Talent Nonprofit teaming with GP to Plant Trees in Low-Canopy Neighborhoods
OUR Community Forestry (OURCF), a nonprofit based in Talent, is partnering with Grants Pass to plant 150 large, climate-resilient, locally grown shade trees in low-canopy neighborhoods.
According to the City website, the project is funded by a Community Green Infrastructure grant from the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development.
Grants Pass has held the Tree City USA designation for 38 consecutive years and was named Oregon Tree City of the Year in 2020. But, according to American Forests, low-income communities have on average 26% less canopy than wealthier neighborhoods and are nearly 6 degrees hotter as a result.
The project covers the full arc of tree establishment from site identification and community engagement through planting, irrigation, and multi-year care. Six local interns will gain hands-on urban forestry experience through Project Youth Plus's Career Build program, working alongside OURCF's certified arborists.
Public plantings are scheduled for this fall. Trees will be sourced from Plant Oregon, a Rogue Valley nursery growing native and climate-resilient stock locally since the 1970s, keeping investment in the local economy.
Posted on 3/31/26 4:45AM by Alex Bauer
