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NEIGHBORW00DS: A PARTNERSHIP In 1992, the City of Eugene Public Works Department developed a program called "NeighborWoods" to increase the number of new trees planted and cared for in the public rights -of -way. NeighborWoods is a partnership between neighbors, businesses, and local government to plant and maintain street trees that enhance the environment and the unique identity of each neighborhood. The basic premise of the program is that each neighborhood has a unique identity and that the residents of those neighborhoods have the best idea of what that identify is and of how they want their neighborhood to look. Street trees are a critical part of this identity. Volunteer Help Volunteers are the crucial ingredient to the program's success. Volunteers provide the young trees have the care and maintenance they need to survive the first critical years and help ensure the trees are healthier when they mature. In 1993, approximately 190 volunteers and 380 school children planted more than 400 trees in Eugene neighborhoods and schools. Three hundred of the students were from Spencer Butte Middle School. Recruitment and Training The program has several phases: Recruitment and training of volunteer leaders, selecting and planting trees in street rights -of -way, and providing minor maintenance during the first year to ensure the trees survive. The City trains each volunteer leader and provides written materials about how to organize his /her neighborhood, how to select appropriate planting sites, and how to plant and care for the new trees. Once trained, the volunteer leader selects and trains other volunteers and oversees their work. At the time of planting, the City supplies the trees and the hand tools, tree stakes, and mulch. If a coordinator wants to continue in the program, the City provides additional training in long -term tree maintenance. The training includes how to identify and care for tree problems, how to prune for good form and health, and how to undertake a neighborhood tree inventory. For More Information For more information about the program, contact Jan Staszewski, City urban forester, 687 -5359.