The Portland Medium
Urban Forestry will host Tree Summit 2026 on Saturday, April 11, from 9 a.m. to noon at Mt. Scott Community Center in Portland, bringing together community members, environmental advocates and local leaders to explore the role of urban forests in addressing climate change and environmental equity.
The free public event will feature a series of presentations focused on expanding access to green spaces and understanding how environmental conditions impact communities differently.
One of the featured speakers, environmental engineer J’reyesha Brannon, will present her “Canopy of Stories” project, which combines community narratives with tree canopy and heat data to illustrate how climate change disproportionately affects Black, Indigenous and other communities of color, as well as low-income neighborhoods in Multnomah County.
The project uses storytelling alongside data to highlight how rising temperatures and limited tree coverage shape daily life in underserved areas. Organizers say the work offers a powerful example of how frontline communities are using data to inform policy and advocate for environmental justice.
Brannon, a Portland-based civil and environmental engineer, focuses her work on environmental justice, civic engagement and increasing diversity in STEM fields. In addition to “Canopy of Stories,” she has contributed to projects such as Cultivating Justice in a Changing Climate, an environmental justice storytelling initiative developed in partnership with the Coalition of Communities of Color and Multnomah County.
The summit will also feature presentations from Axcelle Campana on community forestry and Gena Gastaldi on the “Trees in the Curb Zone” project, a collaborative effort between Urban Forestry and the Portland Bureau of Transportation.
Organizers say the event is designed to increase awareness about the importance of urban forests while creating opportunities for community members to connect with local partners working to expand and care for green spaces. The event will take place at Mt. Scott Community Center, located at 5530 SE 72nd Ave. in Portland, and is open to the public.
