Neighborhood Roots - Meeting notes from 6/6/22
Annette Mills
Hi, Community Inclusion and Natural Areas Action Teams,
Many thanks to those who attended last week’s Neighborhood Roots planning meeting. Notes from that meeting are attached and pasted below. Please let me know if you have any suggested changes or additions.
Jim and I spent some time on Friday biking around South Corvallis to identify possible planting locations. We’ll get back to you soon!
Annette
Annette Mills, Facilitator/Director (she/her/hers)
Corvallis Sustainability Coalition
I live within the traditional homeland of the Ampinefu Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya …Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations at either Grand Ronde or Siletz. Today, the Kalapuya live on tribal lands or tribal-ceded lands throughout the region. Many Kalapuya are active members of the sovereign nations of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde or the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. Kalapuya culture is alive.
Corvallis Sustainability Coalition
Community Inclusion & Natural Areas Action Teams
Neighborhood Roots Project
MEETING NOTES (06/06/22)
Present: Molly Monroe, Johannah Hamilton, Kirsten Talabere, Aleita Hass-Holcombe, Jim Stratton, Mike Beilstein, Cliff Feldman, Emily Bowling, Annette Mills
1. Intros/check-in (name, action team, what is your favorite tree that’s native to this area?)
2. Neighborhood Roots project
· Recap of December meeting – After City staff handed the tree planting area we had identified (Conifer Blvd. in NE Corvallis) to another group, we decided to check out the property at Oak Crest Family Housing in NE Corvallis. However, it turned out not to be suitable (i.e., too much pavement, not enough space for tree planting).
· Update – The leader of the group that planted on NE Conifer Blvd. (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis) contacted Annette to see if CIAT/NAAT would like to do tree planting and maintenance with them. However, their project doesn’t include engagement with neighbors, which is a key part of our project.
3. Possible timeline/tasks to be done
· June
o Identify neighborhood in South Corvallis that needs trees in front yards.
o Revise outreach materials.
o Prioritize 4 species of native trees (recommended: Big Leaf Maple, Vine Maple, Red Alder, Oregon White Oak), and contact Sevenoaks Native Nursery and ask what are the largest sizes they’ll have available for pickup in November.
o Reach out to individual residents in the neighborhood to find out if they’re interested. Aim for up to 10 sites.
o Form “Tree Buddy” partnerships between interested residents and action team members.
o Create an information sheet showing photos of available trees, their height, etc. Tree Buddies ask residents what type of tree they prefer from the list.
o Place a minimal order with Sevenoaks.
· July/August
o Contact owners of rental properties to get their permission.
o Check on location of utilities at the individual properties.
· Sept/Oct
o Set date and plan a Neighborhood Roots Planting Party.
o Promote the event in the neighborhood.
· November
o Neighborhood Roots Planting Party
· December
o Discuss what went well and what we might change.
o Start planning for 2023.
4. Discussion
· Focus on NE Corvallis or South Corvallis? There are more areas without trees in NE Corvallis.
Both areas have low-income neighborhoods. South Corvallis has cohesive neighborhoods and a stronger sense of community, so there might be greater success in South Corvallis for our first effort.
· If we just put out the call to identify who wants a tree planted in their front yard, they may not be in tree deserts.
· We need to find the yards first. Distribute quarter-page flyers in neighborhoods that need trees in their front yards.
· Once we’ve identified an area, we could use the South Corvallis Google group to promote. Let’s present this as a pilot project and say that we’re looking for neighborhoods that need more trees.
· Emily had put together a handout that needs to be updated with a new contact email.
· Johannah checked with Sevenoaks Native Nursery, and they need us to order by June/July. Molly will look at the list of trees that Sevenoaks has available to see if there are others we’d like to order instead of those recommended above. She said we should look at the work of Doug Tallamy for guidance on what trees to plant.
· There’s a lot we need to get done in the next few weeks, if we’re going to order the trees in the June/July timeframe.
5. Action items
· Jim and Annette – Bike around South Corvallis in the next 2 weeks to assess where there’s a need for more front yard trees. Report back to the group.
· Emily – Update the handout. (Annette will send her revised text.)
· Molly – Send an announcement about the program to the South Corvallis Google group. (Annette will send her existing text.)
· Aleita – Is out of town 6/16 through 7/9 but will help when she gets back.
· Jenn Rowe – Absent tonight, but said she would help with outreach, so Annette will contact her once the flyers are ready for distribution.
6. How to stay on track – For now, we decided to work on the action items and to communicate via email. We’ll get back together when it’s time to plan the planting party.