*** TAKE THE SURVEY AND PROVIDE YOUR FEEDBACK***
Feedback from the community will help shape the goals of the plan, informing and prioritizing future actions. The survey and community input at outreach events will help the city understand how people relate to street trees and the best ways to support the planning and care of those trees.
SURVEY LINK HERE: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/565SY9M
Staff will also be at First Friday, September 5th, and Movies in the Park on Friday, September 12th, 2025, seeking community input.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Urban Forestry Management Plan, Municipal Code Audit, and Street Tree Manual
Every year since 2000, Troutdale has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for our commitment to our urban forest. Recognizing and caring for the urban forest is a crucial aspect of cultivating a healthy and vibrant city. This year, thanks to a Community Green Infrastructure Grant from the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), the city will create a future vision for Troutdale’s urban forest through the development of an Urban Forestry Management Plan with urban forestry consultants from DUDEK. In addition, the city’s municipal code chapter on street trees will be reviewed and refreshed, and a street tree manual will be developed to help guide community members on the selection, planting, and maintenance of street trees in public spaces, ensuring long-term health and benefits of the urban forest.
We can’t take care of Troutdale’s trees and green spaces alone; it takes teamwork! That is why we are asking all shareholders, including neighbors, businesses, and community members, for help. By working together, we can create a plan to nurture and care for our city’s trees, ensuring they remain healthy and strong for everyone who lives, works, and plays in Troutdale.
PROJECT PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
What is the Urban Forest?
An urban forest includes all the trees and plants with woody stems that grow in a city or town. This means trees along streets, in parks, in nature areas, and even in people’s yards or near businesses.
Urban forests help the environment by giving us cleaner air and water, keeping places cooler, soaking up rainwater, and providing homes for animals. They also make our neighborhoods nicer by helping people feel calm, making areas look beautiful, raising home values, and creating a strong community feel.
In short, urban forests are an important part of our city that help make life better for everyone.
What is an Urban Forest Management Plan?
An Urban Forest Management Plan is a guide that helps a city take care of its trees now and in the future. It allows the community to decide how to plant, protect, and grow trees in a smart and healthy way.
The plan looks at what’s working and what needs help in the city’s forest, and includes steps to make sure trees remain strong, safe, and healthy. It discusses topics such as planting various types of trees in the right environments, educating people about trees, and ensuring that all neighborhoods have access to trees.
Ultimately, this plan enables the community to make informed decisions about trees, ensuring our urban forest thrives and remains healthy for many years to come.
PROJECT TIMELINE
August 2025 -----------> March 2026 ----------> Community Involvement
September 2025 ----------> January 2026 ----------> Plan Development
February 2026 ----------> Public Draft
May 2026 ----------> Final Draft and Plan Adoption
OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED
Community outreach is an integral part of this project. Neighbors, local businesses, property owners, and students will all be part of the planning process. Community engagement is crucial to guiding the development of a representative and sustainable plan. It is anticipated that the city’s Parks Advisory Committee will help guide the process. Parks Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public, and at each meeting, there will be time for input from non-Parks Advisory Committee members. In addition, we are planning for online open houses and surveys to allow opportunities for a diverse range of community members to review and comment on issues, approaches, and draft plan recommendations. If you would like to be placed on the Urban Forestry Management Plan Interested Parties list, please send an email to comdev [at] troutdaleoregon.gov (comdev[at]troutdaleoregon[dot]gov)
This page will be continuously updated with relevant meeting agendas, links to open houses and surveys, presentation materials, draft reports, and other documents.