Adams Elementary is one of only two elementary schools in Oregon to have the honor of planting a Hiroshima Peace Tree. Students in the Adams Elementary Green Club learned about the process to apply to plant a tree through the efforts of Adams teacher and school sustainability leader Connie Ash (who retired last year) and Corvallis Sustainability Coalition volunteer Rachel Kirby. The school plans to have a celebration of the tree planting when students return to school in-person later this year or next fall.
Corvallis is a good candidate for this project due to the designation as a Trees Cities USA community in Oregon. Earlier this month, Jennifer Killian, Urban Forestry Outreach and Natural Areas Specialist and Sylvan Pritchett, Outreach Coordinator for Corvallis Parks and Recreation joined Adams volunteer Rachel Kirby and principal Peter Henning to plant the tree adjacent to the Adams Elementary school campus, in a location east of the Western View Center. One of the goals is to plant the tree in a public area so everyone has the opportunity to see the tree and learn about its message of peace.
“We have tremendous support for trees in our community,” shared Sylvan Pritchett. “Volunteers plant, prune, and inventory about 200 trees each year. For this Peace Tree, Rachel Kirby will serve as the tree steward for three years making sure it is watered and properly maintained during this period.” The Peace Tree is part of the One Sunny Day Initiatives (OSDI), promoting peace, hope, and reconciliation. Working toward a world free of nuclear weapons. It was founded in 2007 by Hideko Tamura Snider. Hideko experienced the atomic bombing of Hiroshima as a young child. Educated in the U.S., she remained to practice as a social worker and psychotherapist. Now retired, she continues to speak and write on collective healing and reconciliation.
- Read the story of the Hiroshima Peace Tree
- View the map showing locations worldwide where peace trees have been planted
Over 100 ginkgos, persimmons, camphors, and camellias germinated, each a living symbol of resilience and hope. The first trees were planted in Corvallis, Lake Oswego, and Hillsboro.
Thank you to our Adams students and the adult volunteers and city staff involved with bringing this symbol of hope and reconciliation to our community!
