Portland Fruit Tree Project

Mission

Portland Fruit Tree Project's mission is to increase equitable access to healthful food and strengthen communities by empowering neighbors to share in the harvest and care of city-grown produce.

Why it matters

• One in seven Oregonians faces food insecurity, and many people struggle to afford fresh produce.
• Access to nutritious, locally grown fruit supports a balanced diet and helps prevent diet-related diseases.
• Portland has a history of racial inequity that has led to fewer trees and less shade in lower-income neighborhoods, which feel the effects of climate change more severely.

By harvesting and sharing fruit and supporting tree care in underserved areas, Portland Fruit Tree Project helps address these overlapping issues of food access, climate resilience, and environmental justice.

How Portland Fruit Tree Project works

• Staff-led, volunteer-supported harvests collect surplus fruit from trees and other fruiting plants.
• Harvested fruit is equitably distributed through community partners so that more Portland residents can access fresh produce.
• The organization works with partner groups to plant fruit trees and provide tree care and education in areas with poor tree canopy coverage.
• Programs are designed to elevate the voices of marginalized groups and promote food justice.

Values

• Community resilience – Fostering joy around shared food and resources, climate change resilience, and skills sharing.
• Collaboration – Working in partnership with individuals and groups to address the root causes of inequity and climate change.
• Connection – Stewarding and repairing relationships between people, the land, and the food system.

Vision

Portland Fruit Tree Project envisions joyful communities that see every fruit tree as an abundant resource that contributes to a just food system and enhances the well-being of people, community networks, habitat, and the changing climate.

Organizational history (high level)

• 2006–2007 – Started as the Neighborhood Fruit Tree Project in response to fruit dropping from trees in North and Northeast Portland, then expanded into the citywide Portland Fruit Tree Project.
• 2008 – Merged with Sustainable Urban Neighborhoods.
• 2010–2016 – Launched the Community Orchard Program, Tree Stewardship Program, and other educational programs, with major growth in harvests and programming.
• 2017 – Placed programs on strategic pause to address financial instability and worked with the community to plan a new vision.
• 2019–2020 – Relaunched harvesting and brought on a new Executive Director, beginning a phase of rebuilding a stronger, more inclusive organization.
• 2020–present – Continues to evolve through extreme weather and changing conditions to meet community needs. In 2025 the organization upgraded to electric vehicles with support from the Portland Clean Energy Fund and expanded the Tree Care Team to operate seven days a week.

Portland Fruit Tree Project continues to explore ways to keep Portland "fruity" and to model a community-based urban orchard system that can be replicated elsewhere.

The organization also operates the Community Pruning Program, which provides discounted fruit tree care for low-income Portland residents through grant funding.

Service area

Tree care services are available in the Portland Metro region, including these counties:

• Clackamas
• Clark
• Columbia
• Multnomah
• Skamania
• Washington
• Yamhill

If a site is outside this region, the organization asks potential clients to contact them directly to discuss pricing and availability.

Home Orchard Pruning and Care (full-service care)

This service is designed for people who want expert, ongoing care for their fruit trees, shrubs, and vines.

Full-service home orchard care includes:

• Winter and summer pruning for trees up to 15 feet
• Mulching and structural care
• Grafting
• Spring fruit thinning
• Espalier care
• Pest and disease management services
• Debris hauling
• Orchard planning and planting support at a range of scales

Required site visit and consultation

• The first step is a site visit and consultation, currently listed at $85.
• During this visit, staff assess your fruit-bearing plants, discuss your goals, and create a tailored plan for the year.
• After the consultation, the team returns seasonally to care for your orchard so it can thrive.

Home Orchard Coaching Session

Home Orchard Coaching is a one-on-one, on-site session for anyone who wants to learn how to better care for their own fruit trees, shrubs, vines, or home orchard.

During a coaching session, an experienced orchardist can:

• Demonstrate pruning and shaping techniques specific to your plants.
• Help identify pest and disease concerns and discuss treatment and prevention strategies.
• Offer guidance to improve plant health, structure, and fruit yield.
• Take detailed notes and provide a customized, season-by-season care plan for your site.
• Share practical resources and next steps to help you feel confident maintaining your orchard.

Cost: The Home Orchard Coaching Session is listed at $155 per 60-minute session.

Community Pruning Program (discounted services)

Through the Community Pruning Program, Portland Fruit Tree Project offers low-cost fruit tree care for low-income Portland residents.

• The program is supported by grant funding, including support from the Oregon Department of Forestry.
• It is intended for people who have fruit trees but may not have the financial resources, time, or technical knowledge needed to maintain them.
• By reducing financial and logistical barriers, the program helps residents enjoy safer, healthier, and more abundant fruit trees.

Details about eligibility, current availability, and how to apply are provided through the organization's website and program materials.

Additional offerings related to tree care

• Gift a Coaching Session – A Home Orchard Coaching Session can be purchased as a gift for someone who wants to start or improve a home orchard.
• Workforce development – Portland Fruit Tree Project partners with Connecting Canopies to provide hands-on training in fruit tree care, harvesting, and community food distribution, with a focus on mentoring BIPOC individuals and supporting a more equitable food system.

Pricing notes

• Prices listed here (the $85 consultation and $155 per 60-minute coaching session) come directly from the Portland Fruit Tree Project website.
• For any other services, packages, discounts, or out-of-area work, customers should contact Portland Fruit Tree Project directly. The agent will not estimate or quote prices that are not explicitly published by the organization.

