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Brandon Fitzpatrick helped plant native trees as part of an annual restoration effort. Organizers say the work honors both the service of veterans and the long-term legacy of the urban forest.
The very day honoring his service as a veteran is just like any other for Brandon Fitzpatrick.
On Tuesday, Nov. 11, Fitzpatrick picked up a shovel and cut into the gravelly soil along the west bank of the Willamette River in north Eugene.
He worked alongside about 25 volunteers planting native trees and shrubs in thanks to those who spent time in any branch of the military. Fitzpatrick spent nearly six years in the U.S. Navy, working as a technician at the world’s largest naval base in Norfolk, Virginia. He maintained and operated tactical weapons control systems on an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.
The University of Oregon later brought him to Eugene, where he studied environmental science and geography while serving as a peer adviser for veteran education.
Fitzpatrick cleared away the topsoil, digging a hole — not too deep, not too high. Plant too deep and water pools around the trunk, suffocating roots; plant too high and water runs off before it can reach them.
He mixed biochar — black carbon made from carbon, manure, or plant residue — into the planting hole to improve soil structure and help retain nutrients and moisture.
Biochar is a new addition to the annual planting event, which city ecologists and community organizers launched four years ago in response to the changing climate.
Eugene’s parks department once hosted tree planting events in January and February, but increasingly harsh summer conditions were killing young trees or stunting their growth. That made it difficult to meet goals under the Urban Forest Action Plan, funded in part by a grant from the Oregon Department of Forestry.
Early November has proved to be the sweet spot — early enough to avoid deep winter cold and late enough to give new trees steady exposure to rainfall. The timing also carries a dual, legacy-based purpose: Trees and veterans’ service are lasting contributions to the community.
Fitzpatrick pulled a twig-like chokecherry from its plastic container and teased apart the circling, fibrous roots so they could spread outward rather than continue wrapping around themselves.
He backfilled with soil, keeping it just above the root flare and shaping a low, doughnut-like berm to guide water toward the base. After a quick look to make sure the tree stood level, he moved to the next planting site.
The work feels familiar to Fitzpatrick, who now serves as a groundskeeper for the 4J School District. His reason for showing up Tuesday was straightforward.
“I like volunteering with the parks, doing what I can,” he said. “And I’m off work today.”
