Updates
What’s new at ReLeaf, and an archive of our grants, press, events, resources and more
Vibrant Cities & Urban Forests: A National Call to Action
In April 2011, the U.S. Forest Service and non-profit New York Restoration Project (NYRP) convened the Vibrant Cities and Urban Forests: A National Call to Action task force outside of Washington, DC. The three-day workshop addressed the future of our nation’s urban...
Free mobile app to identify trees
Leafsnap is the first in a series of electronic field guides being developed by researchers from Colombia University, the University of Maryland, and the Smithsonian Institution. This free mobile app uses visual recognition software to help identify tree species from...
Voters value forests!
A nationwide survey commissioned by the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) was recently completed to assess key public perceptions and values related to forests. The new results reveal a striking consensus among Americans: Voters strongly value the...
Oaks in the Urban Landscape
Oaks are highly valued in urban areas for their aesthetic, environmental, economic and cultural benefits. However, significant impacts to the health and structural stability of oaks have resulted from urban encroachment. Changes in environment, incompatible cultural...
New web portal for climate and land use planning information
The State of California has embarked on an effort to encourage and promote sustainable land use planning through passage of legislation such as Senate Bill 375, and the funding of several grant programs. Under Senate Bill 375, Metropolitan Planning Organizations...
The Trees That Inspired America’s Literary Greats
Enjoy listening to this story on NPR's "On Point" program discussing the book Seeds: One Man's Serendipitous Journey to Find the Trees that Inspired Famous American Writers, by Richard Horton. From the old maple in Faulkner's yard to Melville's chestnut and Muir's...
U.S. Forest Service Funds Tree Inventory for Urban Planners
New research funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will help city planners make better decisions about their urban trees for a range of benefits, including energy savings and improved access to nature. Researchers, led by U.S. Forest Service...
Our City Forest
Our City Forest is one of 17 organizations statewide selected to receive funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which is being administered by California ReLeaf. Our City Forest’s mission is to cultivate a green and healthy San José metropolis by...
Your input needed to develop an Urban Forestry Toolkit for Storm Response
The Friends of Hawaii’s Urban Forest was awarded a 2009 Forest Service National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC) Best Practices Grant to develop an Urban Forestry Emergency Operations Plan Toolkit for Storm Response. Your input is need to...
Green infrastructure and climate change adaptation reports
The Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP) recently released two new reports on improving community resilience and economic prosperity by incorporating climate change adaptation best practices into city planning strategies. The reports, The Value of Green Infrastructure...
Can trees make you happy?
Read this interview from OnEarth Magazine with Dr. Kathleen Wolf, a social scientist at both the University of Washington’s School of Forest Resources and at the U.S. Forest Service, who studies how trees and green spaces can make urban dwellers healthier and...
ACT welcomes Carrie Gallagher as new Executive Director
Carrie Gallagher has been named Executive Director of Alliance for Community Trees (ACT), effective April 4, 2011, announced Ray Tretheway, President of ACT's Board of Directors. ACT is a national nonprofit dedicated to improving the health and livability of cities by...
New software puts forest ecology in public hands
The U.S. Forest Service and its partners released this morning the newest version of their free i-Tree software suite, designed to quantify the benefits of trees and assist communities in gaining support and funding for the trees in their parks, schoolyards and...
Legislature Makes Arbor Week Official
California Arbor Week was celebrated from March 7-14 throughout the state this year, and thanks to the help of Assemblyman Roger Dickinson (D – Sacramento) will continue to be recognized for years to come. Assembly Concurrent Resolution 10 (ACR 10) was introduced by...
California Native Plant Week: April 17 – 23
Californians will be celebrating the very first California Native Plant Week April 17-23, 2011. The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) hopes to inspire a greater appreciation and understanding of our incredible natural heritage and biological diversity. Join the...