Visitors should use the contact forms and request forms on the Portland Fruit Tree Project website to reach the appropriate staff for:

• Tree care service requests
• Harvest and gleaning opportunities
• Volunteering and events
• General questions and donations

The organization notes that it is run by a small but dedicated team, so response times may vary as staff work through incoming requests.

Service area

For paid tree care services, Portland Fruit Tree Project works primarily in the Portland Metro region, including:

• Clackamas County
• Clark County
• Columbia County
• Multnomah County
• Skamania County
• Washington County
• Yamhill County

Sites outside this region may be considered on a case-by-case basis; the organization asks potential clients to contact them for details.

Nonprofit status and tax information

• Portland Fruit Tree Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
• Donations are described as tax deductible.
• Tax ID: 93-0719546.

For specific tax questions or to confirm how a donation may affect an individual's tax situation, donors should consult their own tax advisor or refer to official IRS guidance. The agent will not provide tax advice beyond what is explicitly stated by the organization.

• It is supported by grant funding, including funding from the Oregon Department of Forestry.
• The program helps people who have fruit trees but may lack the financial resources, time, or technical knowledge to maintain them.
• By reducing barriers to proper tree care, the program supports safer, healthier, and more productive fruit trees in the community.

Shade equity and tree planting

Portland Fruit Tree Project is part of a broader effort to address shade inequities and low tree canopy in certain Portland neighborhoods.

• In areas with poor canopy cover, the organization works with partner groups to plant fruit trees and provide tree care and education.
• As part of a Shade Equity Coalition, Portland Fruit Tree Project has joined with other organizations in advocating for housing and trees to be planned together, so that housing without trees does not leave residents without shade.
• With support from One Tree Planted and community partners, the organization has committed to planting at least 150 fruit trees in low-canopy areas.
• Approximately 50 of these trees will be installed in partnership with Mudbone Grown to serve Black families through Mudbone's programming.

These efforts support both food access and climate resilience by adding shade and fruit-bearing trees to neighborhoods that have historically had fewer trees.

Workforce development in tree care

Portland Fruit Tree Project partners with Connecting Canopies to support a workforce development program focused on fruit tree care, harvesting, and community food distribution.

• Trainees receive hands-on experience with fruit tree care and harvest.
• The program emphasizes mentoring BIPOC individuals and creating inclusive, supportive worksites.
• By building skills and confidence among new and existing tree care professionals, the program contributes to a more equitable, community-based food system.

Together, the Community Pruning Program, shade equity work, and workforce development efforts reflect Portland Fruit Tree Project's commitment to food justice, climate resilience, and racial equity.

Through these harvests and related programs, the organization improves quality of life for Portland residents by harnessing one of the city's greatest natural resources: fresh fruit.

Harvest programs and options

Backyard and on-farm harvests

• Community members can register fruit-bearing trees, vines, or shrubs for possible future harvests.
• The organization also welcomes information about on-farm gleaning opportunities.
• When a site is selected, staff and volunteers coordinate harvests to gather fruit that might otherwise go unused.

DIY harvest drop-offs

• If you prefer to harvest your own fruit, you can do a do-it-yourself (DIY) harvest and drop fruit off so it can be shared with the community.
• DIY harvests, along with staff- and volunteer-run harvests, help get fresh produce to community partners and neighbors.

Fruit Finder

• If you notice a neighbor's fruit tree dropping fruit, you can submit the address and type of fruit (if known) through Portland Fruit Tree Project's Fruit Finder.
• The organization will send a postcard introducing itself and inviting the tree owner to connect.

Impact highlights

• In 2025, Portland Fruit Tree Project completed a record-breaking 157 harvests, surpassing its previous record from 2016.
• Across backyard and Fruit Fridge DIY harvests in 2025, the organization donated 28,382 pounds of fruit.

These numbers reflect the combined efforts of staff, volunteers, and community partners to reduce waste and increase access to fresh fruit.

Guiding principles for harvest work

• Preventing food waste by using fruit that might otherwise fall and rot.
• Increasing access to healthful, locally grown fruit for people facing food insecurity.
• Building community resilience and connections through shared harvest activities.
• Supporting climate resilience and shade equity by caring for and planting fruit trees in areas with low canopy cover.

For current harvest opportunities, registration forms, and partner information, visitors should use the forms and calendars on the Portland Fruit Tree Project website.

• Volunteer – Volunteers support staff-led harvests, help care for trees, and assist with community events and education. Opportunities may include roles like harvest volunteers and specialized roles such as Volunteer Pruning Leads.
• Donate – Financial contributions help sustain programs that increase access to fresh fruit, support shade equity work, and maintain tree care and harvesting services.
• Register your fruit-bearing plants – Community members can register trees, vines, or shrubs for potential future harvests so that surplus fruit can be shared.
• DIY harvest drop-offs – People who harvest their own fruit can drop it off so that it can be distributed through community channels.
• Use the Fruit Finder – If you notice a neighbor's fruit tree dropping fruit, you can submit the address and fruit type (if known) so Portland Fruit Tree Project can reach out.
• Request tree care services – Homeowners and property stewards can request paid tree care services or learn more about the Community Pruning Program.
• Shop online – The online store offers items such as jams and jellies, Portland Fruit Tree Project merchandise, home orchard supplies, and services, with proceeds supporting the mission.

Events and calendars

• An Event Calendar on the website lists public events, workshops, and other opportunities to engage.
• A Volunteer Calendar lists upcoming volunteer opportunities and shifts.

For current opportunities, signups, and event details, community members should refer to the latest information and forms available on the Portland Fruit Tree Project website.

Ask anyway — the agent will say plainly that it is not published rather than guess.