On February 6th and March 27th, 2010, Portlanders from across all 95-neighborhoods will be participating in a fun fruit & nut tree pruning and grafting project, potentially creating thousands of new food-bearing trees in Portland*.

Here is an ancient secret many modern people don’t know… you can clone new fruit and nut trees using existing ones, and it’s better than starting from seed! Here is why:

You can grow new trees from seeds, but the offspring will have unpredictable results and take years to mature. You can prune existing fruit and nut trees and graft living cuttings (scions) to separate root stock, creating a reliable ‘clone’ of your pruned tree that bears fruit faster.

Now that’s how to fast-forward local carbon sequestration and build food security at the same time.

There are thousands of fruit and nut trees throughout all of Portland that need pruning.

In February, when the trees are dormant and sleeping, we’ll sneak up on them and trim off living branches that can be used to create new trees.

Part 1) Pruning (Feb 6th) – Refrigerate your 8-inch cuttings for 1 month
Part 2) Grafting (March 6th) – Grafting instructors will be provided!

With this project, we are aiming to create hundreds of new food bearing trees, created community at the hyper-local level, and have implement a transparent way to track Portland’s local carbon sequestration efforts for meeting the Climate Action Plan goals.

How To Get Involved:

Step 1) If you want your fruit or nut trees pruned for FREE on February 6th, register your trees with us. Just log into Bright Neighbor and add your existing trees to your “Inventory” and presto – You’re ready to be pruned! If you don’t have any trees, but your neighbors do, ask if they want their fruit or nut trees pruned for free!

Step 2) Add the tag portland pruning and grafting project to your Bright Neighbor interests. This will automatically connect you with neighbors signed up to participate.

Step 3) Invite neighbors within a close radius to your home to benefit from your trees!

We are working on involving in the arts and local food community to help make this community project an even more fun time!

Neighborhoods participating in this project:

* Alameda * Alberta Arts District * Arbor Lodge * Ardenwald / Johnson Creek * Argay * Arlington Heights * Arnold Creek * Ashcreek * Beaumont-Wilshire * Belmont * Boise and Historic Mississippi Avenue * Brentwood – Darlington * Bridgeton * Bridlemile * Brooklyn * Buckman * Cathedral Park * Centennial * Center * Central Portland * China Town/Old Town * Collins View * Concordia * Creston – Kenilworth * Crestwood * Cully * Downtown * East Columbia * Eastmoreland * Eliot * Far Southwest * Forest Park * Foster-Powell * Glenfair * Goose Hollow * Grant Park * Hawthorne * Hayden Island * Hayhurst * Hazelwood * Healy Heights * Hillsdale * Hillside * Hollywood * Homestead * Hosford-Abernethy * Humboldt * Irvington * Kenton * Kerns * King * Laurelhurst * Lents * Linnton * Lloyd Center * Madison South * Maplewood * Markham * Marshall Park * Mill Park * Montavilla * Mount Scott * Mount Tabor * Multnomah * North Tabor * Northwest District * Northwest Heights * NW 21st and 23rd Avenue * NW Industrial * Overlook * Parkrose Heights * Parkrose * Pearl District * Piedmont * Pleasant Valley * Portsmouth * Powellhurst Gilbert * Reed * Richmond * Rose City Park * Roseway * Russell * Sabin * Sellwood – Moreland * South Burlingame * South Portland * South Tabor * South Waterfront * Southwest Hills * St. Johns * Sullivan’s Gulch * Sumner * Sunderland * Sunnyside * Sylvan Highlands * University Park * Vernon * West Portland Park * Wilkes * Woodland Park * Woodlawn * Woodstock

Come to our project meetings! Every Wednesday from 7 – 9pm, St. Francis Dining Hall at SE 11th and Pine.

You will learn what you need to do!

Our Partners:

Added by Randy on Oct 10, 2009