The city of Hermiston worked with more than 30 volunteers from Amazon Web Services (AWS), Umatilla County Fair, and the Arbor Day Foundation to plant 40 trees at the Eastern Oregon Trade & Event Center (EOTEC) in Hermiston on July 11.
The city of Hermiston maintains and manages a variety of outdoor spaces, including parks and recreational areas, and works to create visually pleasing and usable spaces for the residents and visitors. The city is working with the Arbor Day Foundation, the world’s largest membership nonprofit dedicated to planting trees.
“The collaboration among AWS, Arbor Day Foundation and Hermiston Parks & Recreation to plant 10 trees at Horizon Park this spring was so positive, we decided to do it again in the canopy drought area at EOTEC,” said Brandon Artz, Hermiston Parks & Recreation director. “These trees will provide high value shade during the fair season and other outdoor activities.”
Volunteers planted Red Maple, Red Oak, and Village Green Zelkova strategically throughout the main concourse at EOTEC to provide shade to the grounds while leaving room for vendors to set up their booths, with guidance and participation from the Umatilla County Fair.
“The Arbor Day Foundation is dedicated to helping our local planting partners unlock the transformative power of trees in their community,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Trees clean our air, cool our cities and improve the lives of the people around them. We’re happy to help the city of Hermiston maximize the impact of their urban canopy and inspire more people to engage with nature in a meaningful way.”
Trees offer vast benefits for the community at large. Thriving urban forests bolster human health, from encouraging physical activity to reducing respiratory illnesses stemming from air pollution. Urban trees filter the air by removing pollution which improves a city’s overall air quality. They also reduce runoff of sediment, pollutants, and organic matter into streams, improving our water quality. Trees have also been shown to reduce crime, lower stress levels, and develop community pride.
“AWS is proud to call Eastern Oregon home and we’re dedicated to the long-term success of its communities” said Paul Butler, AWS Community Engagement manager. “We’re grateful for the continued collaboration with the city of Hermiston and The Arbor Day Foundation and the opportunity to support another round of tree planting at EOTEC.”
