Resources
Below are tools and resources to help you take root in your community — whether by planting a tree, volunteering for an organization (or running your own!), or simply digging deeper into the data behind how trees make our communities better.
Much of this comes from our Network members, as well as other sites we love. We try to narrow to the best of the best, to save you the time of searching. Are you a community group and see something missing or have an idea of something relevant to add? Please contact us!
Tip for browsing: Many of the links below will direct you to another website. If you want to save your spot on our page while opening a link, try right-clicking the link and selecting “open link in new window.” Use these buttons to jump to the content you’re looking for:
Our Latest Resources:
Graphic Design Webinar Recording
California ReLeaf's Grants and Communications Program Manager hosted a webinar about some best practices in graphic design. Watch to learn how some small fixes can make a...
Urban Forest Leadership Training
California ReLeaf invites emerging urban forestry leaders in nonprofits, arboriculture, and government to join its leadership training in April 2022. The leadership training...
Webinar: Save Our Water & Our Trees
California ReLeaf partnered with Growing Vibrant LA Communities to create the Webinar "Save Our Water & Our Trees: Growing Community Resilience When Drought is the New...
All Things Trees
Selection & Planning
- Trees for the 21st Century is a guide produced by California ReLeaf that discusses eight steps to a thriving tree canopy, including the importance of tree selection.
- SelecTree – This program designed by the Urban Forestry Ecosystems Institute at Cal Poly is a tree selection database for California. You can find the best tree to plant by attribute or by zip code.
- Tree Quality Cue Card – When you’re at the nursery, this cue card helps you choose the best quality tree stock to plant. Available in English or Spanish.
- The Sunset Western Garden Book can tell you more about your area’s hardiness zone and appropriate plants for your climate.
- WUCOLS provides an assessment of irrigation water needs for over 3,500 species.
Planting
- How to Plant a Tree video (Sacramento Tree Foundation)
- Canopy’s Proven Tree-Planting Techniques
- Printable Tree-Planting Guide (TreePeople)
- Pedestal Method – This method, pioneered by Sacramento Tree Foundation for planting in clay soils, protects the root ball of newly planted trees from excessive water.
- Tree Planting Cue Card – This card from the Urban Tree Foundation helps you remember the important steps you can take to help your tree get the best start possible. The card is available in English or Spanish.
Care & Health
- Trees and Drought (ReLeaf)
- Pest and Disease information (Canopy)
- Sudden Oak Death (UCANR)
- UC Integrated Pest Management: This statewide integrated pest management program has several great pages to help identify pests and diseases.
- The California Oak Mortality Task Force
- Western Chapter ISA
- Pruning Cue Card. It is recommended to prune your tree in the first few years after it’s been planted to gradually create good structure and form. The card is available in English or Spanish.
- Hire an Arborist (Canopy): helps residents select qualified professionals to care for their trees.
- Tree work can be complex, and sometimes dangerous. Certified arborists will know the smartest and safest approach to caring for your tree. To find an arborist, browse listings from the International Society of Arboriculture.
- California Master Gardeners Program
Great Sites to Know
- California ReLeaf Youtube Channel (Webinar recordings)
- CAL FIRE Department of Urban and Community Forestry
- USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forest Program
- California Urban Forest Council
- UC Integrated Pest Management (University of California)
- AmericanHort represents the entire horticulture industry. The site includes industry statistics, current research, resources, events, educational webinars, and advocacy information.
- Guidelines for Developing and Evaluating Tree Ordinances (International Society of Arboriculture): a comprehensive resource for anyone interested in developing, revising, or evaluating local tree ordinances.
- Urban Forest Management Plan Toolkit: a free resource designed to help you develop an urban forest management plan for your city, campus, business park, or any other urban forest setting.
Research
- U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station
- New Urban Greening Research with Bill Sullivan (2020 Retreat Presentation)
- Treesearch (USFS): A database that allows users to search the Forest Service’s library of research publications by keyword, author, or title.
- Children & Nature Network supports those who work to reconnect children with nature, including tracking recent research on the influence of nature on children.
