Fred Nilsen, Natural Area Program Coordinator for Portland Parks & Recreation, was honored in June 2007 with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his “outstanding efforts to enhance Oregon’s urban forests” from the Oregon Community Trees Commission of the Oregon Department of Forestry. 

For the last 21 years, Nilsen has been the hands-on supervisor and often sole worker for the City of Portland’s “City Nature” properties which include Forest Park, Hoyt Arboretum, and another thousand acres covering Marquam Hill, Terwilliger, Fanno Creek watershed and North Portland.

“One of Fred’s finest legacies will be his work at Hoyt Arboretum”, says Cynthia Haruyama, Executive Director of Hoyt Arboretum Friends.  “A venerable institution founded in 1928, the Arboretum had drifted off-mission in the 60’s and 70’s.  Under Fred’s leadership, the Arboretum has not only refocused on its primary mission to grow wild species of trees from around the world but also added over 4,000 trees to  the urban landscape while considerably increasing the species diversity and scientific and conservation value of the Arboretum’s tree collections.”

Throughout his career Nilsen has worked extensively with volunteers to improve the health of trees throughout the Portland area and the state.  He has led crews of volunteers in proper invasive species removal with Know Ivy League, Salmon Safe, and Friends of Forest Park, advised the Noxious Weed Board about proper eradication of invasive species, works daily with a variety of volunteers for Forest Park and Hoyt Arboretum and has planted hundreds of trees with volunteer crews from Friends of Trees on his own time.