Tim Becker and KOIN 6 News Staff ::
Published: August 24, 2017, 11:20 am  Updated: August 24, 2017, 5:52 pm
Source: Website helps preserve Portland trees, collect stories

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Every tree has a story. And now, thanks to a new website, people can easily share and tell those stories.

Researchers at Portland State University have launched a website — entitled canopystory.org — that pinpoints trees in Portland and connects them with historic events, family memories, urban legends, and more.

“We haven’t seen this anywhere else in the country,” said Vivek Shandas, an urban planning professor at PSU.

“There’s something about these giant living monuments basically that people are drawn to and they have very strong memories attached to,” she said.Sharing a story is simple. Using the site, visitors can find a tree, open a dialogue box and share a memory. Madelyn Miller, a history student at PSU, thinks trees have a way of sparking memories.

“I think it’s just kind of in our nature to gravitate toward trees and the stories they can tell.”

Officials hope the project will help preserve the city’s biggest and oldest trees. The project gives residents an opportunity to contribute to public record.

Shandas hopes every tree in Portland has a memory associated with it, and that people will share them.

“We wanted to see if people in Portland would be enthusiastic about trying to tell stories about these trees.”

Anyone can contribute stories about Portland trees on the new PSU site canopystory.org.