Tree Board schedules fall tabling, seeks volunteers for Sept. 6 picnic and Oct. 5 farmers market

The Tree Board confirmed plans to staff outreach tables this fall to recruit volunteers and share information about city tree programs and local projects. The board will staff a Tree Board table at Picnic in the Park on Saturday, Sept. 6, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will share a table with the Climate Action Committee at the farmers market on Sunday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Victoria Coutaz, vice chair of the Tree Board, and others coordinated volunteer shifts: Victoria and Chair Phillips volunteered for the Picnic in the Park schedule (two volunteers for the afternoon and two for the morning shifts were proposed) and board members agreed to split shifts so the table is staffed. Victoria said she would prepare coloring pages and kid-friendly materials already stored in the outreach materials box and offered to pick up and hold the materials if needed. The group agreed to make tabling materials family-friendly and interactive, suggesting activities such as coloring pages, tree-facts quizzes (two truths and a lie) and a flip chart question to gauge whether visitors think canopy cover in the city is increasing, decreasing or staying the same.

Elizabeth, the assistant planner, said she would circulate the online map links (Planet Geo/TreePlotter examples) and help with logistics; Victoria agreed to fill out the booth application and coordinate the materials box for the event. The board asked members to confirm exact availability at the September meeting (scheduled before Picnic in the Park) so print or new materials can be prepared if needed. No funding commitments were made for new printed materials; members said existing coloring sheets and handouts in the materials box could be used.

Assignments recorded at the meeting included: Victoria to file the booth application and collect outreach materials; two board members to staff the picnic table for morning and two for the afternoon; coordination with the parks board and volunteers for picnic activities; and to confirm October farmers market coverage nearer the date. There were no formal votes on outreach topics; scheduling and materials production are operational tasks for the board and staff to finalize.

Public-facing activities were positioned as a way to publicize the Blue Heron Park volunteer effort and the Tree Board’s longer-term projects, and to invite community members to upcoming work parties and to comment on climate and canopy topics.