1. From the Boston Globe: The City Is an Ecosystem

    | Research
    November 17, 2014
    The city is an ecosystem, pipes and all What scientists are finding when they treat the urban landscape as an evolving environment of its own By Courtney Humphries Boston Globe Correspondent November 07, 2014 Is a tree trying to survive in the city better off than a tree growing in the forest? The obvious answer would seem to be “no”: City trees face pollution, poor soil, and a root system disrupted by asphalt and pipes. But when ecologists at Boston University took core samples from trees around Eastern Massachusetts, they found a surprise: Boston street trees grow twice as fast...
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  2.

    California Needs Urban Forests

    | General Updates, Jobs, Network, Research, Resources
    May 6, 2013
    Ask anyone and they’ll most likely tell you they love trees. California’s cities and towns need trees, but not just to beautify the landscape. Trees do so much more!   Click on the infographic below to visit a fully interactive version on our website. The next time someone asks you, “Why trees?” you’ll have some pretty great answers.  
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  3.

    Congresswoman Matsui Introduces TREES Act

    | Advocacy, General Updates, Press, Research
    April 29, 2013
    Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) celebrated Arbor Day by introducing The Residential Energy and Economic Savings Act, otherwise known as TREES Act. This legislation would establish a grant program to assist electric utilities with energy conservation programs that use targeted tree planting to reduce residential energy demand. This legislation will help homeowners lower their electric bills – and help utilities lower their peak load demand – by reducing residential energy demand caused by the need to run air conditioners at a high level.   “As we continue to tackle the combined challenges of high energy costs and the effects of climate...
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  4.

    Congresswoman Matsui introduces Energy Conservation Through Trees Act

    | Grants, Network, Resources
    June 3, 2011
    Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced H.R. 2095, the Energy Conservation Through Trees Act, legislation that would support programs run by electric utilities that use targeted planting of shade trees in order to reduce residential energy demand.  This legislation will help homeowners lower their electric bills – and help utilities lower their peak load demand – by reducing residential energy demand caused by the need to run air conditioners at a high level. “The Energy Conservation Through Trees Act would help reduce energy costs for consumers and improve air quality for all,” said Congresswoman Matsui.  “In my hometown of Sacramento, I...
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  5.

    Woodland Tree Foundation

    | General Updates
    February 1, 2011
    “You meet wonderful people—good-hearted people—planting trees,” says David Wilkinson, a founder and board president of Woodland Tree Foundation. During its 10 years of operation, the foundation has planted over 2,100 trees in this Tree City USA northwest of Sacramento. Wilkinson is a historian and says Woodland got its name because it grew out of an oak forest. Wilkinson and the foundation want to preserve that heritage. The all-volunteer group works with the city to plant trees downtown and replace aging trees. Twenty years ago, there were almost no trees in the downtown area. In 1990, the city planted three or...
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  6.

    Water & Urban Greening

    | Advocacy, General Updates, Resources
    January 24, 2011
    Please join California ReLeaf, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and TreePeople on Monday, January 31 as we learn how urban greening can improve water supply, flood prevention and water quality. This free session will be taught by Andy Lipkis, President and Founder of TreePeople and one of California’s experts in urban greening. For complete RSVP and event information, see our flyer here.
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  7.

    What’s an Urban Tree Worth?

    | General Updates, Resources
    November 3, 2010
    In September, the Pacific Northwest Research Station released its report “Calculating the Green in Green: What’s an Urban Tree Worth?”.  Research was completed in Sacramento, CA and Portland, OR. Geoffrey Donovan, research forester with the PNW Research Station, determined that trees planted on the south and west sides of Sacramento houses reduced summertime electricity bills by an average of $25.16. In a second study in Portland, Donovan’s team found that street trees growing in front of or near a house added an average $8,870 to its sale price and reduced its time on the market by nearly 2 days. These...
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  8.

    Congresswoman Matsui Honored

    | Advocacy
    November 3, 2009
    On October 2, 2009, Congresswoman Doris Matsui was awarded the California Urban Forestry Award for Community Building with Trees. This honor is awarded by California Urban Forests Council to a corporation or public official whose mission is not urban forestry related but has demonstrated a significant and noteworthy level of contribution to a community, region, or the State of California utilizing urban forestry or green infrastructure programs to contribute to and enhance quality of life.  As an established and informed Representative, Congresswoman Matsui has emerged in Washington as a resourceful and influential advocate for the people of the Sacramento region who...
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