Growing Roots: How Urban Green Spaces Are Protecting Community Health in Portland

        Growing Roots: How Urban Green Spaces Are Protecting Community Health in Portland

Cate Pocitari

https://www.portland.gov/parks/community-gardens/volunteer-information

   When we think about public health in Portland, most of us imagine clinics, ER visits, or long wait times for appointments. But what if one of the strongest tools we have for community well-being is something much simpler, something as ordinary as trees, gardens, and the green spaces that help us feel grounded?

A recent report from the Oregon Health Authority, titled Climate, Health, and Oregon’s Urban Communities, explains how environmental changes like extreme heat and poor air quality are hitting some neighborhoods much harder than others. Areas with fewer parks and trees are facing higher temperatures, more asthma, and fewer safe places for kids to play (OHA, 2024). It shows how deeply connected our environment is to our health.

The report points out something important. Having access to green space isn’t just about recreation or beauty. It actually shapes how safe people feel in their neighborhoods and how supported they feel by the people around them. In places with more trees and parks, residents were more likely to check in on their neighbors during heat waves, share resources, or simply spend time together outside.

Here in Portland, groups like Friends of Trees and Growing Gardens are working to make those benefits more accessible for everyone. Friends of Trees has helped plant tens of thousands of trees across the metro area in just the last few years, cooling neighborhoods and improving air quality (Friends of Trees, 2025). Growing Gardens focuses on food and community by helping families build home gardens and supporting school garden programs. Last year, families in their Home Gardens program grew more than 150,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, which made a noticeable difference for households dealing with food insecurity (Growing Gardens, 2024).

These efforts remind us that health is shaped by more than doctor visits. It is shaped by the places where we gather, play, garden, and talk. Green spaces make it easier to build relationships, share food, and check in when someone needs help. They give people something to care for and something that, in turn, cares for them.

Imagine a Portland where every neighborhood has enough shade to make hot summers bearable, where kids can grow food in their school gardens, and where every family has access to the benefits of nature. A city where greenery is not a privilege, but something everyone can count on.

If we want that future, supporting these organizations is a great place to start.

Get Involved

Friends of Trees 

Volunteer to plant or care for trees in your neighborhood

Growing Gardens

Help build or maintain community and home gardens across Portland

References:

Oregon Health Authority. (2024). Climate, Health, and Oregon’s Urban Communities.
https://www.oregon.gov/oha

Friends of Trees. (2025). Annual Impact Report.
https://friendsoftrees.org

Growing Gardens. (2024). 2024 Program Impact Report.
https://www.growing-gardens.org