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Tree canopy taking root in Minnehaha thanks to tree-planting events

'It will reduce the overall temperature on sidewalks and areas where there’s concrete, so there’s a lot of really good benefits'

By Shari Phiel, Columbian staff reporter
Published: February 3, 2025, 1:29pm
3 Photos
Volunteer Hugo Vasconcelos, center, joins members of the Clark County Public Works department and the Clark Conservation District while planting trees at Douglas Carter Fisher Neighborhood Park on Friday afternoon. The event was held after a state study showed a need for an increased tree canopy.
Volunteer Hugo Vasconcelos, center, joins members of the Clark County Public Works department and the Clark Conservation District while planting trees at Douglas Carter Fisher Neighborhood Park on Friday afternoon. The event was held after a state study showed a need for an increased tree canopy. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian) Photo Gallery

The Minnehaha neighborhood now has more trees thanks to the efforts of volunteers and staff from the Clark Conservation District and Clark County Public Works in January.

The conservation district organized three events last month to plant hundreds of trees in the Minnehaha neighborhood just outside Vancouver city limits.

The state Department of Natural Resources identified Minnehaha as a high priority for tree planting because it has a lower percentage of tree canopy compared with other neighborhoods in Clark County.

“Our goal is to plant 1,000 trees in Minnehaha, and we might go just a little bit outside of that area if needed,” said Samantha Frundle, conservation director for Clark Conservation District.

Frundle said participants in the event planted 600 trees in Clark County’s Road’s End Neighborhood Park, Bosco Farm Neighborhood Park and Douglas Carter Fisher Neighborhood Park.

“Then we are also doing some right-of-way tree plantings in Minnehaha, so we’ll be planting about 100 trees in total, and those are the larger street trees that you see,” Frundle said. “We’re going to give away another 250 to 300 trees to residents in Minnehaha so we’ll be doing some outreach to folks.”

Lower-income neighborhoods historically have had fewer trees, leaving residents without their benefits. Research has shown that neighborhoods with no or fewer trees often experience a heat island effect, where asphalt, concrete and glass absorb and magnify high temperatures in the summer, which can increase risks of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Trees also produce oxygen and reduce impacts of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

American Forests, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., developed a tree equity score, which the state Department of Natural Resources uses to target efforts. According to that score, Vancouver needs to expand its tree canopy by at least 1 square mile.

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“Trees provide a lot of benefits. When there’s shade, it’s better for your health. It also has a greater impact on stormwater as well. By having more trees on the ground, they can uptake more rainfall and reduce runoff,” Frundle said. “It will reduce the overall temperature on sidewalks and areas where there’s concrete, so there’s a lot of really good benefits.”

As a master gardener, Minnehaha resident Patty Hastings has participated in a lot of planting events, just not of trees. Despite the heavy rain, Hastings joined other volunteers and staff for Friday’s planting event at Douglas Carter Fisher Neighborhood Park.

“I had the day off and wanted to increase the tree canopy in my neighborhood, and it seemed like this was a good opportunity,” Hastings said. “What kind of Pacific Northwest person doesn’t have rain pants and a rain jacket?”

She said the park is often wet and marshy, which limits its use. She hopes the new trees will improve the area and make it more usable year-round.

Frundle said participants in the events planted a variety of trees, such as Oregon white oak, some maple species, Douglas fir, Ponderosa pine, willow, incense cedars and others; some will grow more quickly, while others will take longer to mature.

“It really varies on the species, but we’re planting Douglas fir and Ponderosa pines, which both grow relatively quickly. We’re also planting some of these species that have a 2-inch caliper, so they’re already pretty tall. Those are going to have a faster impact, but I would say you’ll see this impact in the next 10 years,” Frundle said.

Amber Thatcher lives across the street from the park. She said her daughter loves the park, so coming out to plant trees and make it better was an easy decision.

“This park has been needing tree cover for a long time,” she said. “This park is basically unusable when it’s hot.”

Hugo Vasconcelos also braved Friday’s heavy rain to join the tree planting. “I’ve done some tree planting before, but it’s been a while. I’m currently in between jobs so it seemed like a great opportunity,” he said. “(The tree canopy) has a lot of important advantages, not only providing shade, but it helps combat invasive species, provides oxygen. Last year, I worked outside in worse conditions, so I feel right at home.”

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This story was made possible by Community Funded Journalism, a project from The Columbian and the Local Media Foundation. Top donors include the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, Patricia, David and Jacob Nierenberg, Connie and Lee Kearney, Steve and Jan Oliva, The Cowlitz Tribal Foundation and the Mason E. Nolan Charitable Fund. The Columbian controls all content. For more information, visit columbian.com/cfj.

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