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Community partners present Forest Grove schools’ tree inventory, flag 105 ash trees positive for emerald ash borer
Summary
Centro and partner organizations presented a district tree inventory covering 819 trees; surveyors identified 184 ash trees citywide, with 105 testing positive for emerald ash borer (EAB). Presenters proposed a three-year management plan and outlined funding sources including an ODF/USFS grant that supported the work.
Centro’s Climate Justice Leadership Program and technical partners presented a district tree inventory to the Forest Grove School District Board on June 23, reporting 819 trees recorded at surveyed campuses and 184 ash trees across seven schools.
Presenters said arborists verified data collected by student teams and that 105 of those ash trees had a positive diagnosis for emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle known to cause high mortality in ash species. Emily, the program’s day-to-day coordinator, told the board the inventory was completed over July–September 2025 with about 15 students contributing roughly 780 hours and two ISA-certified arborists providing an estimated 69 hours of verification and additional data collection.
The team proposed a three-year management plan: year one prioritizes treatment and removal of high- and moderate-risk trees, year two focuses on maintenance and pruning, and year three emphasizes monitoring and replanting. Presenters recommended retaining healthy trees where possible and replacing infected ash with a mix of species chosen for canopy benefits, biodiversity and stormwater advantages.
Funding and partners were highlighted as key enablers. Angeles (Centro) said the project was funded through the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Urban and Community Forestry Program using U.S. Forest Service Inflation Reduction Act funds and that the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District, TreeKeepers of Washington County and Save a Tree provided arborist services and technical support. The presenters also pointed to TreePlotter as the inventory platform used to store and analyze data.
Board members asked about coordination with city forestry efforts, long-range canopy strategy, and how to finance mitigation at scale. Directors urged the presenters to share inventory results with the Forest Grove Forestry Commission and local municipalities to avoid siloed efforts. Presenters said inventories of the remaining schools will be completed and incorporated into a final district-wide report and that several community partners have signaled interest in supporting implementation if the district chooses to move forward.
The presentation was educational rather than action-seeking: presenters explicitly said they were not asking the board to approve implementation at this meeting but wanted the board to be aware of findings, next steps, and funding options.
What's next: the team will finish inventories at remaining campuses, finalize the full report with Save a Tree’s recommendations, and continue conversations about funding and interagency coordination.
Representative quote: “Out of the 184 ash trees in our inventory, 105 had a positive diagnosis for emerald ash borer,” Emily said, summarizing the most urgent finding.
Ending: The board thanked the students and partners for the work and scheduled follow-up as part of the district’s capital- and facilities-planning conversations.
