Catherine Martineau, Executive Director of Canopy, joins the California ReLeaf Board of Directors

Sacramento, Calif. – The California ReLeaf Board of Directors elected its newest member Catherine Martineau at its January meeting.  The election of Ms. Martineau strengthens the Board’s local perspective and connection to the ReLeaf Network, which supports grassroots organizations throughout the state.

Martineau is Executive Director of Canopy, in Palo Alto, and has been an active member of the California ReLeaf Network since 2004.  In her role as Executive Director of Canopy, she has drawn on her professional experience as well as her personal interest in community service, education and the environment.  “I immediately realized how important California ReLeaf was going to be for me in my role, for Canopy, and for California’s urban forestry movement” said Martineau.  Catherine holds a doctoral degree (ABD) in economic theory, a master’s degree in mathematical economics, and a bachelor’s degree in international economics from the University of Paris.  “California ReLeaf’s guidance, funding, and resources, have helped me grow Canopy from a Palo Alto-centric tree organization to a more regional environmental agency with expanding program, ambitious goals, and an impact that will last for decades”.

“The staff and Board are honored to welcome Catherine” said Joe Liszewski, Executive Director of California ReLeaf, and “we look forward to working with her as our organization address critical issues throughout the state”.  Catherine joins a robust Board of Directors which also recently welcomed Dr. Desiree Backman of the Public Health Institute and Dr. Matt Ritter, author of A Californian’s Guide to the Trees Among Us and Professor of Biology at Cal Poly University, San Luis Obispo.

California ReLeaf is an alliance of community-based groups, individuals, industry, and government agencies.  Members improve the livability of cities and protect the environment by planting and caring for trees, and the state’s urban and community forests.

We all know trees are beautiful and many of us in the urban and community forestry world can give a laundry list of the other benefits trees provide. Now, Alliance for Community Trees has made it easy for us to refer people to the research that backs up that list of benefits.

ACTrees has compiled a resource list of the many scientifically-proven benefits of trees in a single document. Grouped by category, the benefits and corresponding studies speak to the enormous value of urban and community trees. Click here to view the document.

As the sun sank down below the horizon last night, Tu Bishvat, sometimes referred to as Tu B’Shevat or the Jewish “New Year for Trees”, began. Originally used to calculate the age of fruit trees, recently the Jewish holiday has come to be less pragmatic and more celebratory. In recent years, it’s been touted as the “Jewish Arbor Day.”

“Tu Bishvat is a good reminder of our connection to the Earth,” says David Krantz, president and chairman of the Green Zionist Alliance, a Jewish environmental group. “We have a symbiotic relationship with trees, but we tend to forget that. Humans and trees are dependent on each other. When we harm trees, we harm ourselves.”

In that spirit, many see Tu Bishvat as the perfect day to plant a new tree or care for an existing tree. This year, a new exhibit at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco has been inspired by Tu Bishvat.

Do Not Destroy: Trees, Art, and Jewish Thought, on view at the Contemporary Jewish Museum February 16 through May 28, 2012, is a provocative and thoughtful two-part exhibition that explores the subject of the tree in both contemporary art and offers fresh perspectives on our connection to the natural world.

A Special Offer

The CJM is pleased to extend California ReLeaf members a two-for-one Museum admission offer to Do Not Destroy February 16 through May 28, 2012. When you purchase one Museum admission at full price, you receive a second for free. Ticket prices are: $12.00 for adults, $10.00 for students and senior citizens with a valid ID, and $5 on Thursdays after 5 PM. Mention “California ReLeaf Offer” when purchasing your Museum admission in the CJM’s Grand Lobby.

The Museum is located at 736 Mission Street (between 3rd & 4th streets), in San Francisco, and is open daily (except Wednesday) 11 AM–5 PM; Thursday, 1–8 PM. For general information, visit www.thecjm.org.

Planning for the new Felix Torres Family Farmworker housing complex, home to many migrant workers in Planada, started in 2003. Because of the economic downturn, construction didn’t start until 2010 and even then the project’s budget had been so severely cut that none of the planned landscaping could be implemented. Tree Partners Foundation, a California ReLeaf Network member, stepped in to make sure the residents wouldn’t be left without the benefits of trees.

More than 200 trees were donated by Tree Partners and the Merced Irrigation District. Initially, this donation is estimated at $10,000. Over time, the trees will save complex residents even more in saved energy costs.

To read more about the donation and planting event, visit the Merced Sun-Star.

On Saturday, February 11, from 10 am to 2pm, our friends at Tree Lodi will be planting 180 trees in a 15-acre portion of the new DeBenedetti Park.  The park is located at the corner of Century Blvd. and Lower Sacramento Road in Lodi.   On Saturday, April 7th, they will be celebrating Arbor Day in Lodi with a follow-up tree planting and other tree related events, including a free tree giveaway.

Tree Lodi is a community-based non-profit organization created to promote, and advocate for the planting, maintenance and preservation of Lodi’s urban forest through education, stewardship, and community involvement.  They are arborists, business owners, employees, homemakers, and retired folks . . . citizens just like you.  They appreciate trees, and what they do for the community and the environment and are  determined to make a difference in Lodi’s urban forest.

Please consider joining them for this exciting time and contributing to this effort.  More information is available on their website at www.treelodi.org