If you participated in the October 24 gathering, the event organizers would appreciate your feedback! Please complete this short survey by Monday, November 11.
On Thursday, October 24, more than 50 Tree for All partners gathered at the Tualatin Hills Nature Center for an engaging and wide-ranging afternoon of conversation, inspiration, and collaboration. A bold new vision for Tree for All was the gathering’s primary focus.
Event facilitator Anita Yap of Multicultural Collaborative remarked: “We are here to reconnect, share ideas and keep the momentum going that started with a question posed to this partnership two years ago when we asked, ‘To what do you aspire?’ Today, we want to cultivate hope through action in the face of climate crisis through our connections—programmatic, professional, and personal.”
Event attendees provided feedback on a new governance structure, the Healthy Tree Canopy Initiative, and the Habitat Connectivity Initiative. Speakers and activities provided peer learning about climate and community engagement.
Dr. Vivek Shandas
“What ingredients do you already have for building resilience?” asked Dr. Vivek Shandas during his keynote address. “How can you expand your network to include nontraditional partners? What do you have in the communities you work with? Is it policies? Data? Implementation ideas? You all are already leaders in the community. A collective like this, I think, can really move the needle.”
Looking ahead, the Planning Committee and working groups will use the conversation generated during this gathering to inform the next phase of Tree for All work.
Many thanks to attendees and to the individuals and organizations who helped to make this partner gathering a success: Anita Yap, Dr. Vivek Shandas, Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District, and Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District.
If you are interested in joining a working group, please sign up for the Tree for All Partner Portal and complete the Working Group Participation Form. Recordings of the speakers’ presentations will soon be available in the Partner Portal.
