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'El Palo Alto' defaced; another assault on trees
We can all do something to stand-up for trees
Looking-up to our Cities' eponymous tree: "El Palo Alto"  | El Palo Alto, a stately Redwood of 1,070 years, was defaced last week by graffiti criminals. White and green paint covers the lower bark of the tree in a mash of illegible markings. The damage extends to other areas of an adjacent corridor for bicyclist
and pedestrians. Left behind in the underforest were empty liquor bottles and litter. The police investigation continues.
Graffiti on El Palo Alto (Photo by PA Weekly)  |
Canopy was shocked and saddened to learn that this tree, a living organism worthy of our care and protection, was vandalized. Dave Dockter, Palo Alto's managing Arborist, conveyed the good news that the damage to El Palo Alto was not likely to affect its long-term health. Regardless, action is needed to raise the appreciation and awareness for our trees. If this act of vandalism should teach us anything, it is that our trees
remain unappreciated and outside the awareness of some in our
community.
Stepping back and looking up brings our attention back to the many gifts trees give us. Trees like El Palo Alto help pull particulate matter from the air, absorb carbon dioxide, prevent floods and keep temperatures within livable ranges. And as David Nowak of the US Forest Service claims,"a big tree does 60 to 70 times the pollution removal of a small tree."
Standing-up for Trees
Canopy would like to empower everyone in our community to join in our mission to plant and protect trees in our local urban forests. We have assembled resources on caring for trees, Trees in Palo Alto, and a calendar of events for you to get involved through our website: canopy.org. As always the success of our efforts depends on your initiative and support, so please help us stand-up for trees. Please contact us anytime through our Tree Hotline for questions, insights, or issues on our local trees.
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Join us on any of our upcoming free Tree Walks.
Crescent Park Tree Walk on August 14  |
This massive redesign has produced new maps, brochures, and a host of new information both online and on printed materials.
For those who have not yet joined a Tree Walk, now is a great time to come out on the second
Saturday of each month (except December) for a 2 hour tour of
some of
the most interesting tree specimens in Palo Alto. Tree Walks are fun for every age-group and engage groups in the growth, care, and conservation of our local urban
forests.
"On Canopy's Tree Walks I've been learning about the latest in
arboriculture as well as how to care for my own individual trees. What
an invaluable experience!"
~ Dan Collins, Palo Alto resident
We owe special thanks to the many volunteers who gave their time, energy, and brains to the Tree Walk redesign project. We
must also send our TREEmendous thanks the Garden Club of Palo Alto, who sponsored this project.
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New Street Trees for Palo Alto residents
City of Palo Alto offers free street trees for neighborhoods
Canopy and the City's Tree
Department would like to see more street trees planted in the upcoming winter planting season, particularly in South Palo Alto.
The work is done at no cost to the home owner, but we
need your help.
Locating the site:
- The site should be far enough from utilities and hardscape (usually 10 feet), but don't worry, the Citys
arborists will review your site.
- Sites must be on the "City Right of Way," usually
located in the park strip between the sidewalk and street, or within the first 5 feet of your front yard if you have a rolling curb.
Caring for the tree:
- Residents must be willing to accept the tree, and agree to water the tree while it becomes established (usually 3-7
yrs).
- Canopy will conduct a Young Tree Care Survey each summer to check the tree's health. Between check-ups we invite you to learn how to care for your tree on our website.
If you have an available site that meet these criteria, please email Program Director Michael Hawkins or call him at (650) 964-6110 x2.
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Radio Feature: "Tales from Urban Forests"
Every Tree Tells a Story.
 Canopy is excited to feature "Tales from an Urban Forest," an ongoing radio series on the economic, social, and cultural value that trees provide neighborhood cities and trees. Tales range in length and feature a wide-range of topics and interest areas. Canopy would like to encourage our supporters to take a few minutes to hear a few of the ongoing stories...
Click here to visit Tales from Urban Forests.
This series, Tales from Urban Forests, is produced by the SOUNDPRINT Media Center, and
supported in part by American
Forests and the U.S. Forest Service.
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Next Tree Walk: Sept 11 Arborist Kevin Raftery
Canopy's free Tree Walks provide informative, guided tours of the trees in our neighborhoods. College Terrace was the first Canopy Tree Walk (created by Susan Rosenberg) and is next on our calendar:
Date: Saturday, September 11
Time: 10am to Noon
Location: College Terrace (Map)
Click here to sign-up.
Come treat yourself to some fresh air, a healthy walk and a new perspective. Visit the College Terrace Tree Walk for more details or call 650-964-6110 x2.
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Mark Your Calendar
OTHER CANOPY TREE WALKS
Save the date for our upcoming Tree Walks, monthly on the second Saturday from 10 AM-12 PM. Rain or shine. Free.
September 11: College Terrace
October 9: Southgate
November 13: Barron Park
December 11: South of Forest
Reservations welcomed for arborist-led Tree Walks. Click here to sign-up. Check out our map and index of Tree Walks.
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Remember Canopy
Consider a legacy gift to Canopy
Including Canopy as a beneficiary of your will, trust, or other estate plan, would help preserve and care for our local urban forests, and create a legacy for generations to come.
Learn more about planned giving options by contacting Catherine Martineau, Executive Director at 650-964-6110 x1 or catherine@canopy.org.
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Autumn Tree-Care
Canopy needs volunteers this fall
This autumn we have a slate of Tree- Care opportunities for willing volunteers.
If you are interested in getting involved with Tree Care, please contact Michael Hawkins or call 650-964-6110 x2.
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