Help Plant Trees for Encinitas Arbor Day Celebration

The following comes from the City of Encinitas:

Encinitas in Spanish means “Little Oaks,” making a celebration of Arbor Day extra special for our tree-loving community. On May 25, 2013, the City of Encinitas will join with the Encinitas 101 Association (formerly Downtown Encinitas Mainstreet Association) and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) to present a “Let’s Plant Trees” morning of activities for adults and families, including your little saplings!

In fact, says Street Maintenance Program Coordinator Donna Trotter, children will greatly enjoy the event, helping to plant one of 11 species of region-appropriate trees from 15-gallon containers into the ground of the public right-of-way located at 841 Second Street, between G and H Streets, in downtown Encinitas. Trotter says, “We are happy to work with our event sponsors and with local arbor companies and nurseries to celebrate the importance of trees to our environment.”

Pictured here close to the planting site is Encinitas 101 Association Executive Director Dody Crawford, who says she is looking forward to the event. She states, “We are very pleased to collaborate with the City and SDG&E in getting the community involved in planting trees. As an extra perk, my staff and I will be able to stroll to the site right behind our office and watch them grow!”

Branch Out – Plant a Tree

The Saturday slate of free activities begins at 9:30 am with registration at 841 Second Street, followed by a 10:00 am demonstration and planting of trees within the locale. Informational booths will educate guests on the proper selection and care of residential trees.

Everyone is invited to join in the festivities of the dedication of Encinitas as a Tree City USA, a designation earned in 2011. The event culminates with community refreshments, after which guests can choose a free sapling to take home and plant in their own yard as a living, growing remembrance of the day.

An Asset to Our Quality of Life

The Tree City USA designation is given by the national Arbor Day Foundation to recognize best practices in utility arboriculture that protect and enhance America’s urban forests. Achieving the recognition was a goal of the City Council’s Urban Forest Management Policy, which was developed in 2009 to provide for orderly protection of trees and promotion of residents’ health, safety, welfare and quality of life.

The Policy states, “Trees are a source of shade, air conditioning and other environmental benefits, and yield both a high quality of life and economic benefits to the community, including enhanced property values.”

As anyone who traverses the five communities that comprise our City knows, Encinitas is home to thousands of trees of diverse species. Together, they offer an extraordinary community amenity enjoyed by all.

Street Superintendent Mark Hosford believes, “By assuring preservation and protection through regulations and standards of care, the Urban Forest Management Policy ensures that trees will continue to contribute to the beauty and value of landscape, streets and parks, and continue to help define Encinitas.” 

Details of the Day

The May 25th Arbor Day celebration is currently in the planning stages, but if you’re looking for a quality family activity, you’re barking up the right tree. As the event nears, more information will be available at these sites:

• http://www.encinitas101.com/
• Public Works Facebook page