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

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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!

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!

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)

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.