- Human Dimensions of Urban Forestry and Urban Greening
- Green Cities: Good Health (University of Washington Research)
- Environmental Scan of Urban Forest Opportunities in California
- Northern California Coast Community Tree Guide (USFS)
- Eureka Report (California ReLeaf report)
- More research can be found in our updates here!
Calculator & Measuring Tools
- i-Tree – A software suite from the USDA Forest Service that provides urban forestry analysis and benefits assessment tools.
- National Tree Benefit Calculator – Make a simple estimation of the benefits that an individual street tree provides.
- Tree Carbon Calculator – The only tool approved by the Climate Action Reserve’s Urban Forest Project Protocol for quantifying carbon dioxide sequestration from tree planting projects.
- ecoSmart Landscapes: Can help residential property owners estimate these tangible benefits.
- Read more about the above tools here.
- Database & Tree Tracking (presentation recording) – Three Network members share about how their organizations map and track trees at the 2019 Network Retreat.
- Urban Ecos is a consulting company who can assist grant applicants to plan GHG reduction projects and quantify the benefits of trees.
Nonprofit Resources
Fundraising Tips & Tricks
- Blue Avocado Fundraising Articles
- Storytelling for Impact (California ReLeaf Webinar)
- Working with Foundations (California ReLeaf Webinar)
- The Dos and Don’ts of Acquiring Major Donors (Network for Good Webinar)
- 7 Donor Communication Mistakes to Avoid (Slides)
Boards of Directors
- Serve on a Board (Board Source)
- Tips for being an exceptional board member (Board Source)
- Bylaws Checklist (Blue Avocado)
- Legal/Compliance Tips (Blue Avocado)
- Nonprofit Board Resource Center (Bridgespan Group)
- Fiscal Sponsorship: 6 Ways to Do It Right (Book)
Communications
- Canva for Nonprofits: Discover the easy way to create high-impact social media graphics and marketing materials. Nonprofit can get Canva’s premium features for free.
- Graphic Design Tips and Tricks (ReLeaf Webinar)
- Community-Based Social Marketing & Overcoming Barriers in Tree Care (2018 ReLeaf Webinar)
- Marketing and Communications Tips (Blue Avocado)
- Draw.io: Free infographic/diagram software
- Social Media Posting Guide (TopNonprofits)
- Sample Press Release (Canopy)
Great Sites to Know
- How To Start A Nonprofit Guide: A step-by-step guide (plus additional resources) from CalNonprofits. Also available in Spanish!
- The Impact Foundry: an organization dedicated to enhancing and improving the management of nonprofit organizations in California.
- CalNonprofits: California’s association of nonprofit organizations.
- Blue Avocado: a nonprofit online magazine for community nonprofits offering practical and provocative information. Great for templates and best practices.
- Nonprofit AF: a weekly blog with a fresh, insightful, funny voice offering resources, insight, and empathy for nonprofits
- Accounting Considerations for Nonprofits: a helpful review of nonprofit financial issues from The University of Scranton.
- CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Blog: resources about leadership, self care, DEI, fundraising, and more.
Volunteers
- Volunteer Recruitment Tips
- Volunteer Management: How to Get it Right (Blue Avocado)
- 10 Organizational Standards for Quality Volunteer Management
- Top 6 Volunteer Resources for Nonprofits
- Volunteer Management Library (Energ!ze)
- Recruiting Volunteers (Energ!ze)
- Retaining Volunteers (Energ!ze)
- Sample Volunteer Waiver and Photo Release (.docx download)
Partnerships
- The California ReLeaf Network is a group of nonprofits and community groups who are championing urban forestry in their communities. Join us to Network with and learn from other groups!
- Alliance for Community Trees creates a national support network for grassroots, citizen-based nonprofit organizations dedicated to urban and community tree planting, care, conservation, and education.
- Sample Tree Care Program Agreement
- Sample Memorandum of Agreement 2
- Sample Memorandum of Agreement 3
- Sample Memorandum of Agreement 4
- Sample Grant Tracking Template
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Leading with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as our guide is critical in nonprofit programming. The resources below can deepen your understanding of DEI, racial and environmental justice, and how to incorporate it into your urban forestry work.
