Hermiston Begins Plan to Assess, Plant and Maintain Local Trees

The Hermiston Parks & Recreation Department is partnering with ArborPro to conduct a public tree inventory and develop a comprehensive Urban Forestry Plan.

The city, in a press release, said the inventory and plan will mark a significant step toward promoting a sustainable and equitable natural environment for the Hermiston community and will help locate about 2,500 tree plantings in the city in the next few years.

The Urban Forestry Plan will prioritize urban canopy growth in underserved areas, ensuring equitable distribution of tree planting, maintenance, and hazardous tree mitigation. Using data from the public tree inventory, ArborPro will assist the city in these areas:

1. Creating a public tree inventory and database
2. Assessing the condition of existing trees
3. Identifying hazardous trees for mitigation
4. Developing tree maintenance plans
5. Designing a tree planting plan for City parks
6. Crafting a Main Street tree plan
7. Revitalizing the arboretum at Belt Park
8. Engaging and educating the community
9. Providing implementation services for the Urban Forest Management Plan

This effort is funded by an Urban and Community Forestry Grant through the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program in partnership with River Network. The work will be broken into four phases in 2025:

• Phase 1 (January 2025): Tree Inventory, Urban Forestry Plan development, and Hazard Tree Assessment (currently underway).
• Phase 2 (Summer 2025-2026): Planting an estimated 2,500 trees in targeted areas.
• Phase 3 (Summer/Fall 2025): Maintaining and removing hazardous trees.
• Phase 4 (Summer 2025): Launching a tree education programs to foster environmental stewardship.

“Trees enhance the quality of life in our community and neighborhoods by improving air quality, providing shade, and creating beautiful spaces,” said Brandon Artz, Hermiston Parks & Recreation director. “This project and partnership with ArborPro will benefit Hermiston’s environment while building a greener, more inclusive community.”