In other Capitol news, Governor Brown issued a proclamation recognizing March 7th as Arbor Day in California. He led the proclamation with the poem “Green and Gold” by Gary Snyder. To read the full proclamation, visit the governor’s website.

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

The workshop is open to anyone who is interested in the planting and maintenance of trees in urban landscapes.  The workshop will be taught in an easy to follow format by local and state experts in tree care.   Members of the public, whether novices or those who have some experience at tree care will benefit, as well as more experienced tree care professionals looking for a refresher.  Six community service credits are available for participating students and five continuing education units are available for professionals.  Pruning public shade trees will be emphasized, with additional fruit tree pruning discussion.

Workshop leaders Dan Condon, Bill Spiewak, Norm Beard, George Jimenez and Ken Knight will demonstrate techniques that professionals use to care for young public trees.  Participants will get actual experience in pruning young trees on the San Marcos High School campus, with all work being done from the ground and no tree climbing involved.  A short open book exam and field practice at the end will demonstrate proficiency and ability to assist in future public young tree pruning projects in your area. There will be ample opportunities to discuss your specific questions with the speakers.

For more information and to download the registration form, please visit Goleta Valley Beautiful at www.goletavalleybeautiful.org

The Conference

Join municipal arborists, urban forest managers, landscape design professionals, planners, and non-profits from across California for this unique educational and networking experience in Palo Alto. With a focus on utilizing urban forestry to revitalize California’s communities, participants will leave the conference with tools to improve the areas where the majority of Californian’s live, work and play. We’ll discuss: community revitalization, nontraditional funding sources, best management practices, species selection, tree pruning and much more!

The Friday afternoon sessions will include two separate tracks – one specifically for non-profits and another geared towards municipalities.

Agenda

Accommodations

Participants are encouraged to stay at our conference location, the Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel Palo Alto. Participants can receive a special conference rate of $139 per night by booking their stay here and entering the Group Code: A4M.

Registration fees also include breakfast on both mornings of the conference, lunch on Friday and a reception on both nights of the conference.

Travel

Palo Alto can easily be reached by car, plane or train. For driving directions to the Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel, click here.

For those planning to fly, the closest airport is Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC). You can also fly into San Francisco International Airport (SFO) or Oakland International Airport (OAK).

If you’d like to take the train, Amtrak has several routes that go through Palo Alto.

Continuing Education Units

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered through the International Society of Aboriculture. Conference participants can receive up to nine CEUs for participating in conference sessions. Participants must fill out the appropriate paperwork after conference sessions to receive credit.

Cancellations

Participants can receive a full refund until two weeks prior to the event. After that point, they can receive a partial refund. There are no refunds for the Pruning Workshop unless your spot is filled.

March 7 – 14 is California Arbor Week.  Urban and community forests play a vital role in our lives.  They filter rainwater and store carbon.  They feed and shelter birds and other wildlife.  They shade and cool our homes and neighborhoods, saving energy.  Maybe best of all, they form a living green canopy, contributing to our health and well-being, raising our quality of life.

This March you have a chance to get involved in your own neighborhood forest.  California Arbor Week is a time to plant trees, volunteer in your community, and learn about the forest where you live.  By planting trees in your own yard, caring for trees in your local parks, or attending a community greening workshop, you can make a difference.

For more information, or to find an event near you, please visit www.arborweek.org

Who: Learn from one of California’s experts in urban greening: Dr. Desiree Backman, Deputy Director, Sacramento Tree Foundation

When: Thursday, July 15 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. (feel free to bring your own lunch)

Where: California Department of Public Health

Pine Room, Building 171

1501 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento

If you are not able to attend in person, you may join this meeting via a conference call. To join, call (916) 556-1508. When prompted for the conference code, please enter 322584 on your telephone keypad.

Note: workshop attendees that are not California Department of Public Health employees, please allow an extra 5-10 minutes to check in with security.

RSVP: Kathleen Farren Ford

California ReLeaf

916.497.0036

gro.faelerainrofilacnull@nerrafk

Brought to you by California ReLeaf, the California Department of Public Health, the Sacramento Tree Foundation, and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Urban Forestry Program.

The Arbor Day Foundation and The Alliance for Community Trees are pleased to announce the City Teams partnership program. Through a grant from the U.S. Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry Program, the City Teams partnership program promotes the development of sustainable community partnerships within the urban forest community by encouraging two-person teams to develop mutually-beneficial collaborative goals around their community trees. The Alliance for Community Trees will select from their membership proposals seven (7) two-person City Teams to participate in this program and attend the Partners in Community Forestry National Conference for two consecutive years in support of their partnership.

City Teams selected for participation will:

• Receive a travel stipend and conference registration to attend the 2010 and 2011 Partners in Community Forestry National Conference.

• Submit pre and post conference goals regarding how your City Team wants to advance urban forest management and programs for your area.

• Report on progress periodically during the program.

• Participate in surveys regarding the program.

The application site will be open from April 15 until June 4, 2010, at www.arborday.org/shopping/conferences/cityTeams and selected teams will be notified by August 1, 2010.

Apply Now!

• Addressed two or more environmental or public safety issues

• Involved the community and/or other organizations or agencies and

• Significantly enhanced the urban forest and livability of the community.

Gail Church, Executive Director of Tree Musketeers, describes the project in this way:

“Trees to the Sea is a tale of children daring to dream of an action they could take to solve local environmental problems, the 21 year journey through bureaucratic red tape, and the ultimate triumph that brought green trees to a blighted no man’s land. The setting is that of a small Midwestern town seemingly inadvertently dropped in a highly urbanized metropolitan area. Innovation is woven throughout the story. Young people envisioned a tree-lined highway and secured help from partners to make the vision real. While this is business as usual at Tree Musketeers, the character of youth in changing this small community facing large urban problems through Trees to the Sea is remarkable.”

“The role of trees is also somewhat unusual in that the Trees to the Sea mitigate airport noise pollution, minimize polluted runoff reaching the ocean, reduce air pollution and their beauty plays an integral part in the downtown revitalization plan, in addition to all of the other benefits trees bring to a community. The cast of characters merits attention since it was a broad public/private partnership including two cities, regional agencies, the federal government, large and small businesses, 2,250 youth and adult volunteers, and nonprofits with diverse missions.”

“The plot highlights the mutually beneficial partnership between Tree Musketeers and the City of El Segundo which sets a standard to be emulated wherein cities not only capitalize on working relationships with local nonprofits, but also community youth. The reader quickly learns that Trees to the Sea is a project that neither the city nor nonprofit could have accomplished alone.”

Congratulations, Tree Musketeers!