer air quality, fewer opportunities for wildlife to flourish, and less shade.

Have you ever thought about getting involved in trying to create cleaner, greener environments in your city? People all over the world have begun to recognize the need to restore and maintain natural environments in metropolitan areas, for the sake of our local ecosystems, animals, and ourselves. And they are doing something about it. Here is an example from San Francisco.

San Francisco before and after urban naturalization

Friends of Trees is a non-profit organization whose aim is to “bring people together to plant and care for city trees and green spaces in Pacific Northwest communities.”

Since it was founded in 1989, this organization has planted almost half a million trees and native plants in the Pacific Northwest, providing opportunities for people to buy and plant their own trees and volunteer in their local communities. They’re even partnering with the Portland Timbers, the city's Major League Soccer team, planting a tree for each goal scored during the Timbers' season.

Portland Timbers volunteers planting trees with Friends of Trees
These kinds of non-profits, looking to make the world’s cities and neighborhoods better, healthier places by planting trees and other plants locally, are popping up all over the U.S. and in many other countries around the world.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest and would like to get involved with Friends of Trees, a few helpful resources are listed below:

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