The Portland City Council's Climate, Resilience & Land Use Committee convened on July 24, 2025, to discuss significant updates to the Portland Urban Forest Plan. The meeting began with a brief introduction by Deputy Administrator Priya Dhanapal, who emphasized the importance of the urban forest in enhancing community health and resilience against climate change.

The committee was informed that the updated plan, which has been developed over two years of community engagement and technical analysis, aims to guide the preservation, growth, and care of Portland's trees. The plan is set to be presented for adoption in September, and the committee was encouraged to provide initial feedback during this session.

Jen Cairo, the city forester, and Belinda Udelman, the project manager, presented the public draft of the plan. They highlighted the current state of Portland's urban forest, noting that the city's tree canopy covers approximately 30% of its area. The new goal is to increase this coverage to 45%, which would require planting around 660,000 new trees. This ambitious target aims to address disparities in tree coverage, particularly in historically underserved areas such as East Portland.

The presentation also outlined the challenges faced by the urban forestry program, including increasing tree mortality due to climate change and the need for better maintenance practices. The plan proposes to shift the responsibility for maintaining street trees from property owners to the city, a move supported by funding from the Portland Clean Energy Fund. This transition is expected to alleviate financial burdens on residents and promote greater tree planting and care.

Throughout the meeting, committee members raised questions regarding the prioritization of tree planting in low-canopy neighborhoods and the methods for tracking canopy gains and tree health over time. The presenters assured the committee that specific sub-goals for tree coverage would be established for different neighborhoods, particularly those with lower canopy coverage.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to further engage the community and stakeholders in the implementation of the urban forest plan. The committee expressed enthusiasm for the proposed updates and the potential for the plan to enhance Portland's urban landscape while addressing equity and climate resilience. Public testimony was also scheduled to gather additional community input on the draft plan.