Environmental Studies Blog

As part of our collective capstone project, we spent Saturday, February 22nd, conducting field reconnaissance in the Boise and Humboldt neighborhoods (more generally referred to as Albina). Our research focuses on people and plants and their relationship with being in and out of place. To address this, our field research was divided into two areas; exploring the history and culture of the people living in these neighborhoods and examining local plant life. Specifically, we focused on the Tree of Heaven, deemed by the community an “invasive plant” that the neighborhood is working to eradicate.

We started the day by walking through the area and gathering street survey responses. This was followed by an informal conversation with Kay Newell, the owner of Sunlan Lighting on North Mississippi. Familiarizing ourselves with the neighborhood, we took photographs, visited specific locations of interest, and identified the Tree of Heaven. In the afternoon, we toured the Boise-Eliot Native Grove on N. Ivy St., took a historical tour through the neighborhood with David de la Rocha, interviewed community members at the First AME Zion Church, and chatted with Charles Bedford at the Going St. Market.

In our conversations with Kay Newell and Charles Bedford, we gained insight into their personal experiences and the neighborhood’s significant spatial and demographic changes over the years.

Kay Newell speaking to students at Sunlan Lighting Co.Kay Newell spoke about her and other residents’ collective efforts to brighten the neighborhood. She has worked closely with the Boise Neighborhood Association, advocating for community needs, and opposing proposed highway offramp designs that would burden the area. Kay emphasized the city’s lack of investment in the neighborhood following redlining policies and emphasized that “it takes a community to fix a community.” She also shared with us her personal archive— a book filled with photos and articles documenting her and the community’s story over the past few decades.

Our conversation with Charles Bedford revealed both similar and distinct experiences, as he spoke about the Black community’s history in the neighborhood. Particularly, he discussed being ‘bused’ to a different school district, and witnessing many of his friends relocate to Gresham, an area colloquially referred to as ‘The Numbers.’ Charles shared with us historical photos of his store and the surrounding area, encouraging us to note changes. As customers checked out, he introduced them to us and invited them to share their stories with us, weaving their experiences into his broader historical narrative. Overall, these conversations helped contextualize our research and ground our understanding in lived experience and local history.

To supplement these interviews and conversations, we conducted street surveys that questioned the locals about the Tree of Heaven. The neighborhood surveys gave us a preliminary understanding of the neighborhood’s familiarity with the Tree of Heaven. These corroborated our suspicion that the Tree of Heaven is not widely known among people who live and visit Albina.

Boise Native Grove entrance.Next, we visited the Boise-Elliot Native Grove where Andrine and Howard guided us through the space, sharing its function and history. The Grove began as an empty lot, and after ongoing conversations with the city and efforts to secure grants, Andrine and Howard began planting and cultivating the Native Grove. Their goal was to create green space accessible to the surrounding community, by restoring habitat and educating the community.

Tree of Heaven growing in vacant lot, north Portland.To deepen our understanding of the neighborhood’s plant life, we used the iNaturalist app to guide us through the neighborhood’s biodiversity and identify local species, particularly the Tree of Heaven. This proved challenging, as many of the tree’s distinct foliage characteristics are less visible during winter months, making identification difficult.

After we visited the Grove, David de la Rocha accompanied us on our walk to the First AME Zion congregation, pointing out significant sites along the way. He discussed the construction of the I-5 freeway and Emanuel Hospital, projects that acted as a catalyst for waves of developmental displacement in Albina. He spoke on the racially motivated underpinnings of urban renewal, stating, “Blighting was not the condition of the houses but the condition [color] of the people who lived there.” Themes of institutionalized racism and gentrification surfaced repeatedly in our interviews and conversations throughout the day.

First A.M.E. Zion congregation, north Portland.Our final stop was the First AME Zion church, which has been especially welcoming since the start of our research project. The Church has hosted our community meetings and interviews since the Fall semester of 2024 and every three weeks throughout the Spring 2025 semester. We were fortunate to be joined by Ruth, the mother of one of the congregation members, who shared her story as a Vanport Flood survivor and her subsequent move to Albina.

Each of us conducted a formal interview with a community member, asking questions about their personal histories, experience in the neighborhood, the Tree of Heaven, and environmental conservation. From these interviews, several themes emerged: the importance of history and community, feelings of exclusion and resilience, changing community boundaries, differing views on who is responsible for neighborhood environmental issues, and the role of government regulations and influence.

This research would not have been possible without the generosity and support of the First AME Zion, Boise Neighborhood Association, and the numerous community members who spoke with us and shared their knowledge with us.