I spend my days driving kids around, and as I go my eye is drawn to things that are green and growing, mostly trees. I am not an arborist, nor do I have any horticultural credentials. I have a bachelor’s degree in biology and work experience as a wetland scientist and in natural resources and wildlife science. I come from a long lineage of nature nuts and gardeners.
This blog gives voice to my otherwise silent obsession. It’s a place to collect and present information about trees – species, varieties, what lives and thrives in my local environment of Portland, Oregon, and what doesn’t. I also want to encourage conversation about trees, gardening, urban forestry, tree preservation, community building through tree planting, and to increase awareness of and appreciation for trees in general, and particularly in urban settings.
contact me: portlandtreetour@gmail.com
Portland Tree Tour 
Hi Julie, I just discovered your blog through Portland Parks on Facebook this morning. Happy to know about it. From your Facebook page it looks like you get your kids outside a lot, so I’d like you to know about my blog Exploring Portland’s Natural Areas, about getting my kids outside and encouraging others to do likewise: http://exploreportlandnature.wordpress.com/ There’s a Facebook page, too: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Exploring-Portlands-Natural-Areas/157888224273039
Thanks for sharing your blog — so important to get kids out and connecting with the natural world, I agree!
Hi, I recently came across a document about Portland’s Heritage trees http://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/article/441738 and then found your great site while trying to find info on those really strikingly tall tropical trees found sporadically in N. Portland that look somewhat like palm trees. Maybe you know what they are?
Send me a photo, and I’ll do my best!