Communities around Oregon and across the country are successfully using trees as a solution to stormwater issues. Are you on board with this trend?

Oregon Community Trees and partners invite you to spend the day exploring strategies for sound development that retains the values produced by healthy forests and watersheds. The annual state urban forestry conference is a great venue for education and networking for natural resource professionals, local decision‐makers, and interested citizens. If you’re seeking to enhance the quality of life in your city and want to balance economic, environmental, and social concerns during development, this conference is for you. Hope to see you there.

— Rick Zenn, President, Oregon Community Trees

CEUS TO BE AWARDED

5.25 A.M, 1.25B-P, 4B-M

SCHEDULED AGENDA

8:00 Registration

8:30 Welcoming Remarks

Rick Zenn President of Oregon Community Trees, and Doug Decker, State

Forester, Oregon Dept. of Forestry will welcome attendees and provide an overview of

the day’s program, and urban forestry in Oregon

9:00 Keynote Address — Urban Forests and Healthy Watersheds: Establishing the Links

Dr. Susan Day, Assistant Professor of Urban Forestry, Virginia Tech. Dr. Day will discuss how urban trees can enhance the health of urban waterways; yet, trees continue to be cut down for flood control projects and the marriage between trees and stormwater management facilities is an uncertain one. Where can we establish the links between water quality and urban forests and what approaches should we consider for future challenges

10:00 Break

10:30 Healthy Trees and Steams: Case Studies from Oregon Communities

Panelists will provide a glimpse into successful tree/stormwater projects across the state,

with an emphasis on “how-to” and “lessons learned”. Profiles will include public facilities,

residential, commercial, and transportation projects

Moderator -  Chris Neamtzu, Planning Director, City of Wilsonville

Green Streets - Tom Schauer, Senior Planner, City of Grants Pass

Public Buildings - Robin Laughlin, Design Manager, Bend Park and Recreation District

Housing - Kerry Rappold, Natural Resources Program Manager, City of Wilsonville

Commercial - Maria Cahill, Green Girl Land Development Solutions

12:00 Lunch (including State Urban Forestry Awards)

Your registration includes a buffet lunch (vegetarian options available)

that you can enjoy while hearing about great urban forestry projects from around Oregon.

1:15 Technical Tools for Healthy Trees and Streams

Our afternoon session will explore technical topics around the issue of healthy trees and

streams, with an emphasis on what it takes to manage a successful tree/stormwater

project in your community.

Moderator: Maria Cahill, Sustainable Site Specialist, Green Girl Land Development Solutions

Soil Considerations - Dr. Susan Day, Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech

Phytoremediation - George Prince, Environmental Scientist, US EPA

Tree Requirements - Kevin Perry, ASLA, Landscape Architect, Nevue Ngan Assoicates, Portland

Development Challenges - Gail Shaloum, Senior Development Practices Coordinator, METRO   

2:45 Creating a City-wide Approach to Trees and Stormwater Management  - Dave Elkin, ASLA, GreenWorks PC, Portland. Dave has worked in private firms and public agencies creating sustainable landscapes from the very small site scale to the watershed scale. In this talk, he will share with us the opportunities and constraints of implementing tree and stormwater management policies in an urbanized setting.

3:30 Adjourn

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

GETTING THERE

The Conference will be held in Miller Hall at the World Forestry Center in Portland. To get to the Center by mass transit, take the MAX light rail to the Washington Park stop, which lets you off right at the front door of the Center. By car, proceed west on Hwy 26 west from I-405 in downtown Portland, and take the “Zoo/Forestry Center” exit. Follow the road past the Zoo on your right, and after the first curve in the road the Forestry Center is on your left. Miller Hall is set back among the Center’s buildings, and parking is right across the street.

EXHIBIT OPPORTUNITIES

If you sell a product or service related to urban forestry, consider having a vendor table at this event. The cost is $150, which includes one conference registration. A non-profit exhibit space rate is also available. For more information, contact Rob Crouch at 503-823-4443 or Robert.Crouch@portlandoregon.gov.

HOTEL OPTIONS

A block of rooms have been reserved at the Paramount Hotel, 808 SW Taylor St. in downtown Portland at a rate of $119 ($116 gov’t) per night. Parking is available nearby. The room block cut-off date is May 1. Call 503-223-9900 and ask for the State Urban Forestry Conference room rate. Rates are good for three days prior and three days after the conference.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS

Continuing education credit hours for planners, foresters, landscape contractors, and certified arborists will be applied for related to this conference.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Our keynote speaker this year is Dr. Susan D. Day, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech. Her research is dedicated to uncovering practical information that will improve tree health and canopy cover in urbanizing environments and she conducts research in a variety of urban forestry issues. Dr. Day is particularly interested in land development and urban design issues and how root/soil interactions affect the contribution of trees to urban ecosystems. She holds a joint appointment in Virginia Tech’s Department of Horticulture.

ABOUT THE WORLD FORESTRY CENTER

Founded in 1964 in Portland, Oregon, the World Forestry Center is a nonprofit educational institution. Our mission is to educate and inform people about the world's forests and trees, and their importance to all life, in order to promote a balanced and sustainable future. Our 20,000 square foot museum Discovery Museum is located in Portland's beautiful Washington Park. Built in dramatic Cascadian style architecture, you'll marvel at the intricate hand carvings and grand entry outside, and delight in all new exhibits inside. All new hands-on, interactive exhibits are family friendly and designed to engage visitors to learn about the sustainability of forests and trees of the Pacific Northwest and around the world. The Center also manages demonstration Tree Farms and the World Forest Institute. To learn more about the Center, visit www.worldforestry.org.