Celebrations Planned Statewide In April For Oregon Arbor Month (Photo) - 04/02/26
SALEM, Ore. – Gov. Tina Kotek has proclaimed April 2026 to be Oregon Arbor Month statewide. This year’s proclamation recognizes the vital role trees play in protecting communities from climate change impacts, particularly extreme heat and rain events.
“Oregon’s Arbor Month is a chance for all of us to pause and appreciate the trees that cool our neighborhoods, protect our health, provide jobs and create clean water and air,” Oregon’s new State Forester Kacey KC said. “This month offers great opportunities for Oregonians to connect with trees, from community tree planting events to facilitated educational walks and so much more.”
A growing body of research, some of it done by Vivek Shandas of Portland State University in Portland, has shown that shade trees can greatly reduce heat. Numerous deaths are traced back to heat events each year. Neighborhoods with a greater percentage of their area covered by trees can be several degrees cooler than those with fewer large trees.
Portland-based researcher Geoffrey Donovan’s research has shown that planting more trees in low-canopy neighborhoods can reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease. Losing canopy can increase human deaths, with the greatest change felt in higher-income neighborhoods when trees that had been protecting residents from air pollution are lost to pests, diseases, or development.
This year’s proclamation states that, “Urban development and preservation of large, healthy shade trees demands a careful balance, because the resilience of our communities, the health and well-being of our residents, and the livability of our cities hinge upon the presence and preservation of such trees. Well-cared-for urban shade trees are literally lifesavers.”
Communities across the state will be adding to urban canopies with tree plantings throughout the month, including in La Grande, Beaverton, Central Point, at Central Oregon Community College in Bend, and elsewhere. There will also be tree art contests, tree walks, a tree book give-away by the State Library, public readings of tree books at the Bandon Library on April 23, and on April 25 the dedication in northeast Portland of the state’s newest arboretum, the Ainsworth Linear Arboretum. It was officially recognized earlier this year by ArbNet as Oregon’s seventh Level 1 Arboretum. ArbNet is the global network of arboreta administered by the Morton Arboretum in Illinois. Find a list of all Oregon recognized arboreta here.
To find an Oregon Arbor Month activity near you, check the website of your local government to see what activities are happening in your area.
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