Upcoming events
Check out what’s next! Our events are FREE! Click on the event to learn more and register!
Bilingual South Tacoma Walk
SOUTH TACOMA BILINGUAL NEIGHBORHOOD WALK with Alejandro Fernández and Sarah Low
Time: 10:00-11:30AM
Meeting Point: Edison School Entrance | 5830 S Pine St, Tacoma, WA 98409
Join us for a bilingual neighborhood tree walk in South Tacoma where we will learn about the beautiful native trees that grow in this neighborhood, including amazing Oregon white oaks! South Tacoma is one of our priority neighborhoods due to its very low tree canopy. During this walk, we’ll identify the trees that provide shade and other benefits to neighborhood residents, and learn about the neighborhood through its tree stories.
Bring comfortable shoes, check the weather forecast, and bring what you need to feel comfortable throughout the walk, including water to stay hydrated!
CAMINATA BILINGÜE ECOURBANA con Alejandro Fernández y Sarah Low
Hora: 10:00-11:30 AM
Punto de Encuentro: Entrada de la Escuela Edison | 5830 S Pine St, Tacoma, WA 98409
Acompáñanos en esta caminata bilingüe en South Tacoma donde aprenderemos sobre los hermosos árboles autóctonos que crecen en este barrio, como el roble blanco. Aunque South Tacoma es uno de los barrios con menos árboles en la ciudad, tiene bellas especies que aprenderemos a identificar y a apreciar a través de sus historias.
Trae zapatos cómodos, consulta el pronóstico del tiempo, y trae lo que necesites para estar cómode. También trae tu botella de agua para mantenerte hidratade.
Trees and Wildlife Presentation
We know trees give humans clean air, shade, and wellness. But trees also benefit our urban forest’s wildlife!
During this talk with Sarah Low, we will learn about the relationship between trees and other living organisms. We will discover some of the organisms that live in and around trees.
We’ll scratch the surface of the soil to learn about mycorrhizae
We’ll crawl along the bark and branches to talk about ants, moths, butterflies, and bees
And we'll fly around the leaves to discover birds and bats.
This talk will also teach us how we can care for trees to encourage a diverse and thriving ecosystem.
Join us at the Tacoma Public Library, South Tacoma Branch. This program is possible thanks to Tacoma Creates and our Tacoma Public Library partners.
Branch Out
Help us find fir-ever homes for these trees in Hilltop, Eastside, South End and South Tacoma neighborhoods.
Branch Out is a tree giveaway collaboration between multiple community partners to collectively grow the Tacoma-area urban forest. Our intent is to uplift and call out the intersection of trees, human health, equity, and community building. Past and present community partners with Tacoma Tree Foundation include: Homeownership Center NW, Valeo Vocation, VFW McKinley, SunAlliance, Tacoma Public Schools, Pierce Conservation District, City of Tacoma Urban Forestry Program, and Pierce County Parks. Funding for Branch Out is provided by the City of Tacoma and the Community Tree Program.
We believe that everyone deserves tree-lined streets, but Tacoma’s tree canopy is distributed unevenly. Each Branch Out tree that is planted in our focus neighborhoods helps close the tree equity gap, helping all of Tacoma’s communities grow healthier, happier, and grittier in the face of pollution and extreme weather.
Swan Creek Park Tree Walk with Sarah Low
Doug-firs, Pacific madrones, and Western redcedars are just some of the many beautiful trees that live and grow in Swan Creek’s wondrous urban forest. Come walk with us, learn how to identify native and adaptive species, and listen for the sounds of fall.
Branch Out - Volunteer Planting Event
Please bring your own water bottle and gloves if you prefer them them. Dress for all weather, dirt/mud and sturdy shoes. TTF will provide all planting tools and equipment, coffee, snacks, water and gloves.
Branch Out provides planting assistance to participants that need it. This is an offsite planting event, which means you'll be driving from planting site to planting site, either in a carravan of cars or carpooling. TTF will divide up all registered volunteers into small planting teams lead by a TTF Training Tree Captain. As a group you'll travel to 2-5 planting sites, meet the resident and plant their tree for them.
Requesting Teams: Please list the names of fellow volunteers you'd like to be grouped with, if applicable.
Under-Age Volunteers: If you'd like to bring a minor, please list their names and ages in the volunteer request box. Each minor that accompanies you will be your responsibilty. All adults (18+) need to register individually.
Please provide any other needs or details in the accessibility box (i.e. I will have a stroller, I need to leave early, spanish speaking team would be prefered.)
