EUGENE, Ore. – Early registration is now open for Oregon’s largest Urban and Community Forestry Conference. The all-day conference will return to downtown Eugene’s Venue 252 again this year. It will be held on Thursday, May 15. It is organized, hosted, and staffed by the non-profit organization Oregon Community Trees, with sponsorship by the Oregon Department of Forestry in partnership with the USDA Forest Service. Presenting sponsor is the new non-profit organization Oregon Urban, Rural (OUR) Community Forestry, based in southern Oregon.
The conference’s theme is Growing Together: Collaboration and Diverse Voices in Urban Forestry. The conference committee is seeking poster presentations that reflect this year’s theme. The committee will prioritize presentations and poster proposals that focus on expanding the benefits of collaboration and empowering a diverse range of voices and future leaders in urban and community forestry, including those from rural areas. You can submit a poster proposal here.
Early registration is $150 until April 1, and $180 after that date. Students can register for $80 at any time. The registration price includes a boxed lunch and social hour beverages and snacks following the conference. To register, go to https://secure.givelively.org/event/oregon-urban-and-community-forest-council/growing-together-collaboration-and-diverse-voices-in-urban-forestry
Oregon Community Trees President Tyler Roth said this year’s conference is an important reminder that being representative of, respectful of, and relevant to, all kinds of people in a wide range of communities are key to urban forestry’s success.
“Who lives in Oregon and who urban foresters serve has changed significantly in the past few decades, with even more changes coming,” said Tyler. “It’s important that people who serve Oregonians and want their communities to be healthy, vibrant, and well-canopied with trees be effective in engaging with and including people from a broad range of demographic groups, whether it be residents new to the state, the elderly, people for whom English is not their first language, or other groups. That’s why I’m excited that our conference focuses on how to achieve that aim.”
Tyler said speakers will be announced in March, along with specific panel discussion topics.
About Oregon Community Trees
The mission of this non-profit, Oregon-based organization is to promote healthy urban and community forests through leadership, education, awareness and advocacy. www.oregoncommunitytrees.org
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