The City of Canby’s Public Works Department has partnered with Canby Area Beautification and Valley Environmental to plant between 500 and 1,000 trees and other indigenous plants along Willow Creek as part of a “planting party” set for this Saturday, March 26.
The city received a generous donation of 500 seedlings of Ponderosa pine, 500 trimmings of native trees, and over five dozen plants to be planted along Willow Creek in northeast Canby.
The planting efforts are part of the city’s urban forestry program, which has continued to gain momentum over the years.
“I am very excited to have this planting event at Willow Creek,” said Canby Public Works Director Jerry Nelzen. “The partnerships and volunteerism it takes to accomplish a project of this scale is just incredible.”
The Willow Creek planting will also help advance a stormwater project to eradicate berry briars and bring more shade to the area near Northeast Territorial Road, Nelzen explained.
The Oregon Anglers’ Research Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, donated the plants, which feature a variety of attributes to showcase Oregon’s unique four seasons. The plants include red osier dogwood, serviceberry, swamp rose, Willamette Valley ponderosa pine and flowering currant.
The Knights of Columbus and Canby Fire will provide muscle for Saturday’s planting, and additional volunteers are welcome. Volunteers should arrive at 10 a.m. to check in and be ready to assist in planting. Shovels and gloves will be in short supply so volunteers are encouraged to bring their own.
Parking will be at the city shop, located at 1470 Northeast Territorial. For questions about the event, please contact the city at 503-266-0798 or visit the event page on Facebook.
News of the planting comes as the city plans to remove 30 trees from Wait Park and other public spaces that were severely damaged in the February 2021 ice storm. The removal work was expected to begin Monday, March 21.
