Volunteer with us!

Here you will find both a list of current volunteer opportunities, and a complete list of opportunities that are available at one time or another throughout the year. Please contact Rudy Dietz , our Volunteer Coordinator, at rudyd@friendsoftrees.org, or 503-282-8846, ext. 18 if you would like to volunteer. Thank you for your interest!

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Neighborhood Coordinator Training (July 12th, 2008)
This training teaches you how to coordinate tree plantings in your neighborhood. Essentially, NC's are the go-between for Friends of Trees Staff and Tree Purchasers and Planters. Working with other NC's in your area, you will promote tree purchasing for your planting event, and help coordinate the day-of lunch for volunteers. NC's are the essential core of our Neighborhood Tree Program! Over a 6-9 month period, there is about a 100 hour commitment. 100 hours over 6-9 months.

S. Portland Riverbank Maintenance Event (May 17th, 2008)
NAR maintenance event at S. Portland Riverbank, May 17th 2008. This is one of our maintenance events that we do throughout the summer, weeding and trailbreaking around the planted trees. 3 hours.

Promoting Pink Martini Event! (June 3rd, 2008)
We really need help with this one! It involves calling folks that may be interested in attending our patron event for the Pink Martini Concert happening in June. Mostly, it is leaving messages on machines, and we give you the script! 2 hours.

Marking Tools with Tape or Paint
Using paint we provide, marking our tools so that they don't get mixed up with other tools at our events. 3 hours.

Wear Tree Costume and Wave to Traffic!
Put on our wonderful tree costume and wave to traffic driving down our street or yours. This helps raise awareness of FOT in general, and is a fun thing to do! 2 hours.

Cleaning of Vehicles
Help staff member vacuum out and clean vehicles, giving FOT a better appearance. 2 hours.

Database Cleanup
Helping to better organizer the data in our database. This takes some training just to get acquainted with the database, then searching for duplicates and other incorrect information. Attention to detail and patience are important for this one! 2 hours.

Development Team, Office Work
Help our Development Staff keep organized by filing records. 2 hours.

Development Team, Data Entry
Using our database, entering data to keep track of donations. 2 hours.

Complete List of Potential Volunteer Opportunities

Interns

Interns are integral to our organization. They help with a variety of tasks in the field and/or in the office to support Friends of Trees programs. They commit to a regular schedule, 5 to 25 hours a week for three months to a year. For information about current internships, contact the Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator.

Current projects for interns include the following:

Post yard tree signs in neighborhoods
Distribute flyers to local campuses for volunteer recruitment
Develop new educational materials for school groups
Wear tree costume at community events
Enter tree route information in database
Photograph at plantings
Register volunteers at plantings
Translate Friends of Trees information into Spanish, Mandarin or Russian
Monitor natural area plantings during August and September
Weed, prune, and house clean at Friends of Trees
Wash coffee mugs for planting events during planting season

Tree-planting Volunteer

Help plant trees in neighborhoods and natural areas. No experience or pre-registration necessary! All tools and training will be provided. Events are usually 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays (occasionally Sundays) between November and April. See our planting schedule for more information. We'll see you there! Groups are encouraged to pre-register by contacting the Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator.

Natural Area Restoration Crew Leader

Natural Area Crew Leaders teach and lead others in properly planting native trees and seedlings at urban natural area restoration projects. Crew leaders commit to attending a six-hour training session in November (see Training Schedule for more info) and to crew lead at four planting days between November and March. Events are usually 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, occasionally Sundays.

Natural Area Restoration Maintenance Volunteer

Natural Area Maintenance Volunteers help with summer maintenance - invasive plant removal and tree care. No experience or pre-registration necessary! All tools and training will be provided. See our natural area care schedule for more information. Groups are encouraged to pre-register by contacting the Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator.

Site Steward

Site Stewards adopt natural area sites and organize plantings and maintenance events.

Neighborhood Coordinator

Neighborhood Coordinators are committed neighborhood residents who work with Friends of Trees staff to organize a street tree-planting project in their community. Neighborhood Coordinators receive training and technical assistance. These volunteers agree to contact property owners in their neighborhood who don't have trees. They also process tree orders and organize the planting day. Friends of Trees provides Crew Leaders and tools, orders the trees, and helps along the way. A Neighborhood Coordinator training is usually held in the Spring - see Training Schedule for more info.

Neighborhood Trees Crew Leader

Neighborhood Trees Crew Leaders teach and lead others in properly planting street and yard trees at neighborhood tree-planting events. Crew Leaders commit to attending a six-hour training session in November (see Training Schedule for more info) and to crew lead at four planting days between November and April. Events are usually 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

Truck Driver

Truck drivers offer to drive their own trucks at planting events or to drive large rented moving trucks to transport trees.

Summer Inspectors

Summer inspectors are trained to monitor recently planted street trees during the summer. The volunteers are assigned neighborhood routes to check on the health of street trees and remind property owners about caring for their trees properly. The Summer Inspectors training is usually in the spring. See Training Schedule for more info.

Office Assistant

Office Assistants help out at Friends of Trees with projects such as mailings, data entry, filing and other prep work.

Fundraiser

Fundraisers assist with fundraising projects and activities and membership drives.

Special Event Volunteer

Special Event Volunteers help with preparation, and day-of and follow-up tasks for events.

To get involved as a volunteer in one of the areas described above, complete and return the Volunteer Form.