Websites to Know
- Race Forward: Race Forward brings systemic analysis and an innovative approach to complex race issues to help people take effective action toward racial equity.
- Avarna Group: A DEIJ consultant group that has shared some of its favorite readings, activities, tips and tools.
- Diversity and Inclusion (Harvard Business Review): Great archive of articles about DEI in the workplace.
- Why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Matter for Nonprofits (National Council of Nonprofits): Great overview of the importance of DEI, and links to resources on a number of related topics.
- Anti-racism and Equity Resources (Nonprofit Learning Lab)
- Diversity archives (Blue Avocado): Articles about diversity and nonprofits.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the Nonprofit Sector – Essential Resources for Nonprofit Professionals (Bloomerang)
Green Gentrification
Research shows that the threat of green gentrification is real in many cities, and it can lead to the displacement of longtime residents that many greening equity efforts are designed to serve.
- Green Gentrification Panel – recording and resources (2018 conference presentation)
- Greening without Gentrification: Learning from Parks-Related Anti-Displacement Strategies Nationwide (UCLA Research Project)
- UC Berkeley Urban Displacement Project: Research that aims to understand and describe the nature of gentrification, displacement, and exclusion.
- Can the L.A. River Avoid ‘Green Gentrification’? (CityLab Article)
- How to Build a New Park So Its Neighbors Benefit (CityLab Article)
Presentations & Webinars
- Environmental Justice & Urban Forestry with Jackie Cole (2021 Network Retreat)
- Amplifying Voices: Inclusion in Nonprofits with Nailah Pope Harden (2019 Network Retreat)
- Community-Based Social Marketing & Overcoming Barriers in Tree Care (2018 ReLeaf Webinar)
- Growing the Canopy: Racial Justice with Leo Buc (2016 Network Retreat)
- The Power of Diversity: Green 2.0 with José González & Green 2.0 (2016 Retreat presentation)
- Solidarity in Racial Justice: Understanding Systemic Racism to Build Meaningful Partnerships with Leo Buc & Michael Flynn from Common Vision (2015 presentation)
- Diversifying the Conservation Movement: Approaches for Equity & Inclusion through Story & Culture (2015 Presentation)
Articles
- Equity vs. Equality and Other Racial Justice Definitions (Anne E. Casey Foundation)
- Race: The Power of Illusion (PBS): Timeline of historical events
- 8 Ways People of Color are Tokenized in Nonprofits (Medium)
- The Need for Black Rage in Philanthropy (Medium)
- 5 Questions an Anti-Racist Organization Should Be Able to Answer (Everyday Feminist)
- The White-Savior Industrial Complex (The Atlantic)
- White Supremacy Culture (PDF): This is a great overview of specific ways that White Supremacy culture shows up, especially at work.
- 4 Myths About White Supremacy That Allow It To Continue (Forbes): Nice quick article addressing common myths.
Videos
- Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50 (Chinaka Hodge spoken poem). It’s one thing to learn about diversity, equity, and inclusion intellectually and another to connect emotionally. Art helps us connect emotionally.
- The Urgency of Intersectionality with Kimberlé Crenshaw (18-minute TEDx video)
- Allegories on Race and Racism (20-min TEDx video)
- What is Systemic Racism? (Short video series by Race Forward)
- Racism Is Real • Systematic Racism Explained (3-Minute Brave New Films video)
Podcasts
- Codeswitch: Can We Talk About Whiteness? (37-min podcast)
- The Small Nonprofit Podcast: Dismantling White Supremacy in the Nonprofit Sector (46-minute podcast)
- Ethical Rainmaker Podcast: Tokenism is NOT Transformation: Former City Councilman turned DEI consultant, Chuck Warpehoski, talks about the common and -tired- ways in which institutions perform or attempt to work with the community and common pitfalls. Chuck also shares personal stories of mistakes he’s made while working to serve the community as a white man.