Hey everyone it’s Quincy! I’m really excited to share a new blog post, the first one of 2024 with all of you as I had a chance to ask my buddy Lowell Wyse from Tacoma Tree Foundation some questions about the work they do and why it’s important and really why we should care. Obviously i’m a little biased about trees (I roast with wood, I think trees are pretty great!) but this Q&A with Lowell is a really cool conversation full of insights and information about their upcoming breakfast. I hope you enjoy it.

However, before we get to that, i’ve got to plug Tacoma Tree Foundation and say if you aren’t familiar with their work, head to https://tacomatreefoundation.org after reading this post and then grab a bag of the welovetrees blend. 50% goes directly to Tacoma tree foundation. Enjoy our Q&A below.

Thanks for taking the time to share a little bit about yourself and the work you all are doing at Tacoma Tree Foundation. I’m really looking forward to learning more about the impacts of trees in our community and to learn more about you! So here we go…
Campfire: Give us the story behind how you got into the “business” of protecting, preserving and promoting trees - was this something you’d always wanted to do? Or was it something that came later in life?
Lowell: I moved to Tacoma in 2014 and was amazed by the landscapes of the Northwest, especially the big trees. I also wanted to explore careers in the environmental field. I was in my 30s and had been working in higher education. I was lucky enough to get a part time job at the City of Tacoma Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability, which is in charge of the City's Climate Action Plan. Ten years ago, the City had a goal for how much tree coverage we should have in Tacoma, but it seemed like nobody was making progress on it. We needed the community to get involved! So I started a group called Tacoma Needs Trees, and a couple years later Sarah Low and other community members started Tacoma Tree Foundation. Today, so many more people know that trees really matter for our environment and overall well-being in the city and are working together to make Tacoma a greener place!
Continued below picture.

Campfire: This may be a little like asking which of your kids is your favorite but if you had to pick a favorite species or two of tree, what would it be and why? What makes that tree special?
Lowell: One of my favorite Northwest trees is the big leaf maple. They are the largest maple trees in North America. Out in the forests, like in Point Defiance, you can see how their trunks get all mossy and full of licorice ferns in the winter. And in neighborhoods, you'll see some that have lost limbs or gotten terrible haircuts but they're still beautiful and alive and fighting! Those trees are so resilient. So for me, they have become a symbol of Tacoma and our urban forest.

Campfire: Can you share a little bit about the state of trees in Tacoma and Pierce County as a whole?
Lowell: Thought you'd never ask! As the population grows, Pierce County is losing trees really fast. And Tacoma has the lowest tree canopy coverage of any city in the Puget Sound region that has measured it. Our trees are concentrated in parks, on steep slopes, and in neighborhoods with generational wealth. That means neighborhoods with lower equity and opportunity have less shade and are also hotter in the summer. That's environmental injustice. This interactive map from the City's Urban Forestry group tells the whole story. So most of our work at Tacoma TreeFoundation happens in neighborhoods like Hilltop, Eastside, South Tacoma, and Parkland where we need trees the most.

Campfire: Tacoma Tree Foundation, what does this organization do and what makes you fired up about the work you all are doing there?
Lowell: Big picture: We are spreading the word about the importance nature in the city and caring for the environment. A big part of that involves bringing people together who want to do something to make Tacoma more beautiful and resilient. We do walks and presentations about urban forestry and environmental justice. We co-produce the Climate Leadership Cohort to train folks on how to take climate action. And we put trees and knowledge in the hands of people who want to impact the lands and waters where they live. And we have so much fun doing it!
Campfire: One of our taglines has always been “welovecampfire” which in turn is basically saying we love trees, which we absolutely do. Right now TTF is holding the spring fundraiser, how and why should Tacomans get involved and support this fundraiser and proudly proclaim that they love trees, too?
Lowell: We also love trees and Campfire!! We are hosting our first in-person fundraiser—An Urban Forest for All—on April 17 to bring more people into the work that we are doing. Supporting our organization is one way that people can invest in building a greener and more connected Tacom. Recently we asked some of our volunteers to share one word that summarizes Tacoma Tree Foundation for them. Some of those words: CARE, JOY, IMPRESSIVE, THRIVING, SUSTAINABILITY. We have built up a lot of incredible energy and planted over 11,000 trees in our first five years. So we are trying to keep this momentum going. If folks can't come to the breakfast, there are other ways to support us here.
Campfire: What is something that you wish locals knew more about the importance of trees in our communities? Are there any secret health benefits or super powers to be had by spending time in the trees?
Lowell: This is such an amazing question, and I'm gonna answer it by flipping it around for a second. Imagine a city without any trees. What does it look like? What does it smell like? How does it sound? What does it feel like? Basically, trees make cities tolerable for people. But even more than cleaning the air, protecting us from the hot sun, and so on, trees are incredible for our mental health. The closer we are to them, the less stress we have, the better we feel as humans. That's their superpower. Who doesn't want more of that?

Tacoma Tree Foundation - Welovetrees Blend

$14.99

Quantity:

Add To Cart