Portland trees are the gift that keeps on giving, and not just for their aesthetic value. As temperatures rise, they shield communities from oppressive heat by storing and absorbing carbon. They protect our bodies by filtering the air we breathe and cleaning the water we drink. And they might even up your kid's SAT score without having to cut a check for a tutor—some studies have shown that when there are more trees in schoolyards, students achieve higher test scores and are primed for long-term academic success. Basically, the more trees we plant, the more benefits we reap. This is why nonprofit organizations the Nature Conservancy and Friends of Trees have teamed up to spread the green message, encouraging Portlanders to volunteer their time to plant trees in the metro area. Learn more about their work and how you can help at yaytreess.org. For those who can't tell the difference between a poplar and a pine, we've done the work for you—here are five of our favorite trees that call Portland home.