Our Vision

Researchers have been gathering more and more evidence to explain what people have felt intrinsically for eons - we are better off when we live among healthy trees. Some of that data was done by researchers right here in Oregon. Researchers like Geoffrey Donovan who showed that human death rates go up when large shade trees are suddenly cut down, and that they go down as young trees start to mature and fill in gaps in the urban tree canopy. Vivek Shandas at Portland State University showed that neighborhoods with skimpy tree cover are many degrees hotter on summer days than leafier neighborhoods with many shade trees. Other benefits include:

o pregnant women who live near trees are more likely to deliver babies with healthier birth weights

o.learneers can better focus and pay attention when their classrooms look out on trees

o depression, domestic violence and even traffic speeds can all be lowered by designing trees into our urban landscapes and maintaining them in good condition.

So we know trees aren't just nice to look at -- they can literally be life savers. And yet trees' own lives are increasingly imperiled. In Oregon and across the country we are losing our city trees to invasive pests and diseases, climate change, and urban redevelopment that too often ignores the importance of trees to ensuring a healthy community. Oregon Community Trees is committed to helping people in our state understand the vital role urban trees play. And we will share what we learn about how we can individually and collectively ensure trees continue their green infrastructure benefits to us as the climate becomes more and more extreme. Because every Oregonian deserves what trees have to offer.

Jim Gersbach

President, Oregon Community Trees