9:00 - Volunteer Check-In (Coffee and light snacks)
9:15 - Welcome - Planting Demo - Volunteer Orientation
10:00 -1pm - Planting
State of the Urban Forest 2024
Join Tacoma Tree Foundation Executive Director, Lowell Wyse, to learn how we can seize this moment and grow our love of trees into a movement that sustains our region’s urban forests through the climate challenges of the 21st century.
Felt Forests Workshop
Get into the holiday spirit with TTF and Remakery at this fun workshop where we’ll learn how to use reclaimed and donated fibers to needle adorable little trees with felt!
Technical Pruning Workshop
Did you plant a tree 3-5 years ago? You’re done establishing your tree! What comes next? PRUNING! Now is a good time to learn how to properly care for it by pruning it at the right times and in the right way, so that it can continue to grow healthy and reach maturity.
Join Sarah Low, the Tacoma Tree Foundation, and the City of Tacoma, Urban Forestry Program for this hands-on workshop.
This Program is funded with the support of the Community Tree Program.
Nature Explorers Fall Leaves Walk
Join us at the beautiful Lincoln Park for our first Nature Explorers walk of the year! We’ll learn to identify tree species paying attention to their shapes, leaves, and trunks. We’ll also learn about why leaves fall this time of year and what to look out for as winter approaches! Come learn with us!
Green Blocks: Lincoln Volunteer Planting Event
More details on the website
https://tacomatreefoundation.org/green-blocks-lincoln
2024 URBAN FOREST SYMPOSIUM
Native Forests and Health: Living in Relationships
Co-hosted by Tacoma Tree Foundation, UW Botanic Gardens, and Windz of Change Alliance
Teruko Nimura’s Wasteland Dreams
Join local artist and current Environmental Services Artist in Residence, Teruko Nimura, to consider the volume and scale of our waste, and the labor that goes into making the immeasurable objects that we throw away every day.
Healing Connections Haiku Comics Workshop
Join us at the Second Annual Healing Connections Symposium for a Haiku Comics workshop with local award-winning graphic artist, David Lasky!
Green Tacoma Day
What does restoring and caring for Tacoma's green spaces look like to you and your community?
Join Tacoma Tree Foundation and community partners to explore family-centered activities and adopt trees to expand your home's green space. Register as a volunteer to support the event or stop by on Green Tacoma Day with your friends and family to enjoy this local green space celebration! Check out the Green Tacoma Day website to sign up or learn more about how you can support green spaces in Tacoma.
Fall Water-Wise Wandering with Steven Quick
This walk will take folks through and around McKinley Park to appreciate the ways that urban trees improve our lives. Trees can help reduce urban temperatures by evaporating water and shading the area around them, and they also help reduce stormwater flooding and pollution. But how do urban trees respond to extreme heat? What does that mean for the services we depend on? The trees can help us understand before they depart for their winter slumber!
Hilltop Neighborhood Walk
Join us for a walk through Tacoma’s historically diverse and culturally vibrant Hilltop neighborhood. Our guides, Sarah Low, and Hilltop resident and TTF Board Vice-preseident, Luke Vannice, will guide us through the neighborhood with trees in mind, teach us how to identify tree species, and consider the connections between trees, sidewalks, yards, and community. We’ll also be sharing details on our spring planting project, Green Blocks: Hilltop.
We will be walking approximately 2 miles. These walks usually take 1-1.5 hrs, depending on the group’s pace and conversation. Fall will be arriving, so make sure to check the weather and layer up! Bring comfortable shoes, sunscreen (if it’s sunny), and a water bottle in case you get thirsty.
Meeting Point: Mi Centro | 1208 S 10th St, Tacoma, WA 98405
This program is possible thanks to Tacoma Creates.
Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop with Pamela Draper
Come learn how to prune a tree correctly so yours can grow a long and healthy life, and you can reap the fruits of good tree care! Join us at the UW-T Giving Garden for this lunch and learn workshop.
Green Tacoma Day Lead-up event Tree Tour
Tree Tour at Wright Park (September 26th, 6:00 – 7:00pm)
Join certified arborists from the Green Tacoma Partnership for a tree tour where we will explore some of Wright Park’s most beautiful and unique trees! The tour will cover topics related to tree management in busy urban areas, climate change resiliency and impacts, pests and pathogens and more. Questions are welcomed and encouraged! The tour will be followed by an optional social gathering at Cider and Cedar (744 Market St., Tacoma, WA). Please RSVP here.
Bilingual Mindfulness Walk and Mini Fair
¡Ven a celebrar la transicion del verano al otono! Come celebrate the transition from summer to fall!
