What is urban tree canopy?
Urban tree canopy includes all of the trees in our city, including trees planted along the streets, on residential properties, in parks, and in urban natural areas.
The urban tree canopy is essential in creating healthy, vibrant communities:
- Trees remove street-level air pollution.
- Trees reduce the effects of urban heat islands by lowering temperatures.
- Trees support wildlife habitat by giving birds, pollinators, and other animals places to live.
- Trees can reduce heating and cooling costs.
- Trees contribute to safer, more walkable streets.
What is the Equitable Tree Canopy program?
The Equitable Tree Canopy (ETC) program is implemented by Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) with funding and direction from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF). It is a community-centered initiative aimed at enhancing urban forests and tree canopies in our city. Established to promote healthy, resilient communities through green infrastructure, and with a focus primarily on street trees, the program's objectives include planting at least 15,000 trees on public and private property, maintaining tree health, fostering community engagement, and supporting workforce development in the tree establishment and maintenance industry. Through strategic partnerships and stakeholder collaboration, the ETC program seeks to address environmental equity and combat urban heat islands.
What is the role of the ETC Workgroup?
The ETC Workgroup provides advice, feedback, and guidance to PCEF and PP&R staff regarding implementation of the ETC program that includes:
- Evaluating data and recommending neighborhoods and strategies to prioritize for plantings.
- Advising on allocations for street and yard trees in priority neighborhoods.
- Participating in request for proposals review when there are no conflicts of interest.
- Reviewing outreach outcomes and distribution of trees across neighborhoods and property types.
- Monitoring program outcomes.
- Addressing opportunities and challenges, including leveraging partnerships with existing and future programs to improve program implementation effectiveness.
- Advising on the design of the PCEF-supported tree canopy maintenance.
The Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund
Approved by voters in 2018, the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund invests in community-led and community-centered projects that reduce carbon emissions, create economic opportunity, and help make our city more resilient as we face a changing climate. Learn more about us on our YouTube channel or on the PCEF website.
Questions?
Email us at cleanenergyfund@portlandoregon.gov.