Tree Summit, November 4, 2017 Portland’s Heritage Trees Celebrating our historic, unique, and old trees By Gregg S. Everhart, Urban Forestry Commissioner and Chair, Heritage Tree Committee HT #4 Quercus garryana HT #257 Aesculus californica Commissioner Amanda Fritz Commissionerwww.PortlandParks.org Jim Francecsconi www.PortlandParks.org Director Mike Abbaté Director Zari Santner www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org The Columbia Chronicle Pacific Northwest City in search of LTR You are… Me… • Mature tree for quality time, • Oregon’s largest city afternoon naps. • Population about 640,000 • Large tree for maximum shade • Rainfall: average 36 inches/year, • Let’s keep things weird, the great environment for a tree! stranger the better. • Park acreage: 11,712 acres, • Trees with baggage are welcome, so many parks to choose from! I love a good story! • Are you a rare and unique cultivar? Excellent! • Please send picture! Click to edit MasterRecent subtitle photo of me style Heritage Tree Program • Managed by PPR Urban Forestry with help from the Urban Forestry Commission • Trees are approved by City Council in an ordinance • HTs are protected • Designation passes on to the next owner (private H Ts ) Photo by Steve Terrill HT #14 Magnolia acuminata www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org Heritage Tree Protection • Trees can not be removed or delisted as Heritage Trees without City Council action (impacts development) • Permits required for all work • Emergency removals must be authorized by City Forester Photo by Steve Terrill HT #66 Quercus rubra www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org Removal of Heritage Trees? 2016-17 Winter storms • Many Portland trees sustained damage, including Heritage Trees • Example: American elm lost limbs, ~30% HT #12 Ulmus americana canopy www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org HT #319 Ulmus americana www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org What makes a good Heritage Tree? • Size • Age • Ty p e • Horticultural value • Historical Association Initial screening factors • Sufficient growing space • Good health / maintenance • Visibility from public r/w • Not on Nuisance Tree list Photo by Steve Terrill www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org Tallest: Douglas Fir in Macleay Park 536’ 242’ 242 feet tall HT#134 Pseudotsuga menziesii www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org Widest and/or most stout HT #3?? Populus nigra at Powell Butte Nature Park – 32’ circumference HT#276 Sequoiadendron giganteum – 25.3’ circumference HT #199 Quercus garryana – 121’ spread Photo Gregg by EverhartS. HT #312 Fagus sylvatica – 120’ spread Photo by Gregg S. Everhart www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org Oldest Trees: Oregon White Oaks HT #4 Quercus garryana www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org Horticultural Interest: Camperdown Elm HT #287 Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’ 1840 parent plant www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org Historic: Ponderosa Pine in Alameda HT# 285 Pinus ponderosa transplanted 1885 www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org Big trees, big benefits UK study estimated potential benefits of trees with unrestricted growth Andrew and Slater 2014 Estimated size in ten years Current Average pollutants removed by trees size Size at planting Future Future Pollutants removed by averageremoved tree Pollutants by (g/year) Current unpruned pruned www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org Where are Heritage Trees? www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org Do you love trees? Join us ... • Join the HTC • Nominate a • Spend time outdoors with Heritage Tree Portland’s most impressive – Use Canopy Analytics and trees PP&R street and parks • Learn how to measure and inventories to find large or assess trees rare trees • Review and vote in new – NEW: Historical Tree Heritage Trees Research Guide • Tell their story – Organize HT walk or bicycle ride • Volunteer to – https://canopystory. inspect HTs org www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org Thank you for your help! Maps, books, and more: www.portlandoregon.gov/pa rks/trees PP&R Urban Forestry 10910 N. Denver Portland, OR 97217 Parks - Heritage Tree Program Parks.Heritagetree@portlan doregon.gov HT#1 Ulmus americana www.PortlandParks.orgwww.PortlandParks.org.