Oregon City’s Nancy Broshot has been honored by the Oregon Heritage Tree Program for her work leading a tree-friendly revision of municipal code.
According to a press release, Broshot was behind a code change to remove the arborist report requirement for Heritage Tree status and making the program more accessible to community members.
She’s one of three people winning 2024 awards from the Oregon Heritage Tree Program, the first state-sponsored heritage tree program in the country. It was established in 1995 to increase public awareness of the important contribution of trees to Oregon’s history and the significant role trees play in the quality of daily life. The program is administered by the Oregon Travel Information Council.
Other Heritage Tree Heroes of the year are Giana Bernardini of Philomath and Mike Oxendine of Talent.
Phyllis Reynolds of Portland was named winner of this year’s Maynard Drawson Memorial Award, which was created to honor a native of Oregon and a veteran of World War II who was best known as a tree advocate. Reynolds is a founding member of the Portland Heritage Tree Program, a published author, including two editions of “Trees of Greater Portland” and “Hoyt Arboretum, Its Story.” She also has been a long-time urban forestry commissioner for the city of Portland.
“The award recipients have done an exceptional job engaging communities about the importance of trees and raising awareness about Oregon’s history told through trees and forests,” said Craig Leech, Oregon Heritage Tree committee chair. “The recipients range from volunteers to professionals who use their time and talents to better our communities.”
