Forest Pub | Heritage Trees, Living Landmarks
Come explore the remarkable stories held within some of Oregon’s most extraordinary trees, from ancient old-growth stands to trees whose seeds have traveled to the Moon. Across the state, these living landmarks serve as anchors to our shared history, connecting past and present in ways few other things can.
For more than 30 years, both the State of Oregon and the City of Portland have stewarded heritage tree programs that honor and protect these trees while inviting the public into their stories.
Join us for this Forest Pub with historian David-Paul B. Hedberg, chair of the Oregon State Heritage Tree Program, for an evening of storytelling and insight drawn from his years of work with both programs—and discover how heritage trees shape our understanding of place, memory, and time.
Presented by Oregon Historical Society and World Forestry Center, this program is hosted at McMenamin's Mission Theater.
Before the Pub: Arrive early for a pre–Forest Pub walking tour of heritage trees in NW Portland’s Couch Park. Meet at the park at 5:30 PM.
Kick off Pride Week with a Forest Pub that invites fresh voices and new ways of connecting to our forests, featuring Efemmera Gendera and Thespis D. Light of u003ca href=u0022https://www.instagram.com/dragmeoutside/u0022u003eDrag Me Outsideu003c/au003e.nnDrag Me Outside, a Portland-based group founded by drag queen Efemmera Gendera and drag king Thespis D. Light, reimagines how we engage with the natural world. By blending drag performance with their nature-focused backgrounds, they open unexpected and inclusive pathways into environmental learning, creating space for curiosity, connection, and belonging.nnThis month’s Forest Pub celebrates Pride month and is all about expanding who feels welcome in conversations about forests, and how those conversations begin. Through performance, storytelling, and lived experience, Efemmera and Thespis invite us to see forests differently: as places of expression, community, and possibility.nnJoin us for an evening of drag, dialogue, and connection, and explore how new perspectives can deepen our relationship with the natural world.
