Hermiston Plants 70 Trees With 50+ Volunteers Nov. 3

When volunteers gather at Hermiston's Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center on November 3rd, they'll be planting more than just trees. They'll be planting cooler summers, cleaner air, and healthier neighborhoods for decades to come.

The Hermiston Parks and Recreation Department is partnering with Amazon and the Arbor Day Foundation to add 70 new trees to the event center at 1705 E. Airport Road. More than 50 local volunteers have already signed up for the 1 p.m. planting event, though organizers say more helpers are always welcome.

The new additions include oaks, hornbeams, sweetgums, and maples that will line the RV park. These aren't just pretty additions to the landscape. In cities and neighborhoods, trees actively reduce high temperatures during summer heat, absorb stormwater runoff during storms, filter pollution from the air, and provide proven mental and physical health benefits to residents.

"Planting a tree is a commitment to the future," said Amazon Community Engagement Manager Ben Harvey. "Long after the volunteers have gone home, these trees will still be growing, providing shade and vibrancy for generations of local residents."

The Ripple Effect

This planting event represents something bigger than one afternoon of digging holes and watering saplings. It's part of a growing movement across American communities to address urban heat and environmental health through nature-based solutions.

Lachel Bradley-Williams, senior manager of community trees for the Arbor Day Foundation, sees these partnerships as the key to transforming neighborhoods. "Trees have the power to drive lasting, positive change in cities and neighborhoods," she said. "They just need our help to plant them."

The project builds on last year's success, when volunteers planted additional trees at the same location in 2025. Doug Bennett of the Umatilla County Fair prepared the site for this year's expanded effort, ensuring the saplings will have the best chance to thrive in Eastern Oregon's climate.

The partnership between a global company, a national conservation nonprofit, and a small Oregon city shows how environmental action works best when everyone pitches in. These 70 trees will eventually provide thousands of hours of shade, filter tons of air pollution, and offer a cooler refuge during increasingly hot summers.

Seventy trees might not sound like a forest, but every canopy starts with committed neighbors and a few good shovels.