Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry uses a data driven approach to determine priority neighborhoods for focusing tree planting, education, and outreach resources. Canopy levels, income, and communities of color are considered together, to determine areas where resources have the potential to provide the most benefit. Urban Forestry staff and community partners use this information to guide efforts to ensure that the services provided by urban canopy – safer streets, reduced air pollution, cooler summer temperatures, and improved health outcomes (to name a few) – are accessible to all Portlanders, especially the most vulnerable communities.
Neighborhoods are assigned a priority score of 1-3, with 1 being highest. Data is updated on a 3-year cycle and serves as an extension of the Citywide Tree Planting Strategy, which identifies barriers, opportunities, and provides overall guidance, for growing a more equitable urban forest. This approach supports canopy goals of the Urban Forest Management Plan and Portland’s Climate Action Plan, by using data to determine where canopy levels are lowest and where resources for tree planting are needed the most, to address existing inequities in urban canopy relative to race and income. For more information, contact: trees@portlandoregon.gov.