Tree Stewards Training
Green Blocks and Branch out are Tacoma Tree Foundation programs, funded and bolstered by our partnership with the City of Tacoma’s Urban Forestry program. Funds for this project were provided by the City of Tacoma’s Community Tree Program
This FREE day-long training will include information on tree selection, planting, and pruning young trees. Participants will also learn how to communicate about trees with their neighbors and how to engage in their Tacoma neighborhood in tree planting and utilize our BRANCH OUT event.
Up to 20 tree stewards will receive the skills they need to take local actions and engage with their communities about sustainability and stewardship.
Snacks, light refreshments and lunch will be provided. Applications from the Tacoma Frontline Communities will be prioritized.
How Trees Survive and Thrive
Join us at the Fern Hill Tacoma Public Library branch, and get ready to celebrate the changing seasons!
TPCCLC Graduation Invitation
TACOMA PIERCE COUNTY CLIMATE LEADERSHIP COHORT
CAPSTONE PRESENTATIONS AND GRADUATION
Come celebration and support the 2024 Climate Leadership Cohort:
SEPTEMBER 7, 2024
1:30PM-3:30PM
Mi Centro: 1208 S 10th St, Tacoma, WA 98405
Light refreshments will be provided.
Let us know you’re coming:
Lincoln Resident Outreach Gathering
Are you a Lincoln resident interested in supporting the outreach of Green Blocks: Lincoln and promoting trees in general! Either connecting with your neighbors, chatting with your church or school community or just learning more about Tacoma Tree Foundation and our mission - Join us!
Lincoln Community Outreach Gathering Tuesday Sept 3rd 5pm - 6pm at Whitman Elementary (on the corner of s K and s 39th st)
The entire family is welcome to join us to learn how to promote tree planting and care with a community centered approach. We'll have some snacks and Green Blocks/tree materials to share. Parking is limited, we also encourage walking, biking or carpooling. See you there!
Tree Captains Training & Social
It's summertime and we're revving up for an amazing planting season this fall! Our programming is possible because of our dedicated and passionate TREE CAPTAINS! Please consider becoming a tree captain by attending our training or attend our Tree Captains Social for those who are trained!
Please click here to RSVP for these events.
Tree Captains Training - August 29th 4:30-6 - Union Club (539 Broadway, Tacoma, WA 98402)
For our large planting events we train volunteers to become Tree Captains, who lead small volunteer groups to plant trees on private properties. If you're interested, please consider registering for this training. Women, femmes and folks of color are encouraged to register. You'll learn how TTF implements large planting events, how to lead volunteers, engage residents and understand tree planting/utility guidelines. Veteran Tree Captains are welcome to attend as a refresher training and support the learning for others.
Tree Captains Social - August 29th 6:30-7:30 - Dusty's Hideaway Patio (723 E 34th St. Tacoma, WA 98405)
Veteran TTF Tree Captains and newly trained alike are invited to attend our first ever Tree Captains social. Veteran Tree Captains will receive official Tree Captains Vests with a name tag for future planting events. Newly trained Tree Captains will receive these vests at their first tree planting event as a Tree Captain. Join us for a social hour together. While purchasing from Dusty's is not required to attend, it is a no-host event, so please come prepared to purchase your own drinks or snacks. TTF will bring swag, memories and so much love and appreciation!
Lincoln Neighborhood Walk
Join us for a neighborhood walk in Lincoln! We will begin our walk in Lincoln Park, which boasts a beautiful and diverse tree canopy. Then, we will wind through neighborhood blocks to learn about different street tree species and how tree benefits increase our wellness and grow community. We will also tell you all about our upcoming Green Blocks: Lincoln program.
Summer Afternoon Walk with Sarah Low
Come walk with us after work! We’ll meet Sarah Low at the Wright Park lions and wander through neighborhood streets learning about tree species, urban development, and community.
A Home Forest with Vivian deZwager
What does it take to grow a forest at home? Join us for a presentation and garden tour that will teach us about green roofs, dwarf conifers, and sustainable garden maintenance.
Caminemos Juntos Bilingual Mindfulness Walks
Acompáñanos para celebrar los beneficios de caminar juntos en la naturaleza. Dos caminatas de atención plena a las 10:30 AM y a las 12 PM. Aprende cómo cuidarte y al medio ambiente en nuestras mesas informativas. ¡Todos serán bienvenidos! Regístrate en línea.
Join us to celebrate the benefits of walking together in nature! Two bilingual mindfulness walks. Walks will begin at 10: 30am and 12pm. Learn how to care for yourself and the environment at our tables.
Tacoma's Urban Forest: More Trees, Please!
