City of Hermiston, Arbor Day Foundation and Amazon Team Up to Plant Trees at Fairgrounds
On Saturday, May 3, the Hermiston Parks & Recreation Department partnered with 25 volunteers from Amazon and the Arbor Day Foundation to plant 57 trees at the Umatilla County Fairgrounds at the Eastern Oregon Trade & Event Center (EOTEC).
The Hermiston Parks & Recreation Department is committed to protecting environmental resources in the city and creating enjoyable places to recreate. Hermiston is working with the Arbor Day Foundation, the world’s largest membership nonprofit dedicated to planting trees, for the second year of this project.
Volunteers planted 25 Thuja and 32 columnar oaks, tree species chosen for their suitability to the Hermiston climate and natural benefits. The hardy Thuja evergreens were planted by the barns to block the wind, and the oaks were planted along the driveway to create shade and aesthetic appeal.
“We’re grateful to the volunteer help to continue developing the fairgrounds and EOTEC to make it a more welcoming place year-round,” said Brandon Artz, Hermiston Parks & Recreation Director. “These trees will bring shade and natural vegetation to the fairgrounds and improve both the aesthetics and comfort for visitors.”
"At Amazon, we're committed to making a positive impact in the communities where we operate," said David Tanner, director of infrastructure operations, Amazon Data Centers. "We're honored to work alongside Hermiston residents to enhance the natural beauty of the Umatilla County Fairgrounds. These community-driven projects demonstrate what we can achieve when neighbors come together to support local environmental initiatives. We're grateful to be part of Hermiston's ongoing commitment to creating green spaces for everyone to enjoy."
“The Arbor Day Foundation is dedicated to helping our local planting partners unlock the transformative power of trees in their community,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Trees clean our air, cool our cities and improve the lives of the people around them. We’re happy to help the City of Hermiston maximize the impact of their urban canopy and inspire more people to engage with nature in a meaningful way.”
Trees offer vast benefits for the community at large. Thriving urban forests bolster human health, from encouraging physical activity to reducing respiratory illnesses stemming from air pollution. Urban trees filter the air by removing pollution which improves a city’s overall air quality. They also reduce runoff of sediment, pollutants, and organic matter into streams, improving our water quality. Trees have also been shown to reduce crime, lower stress levels, and develop community pride.
About City of Hermiston
The City of Hermiston is a vibrant, growing community of more than 20,000 residents at the crossroads of the Pacific Northwest. Located near the intersection of Interstate 84 and Interstate 82, just minutes from a Columbia River port and the Washington state line, Hermiston is capitalizing on its location as a transportation center and gateway to Oregon. To learn more, go to www.hermiston.gov.
About the Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. It is a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united in the belief that trees bring people together to do great things. For more than 50 years, the Arbor Day Foundation has answered critical need by activating a vast network of individuals and organizations to plant trees with purpose and scale. To date, it has planted more than 500 million trees in forests and communities in more than 50 countries. And this is only the beginning.
