For More Information Contact:
EWEB: Lance Robertson, 541-685-7371
Friends of Trees: Erik Burke, 541-915-1601

Oct. 17, 2011

Centennial “legacy project” to plant 100 trees

Eugene Water & Electric Board, Friends of Trees and the City of Eugene are teaming up on Saturday, Oct. 22, to plant 100 trees in Eugene as part of EWEB’s commemoration of its centennial year as a citizen-owned utility.

Friends of Trees and community volunteers will join about 50 EWEB employees, retirees and commissioners for the tree-planting along Roosevelt Boulevard, between Fergus and Bertelsen streets, from 9 a.m. to noon on Oct. 22. Trees also will be planted in a smaller area west of Beltline Road, in a partnership between Friends of Trees and the City of Eugene.

As part of its centennial year as a public utility, EWEB wanted to create a “legacy project” that would leave a gift of some kind to the community. Friends of Trees wanted to introduce itself to the community following the Eugene Tree Foundation’s recent decision to combine efforts with the Portland-based non-profit organization to establish a Friends of Trees branch in Eugene.

“In a city such as Eugene, we couldn’t think of a better gift than to plant trees,” said EWEB General Manager Roger Gray. “These 100 trees will be a long-lasting, visible reminder of EWEB’s commitment to our community well into our second century of operations.”

"Planting and stewarding these trees is a wonderful contribution from EWEB to the Bethel-Danebo neighborhood and larger Eugene community,” said Erik Burke, Friends of Trees’ Eugene Chapter director. “This project will enable us to introduce Friends of Trees’ community-building model of tree planting to the Eugene-Springfield area.”

EWEB’s legacy project will plant trees mainly along the north side of Roosevelt, between the street and the bicycle-pedestrian path. A small plaque will be placed near the plantings at a later date to commemorate the effort for future generations.

Friends of Trees’ city-related planting on the same day is the fourth and final phase of a larger project to cover both sides of the “A3 Channel” of Amazon Creek, along Roosevelt Boulevard between Danebo and North Terry streets. The City of Eugene Parks and Open Space volunteer program partnered with Eugene Tree Foundation on the earlier three plantings. This fourth phase is a collaboration with City of Eugene, EWEB, and Friends of Trees.