Join the North End Neighborhood Council’s meeting, and learn about the importance of Tacoma’s Urban Forest, fall planting projects, and what local scientists are doing to count Tacoma Trees and identify Western Red Cedar Dieback.
Taha Ebrahimi | Street Trees of Seattle
What happens when we learn to see our streets through trees? In Street Trees of Seattle, author Taha Ebrahimi’s hand drawn illustrations and extensive research show us how trees and their urban livelihood “represent a moment in time” in a city. Join us for a presentation and conversation with the writer at King’s Books.
Pierce County Urban Heat Mapping
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Sign up with a friend or family member to drive one day with a heat sensor!
This summer, Pierce County is doing an urban heat mapping project that will bring together local cities, organizations, and volunteers to produce heat maps. Do you know areas of cities with unshaded roads and buildings and low tree cover can be up to 20°F hotter than surrounding areas? You can learn more about urban heat island effect by staying involved. This community-based science project will be conducted by heat ambassadors like you and me!
TIME: 3 one-hour time slots in one day: Morning: 6:00 - 7:00 AM; Afternoon: 3:00 - 4:00 PM; Evening 7:00 - 8:00 PM.
DATE: Primary Date: August 3rd and 4th (back-up). Secondary Date: August 10th and 11th (back-up). Note: This urban heat mapping project is science-based. To effectively measure heat, the weather conditions must be as follows: Temperatures must be above 81F; No clouds; No marine layers; No precipitation. For this reason, and in consultation with weather experts, we chose Saturday, August 3rd as the primary date for this project with a backup date of Sunday, August 4th. If these two dates do not work, the secondary date will be Saturday, August 10th, and the backup would be Sunday, August 11th. On the form, you will be able to choose on which dates you can volunteer to do all morning, afternoon and evening time slots. Thank you for being flexible and willing to offer your time for this project!
MAPPING LOCATIONS: Lakewood, Midland-Parkland-Spanaway, Frederickson, South Hill, Bonney Lake, Puyallup, Fife, Sumner, Tehaleh, Lake Tapps, and Gig Harbor.
VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP FORM: Volunteer Register is closed (July 17th)
SOCIAL MEDIA HASHTAGS: #UrbanHeatIslandMaps2024 #capaheatwatch #PierceCountyIsSoHotRightNow #HeatEquity
PARTNERS: NIHHIS, CAPA strategies (Heat Watch), Tacoma Tree Foundation, Tacoma Pierce County Health Department, Pierce County Planning & Public Works, Pierce County Parks, City of Lakewood, City of Fife, City of Puyallup, City of Tacoma, Pierce Conservation District, The Nature Conservancy, University of Washington Tacoma, Washington State University Extension. Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Blue Zones Parkland, Springbrook Connections. (in no particular order)
Music in the Park in Fife
Parking: Event is held at the field behind the Columbia Middle School here in Fife, located at 2901 54th Ave E, Fife, WA 98424. I attached a screenshot of the event space below – bands perform in the middle of the field, and booths are set up along the southern edge of the track (blue box). The green box is where you can park for free.
Schedule: The event runs from 6-8PM, and the bands begin playing at 6:30. We will be set up there between 6:00-7:00PM to greet you.
Making Comics in the Era of Climate Change
Making comics offers the opportunity to share our climate change stories by bringing text and image together. In this hands-on workshop with comics artist and media scholar, José Alaniz, we will learn how comics artists are making sense of climate change through their work, and create and share our experiences by making a strip of our own!
Tabling at Earth Gay
Come say hi at one of our favorite events of the year: Earth Gay! This year we’re gathering for community and environmental restoration at Wapato Hills Park.
Tabling at Tacoma Pride
Come say hi at Tacoma Pride! Tacoma Pride Festival honors the LGBTQIA+ community by celebrating pride in who we are as valuable, creative members of a diverse population in the South Puget Sound region, we invite you to CELEBRATE with Us!
Tabling at Ocean Fest
Come say hi at this year’s Ocean Fest! We’ll be there from 11AM-2PM.
You can join the waterway cleanup from 10AM-12PM to keep the waterfront and waters healthy!
Lunch and Learn | Rooted: Urban Forestry in Focus
What is an urban forest? And what are the questions that arise when we set out to grow a city’s forest? In this lunch and learn webinar, Lisa Kenny, Community Trees Program Coordinator, will help us understand the intersection of trees across environmental and public health disciplines.
Botanical Wonders of Point Defiance Park
A cool, wet May means there are lots of interesting plants in bloom in June. Come walk with Romey Haberle and look for botanical surprises and treasures (and maybe spot some noxious weeds) on the windward side of Pt Defiance.