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III NEW "NEIGHBORWOODS" PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE 500 NEW STREET TREES 1•he Cit f Eu ene P b ' y u lic Works De artment has deve 9 p loped a new program called "Neighbor oods." The program is modeled after tree projects in other cities <<cross th country. The basic premise of the program is that each r~eighborh od has a unique identity, and that the residents of those neighborh ods have the best idea of what that identity is and of how they viant thei neighborhood to look. Street trees are a critical part of this identity. "Neighborwoods" is a partnership between neighbors, businesses, ~~nd local government to plant and maintain street trees that enhance the Em vironme t and the unique identity of each neighborhood. fps part o this new program, in the next five months the City of Eugene Public Wo ks Department will offer area citizens 500 trees to plant in the rights-of way along neighborhood streets. The program has two initial F~hases: p anting the trees, then providing minor maintenance to the new trees t:o ensure their survival. Other phases will be added based on the success of i:his firs program. (?ther com unities have found that neighborhood volunteers are the critical ingredien to the program's success. So, to start our program, the City is looking f r volunteers who are willing to work in their neighborhoods to F~lant and care for trees. Each planting project will need a coordinator and number f neighborhood volunteers. The coordinator will oversee and ~ c:oordinat the efforts of the volunteers and will work closely with the City. 1'he coordinators also will meet with their neighbors to identify who wants I~ i:rees and to find volunteers to help plant and maintain them. ~I 1•o help t e volunteers, the City will train each coordinator and provide viritten m terials about organizing their neighborhood, selecting appropriate I, planting sites, and planting and caring for the new trees. After the i:raining, the coordinators will return to their neighborhoods to pass the i:raining on to other volunteers. Working with the City's urban forester and i;heir coo inator, residents will select trees that are appropriate for their neighborhood. In addition to the trees, the City will provide the volunteers viith hand tools, tree stakes, and mulch. ]:f a coordinator wants to continue in the program, the City will train the coordinato in tree maintenance. This would include how to identify and care i'or tree p oblems, how to prune for good form and health, and how to undertake neighborhood tree inventory. ]:f you are interested in the program or have questions, please call City of Eugene Urb n Forester Jan Staszewski, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to x•:00 p.m., at 687-5359.