Good afternoon all,

My name is Kenja, I am the Community Inclusion Coordinator for Portland Fruit Tree Project, and I am a part of the Connecting Canopies Coalition.

I would love to invite you to the upcoming Connecting Canopies Symposium May 25th at 12pm.

Connecting Canopies is a community-led urban forestry coalition to create a regionally equitable urban tree canopy. Connecting Canopies is working towards this goal through several approaches: workforce development for BIPOC youths to create changes from within the community, advocacy for equitable policies related to urban forestry, and data-driven analysis.

If you have been a part of the CC past meetings, thank you for showing your active interest and support!

I look forward to seeing you May 25th!

-Kenja

Here is a little more info about Connecting Canopies and what the May 25th symposium will be all about:

“Connecting Canopies re-envisions how urban conservation can center BIPOC communities directly impacted by the climate crisis. With new understanding that BIPOC communities have lower access to the social and environmental benefits that trees provide, Connecting Canopies seeks to work with partners across the region and sectors to advance equitable tree distribution through promoting BIPOC workforce development opportunities around urban tree planting and care. This program is one of Urban Greenspaces Institute’s major focus on advancing equity and environmental justice in the field of natural resource conservation in combination with economic development.” -https://urbangreenspaces.org/what-we-do/connectingcanopies

Connecting Canopies’ Goals:

1. Produce uniformity in green infrastructure efforts across jurisdictions. 

   Green Infrastructure Definition:

   “An interconnected network of green space that  conserves natural systems and provides assorted benefits to human populations”  (Rowe and Bakacs 2016; Benedict and McMahon 2006).  

2. Use cross-jurisdiction alignment to further sustainability of existing green infrastructure  organizations (e.g., tree care, landscaping, gleaning, urban agriculture, and workforce development). 

3. Amplify the voices of historically excluded and vulnerable groups (e.g., BIPOC,  differently abled, low income, houseless) 

4. Significantly contribute to equity goals of governmental (local state, federal), industry, and nonprofit partners (e.g., level of inclusion, cultural competency of staff, and diversity goals) 

5. Review and incorporate action items that support elements of state level strategic plans. 

6. Align Connecting Canopies initiatives with regional efforts to connect wildlife corridors. (e.g., Intertwine Alliance) 

7. Identify and nurture culturally-relevant motivations for community stewardship across all historically excluded groups. 

8. Build and maintain strong collaboration between existing and emerging business, governmental entities (local, state, and federal) and community-based organizations  (i.e., reduce silos and competition). 

Project Sponsor 

The Nature Conservancy 

Project Managers 

The Blueprint Foundation (lead) and Urban Green Spaces Institute

This symposium is for each of you who would like to be involved in the fight for clean air and an equitable environment for all in Portland, OR and beyond. Please join us May 25th from 12pm-2pm online to learn more about how you can be involved in this process!

Symposium Agenda  

• Relationship building activity (15 min) 

• Equity module and just-in-time learning topic (45 min) 

• Project updates with peer support for challenges (30 min) 

• Working session (any business items, 30 min)

Portland Fruit Tree Project is part of the coalition of organizations working toward the goals that Connecting Canopies has set forth. Equity in urban forestry is at the forefront of our minds this year and we’d like to share more with you about how our current programs are aligning with Connecting Canopies’ goals at this year’s symposium.

We also invite you to take a look at our Spring Appeal fundraising campaign to see how you can be a part of creating shade equity with us and help support Connecting Canopies Coalition through this campaign’s efforts.