(Portland, Oregon) –
An iconic elm tree in downtown Portland will be removed by Portland Parks & Recreation to protect community safety, due to significant damage and declining health following recent storms.
Officially designated as Heritage Tree #1, the elm has stood at 1111 SW 10th Ave. since approximately 1870 when Portland had a population of 90,000 and people commuted by horse. This beloved landmark is known as the “Burrell elm” or “Rosa’s tree” in honor of Rosetta F. Burrell, a notable figure in Portland’s history and prominent social reformer of the era.
Heritage Tree #1 was approved by the City’s Historical Landmarks Commission in 1975, making Portland one of the first cities to include a tree on a historic register. When the city launched the Heritage Tree Program in 1993, the elm was given the distinct honor of being inducted first.
“This is Portland’s first Heritage Tree, but also likely the oldest elm in Oregon,” said heritage tree historian David-Paul B. Hedberg. “It’s a credit to Rosa Burrell and marks the moment when we stopped being ‘Stumptown’ and started being a tree town.”
In January, the tree experienced extensive damage due to extraordinary winds. As a result, it experienced major branch failures and lost approximately one-third of its canopy. Due to the tree’s historic importance, specially trained and experienced supervisors, arborists, and tree inspectors with Portland Parks & Recreation’s Urban Forestry team developed a plan to care for and retain it.
However, on July 20, the tree sustained another major branch loss, leaving just half of its canopy prior to the January storm. The remaining canopy is stressed and unhealthy, and the tree is not demonstrating the ability to withstand new stressors and reduced leaf area.
“Heritage Tree #1 has been an integral part of Portland’s urban landscape and history,” said Director of Portland Parks & Recreation Adena Long. “This decision was not made lightly. Our priority is always public safety and the health of our urban forest.”
City Forester Jenn Cairo added, “The tree’s decline is due to unique storm events and its inability to recover from drastic canopy loss and structural impacts. After thorough evaluations by multiple experienced staff with specialized technical skills, it’s clear that removal is the safest and most responsible course of action. Its iconic appearance, cooling shade, and greening presence in the neighborhood will be missed by many Portlanders.”
The PP&R Urban Forestry team will remove the tree soon, possibly in early August, with temporary traffic and pedestrian impacts expected in the area. Per Title 11, the City's Tree Code, a replacement tree is required to be planted in 2025 to mitigate the loss of the elm. Heritage Tree #1 shows no signs of Dutch Elm Disease.
UPDATE 7/31/2024: There are City rules and State laws that limit the distribution of elm wood from City trees due to the risk of spreading the pathogen that causes Dutch Elm Disease. As such, as many folks have asked, we cannot distribute pieces of this tree’s wood to the public due to this reason. But we are exploring possible ways that some of the wood may be retained safely and repurposed somehow - in a way which will benefit the public.
About PP&R Urban Forestry
The mission of PP&R’s Urban Forestry division is to manage and care for Portland's urban forest infrastructure. Our urban forest consists of more than 220,000 street trees, 1.2 million park trees, and about 2.9 million private property trees valued at over $6 billion. Some of the services Urban Forestry provides include creating and implementing the city's Urban Forest Plan; fostering community awareness and stewardship of trees; developing tree policies and programs; monitoring and assessing the urban forest; issuing permits for planting, pruning, and removal of public and some private trees; and responding to tree emergencies.
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