Canopy Receives Water Conservation Award

We are honored and grateful that our programs were recognized with a 2014 Silicon Valley Water Conservation Award. The selection committee reported that they "were very impressed with the breadth and quality of Canopy's programs with respect to water conservation - from planting climate appropriate trees to experimenting with new technologies to conserve more water to influencing city policies."

Water conservation is at the core of our work, particularly through:

- Selecting drought tolerant tree species that require no irrigation after a three-year establishment period.

- Planting urban trees that provide water-related benefits: shade that slows evaporation from landscaped areas, diffusing rainfall, reducing runoff, recharging groundwater, and preventing harmful herbicides and fertilizers from entering waterways.

- Engaging more than 1,500 volunteers each year and stressing water conservation at all stages of urban forestry work.
- Experimenting with innovations such as DriWater gel, that delivers water to young trees while using one-tenth the amount of water needed with conventional irrigation.
- Advocating for improving recycled water quality from the local wastewater treatment facility to reduce salinity to levels suitable for the irrigation of most landscape trees.

- Informing residents about ways to preserve trees while conserving water.

PG&E Tree Removals:

Thousands of trees are on the chopping block in Northern California as PG&E deploys its "Pipeline Pathways" project.

In Palo Alto, several projects including the gas main replacement along the Foothill / Junipero Serra corridor have already triggered the removal of close to 200 trees. PG&E also prevented Canopy from planting 50 new trees on Page Mill Road last spring. More trees are potentially slated for removal in the next 12-24 months along East Bayshore Road, Alma, Miranda, Foothill Expressway, Junipero Serra Boulevard, Middlefield Road and Charleston Road.

While gas line safety is paramount and the issue complex, Walter Passmore, Palo Alto City Urban Forester, and I have been working with local urban forestry groups and concerned residents to reach out to San Francisco Peninsula and Silicon Valley communities, raise their awareness and define a plan of action. Several Alameda and Contra Costa County cities are already organizing, as noted in this San Jose Mercury News article.

We hope to challenge PG&E's justifications for mass tree removals, minimize the number of removals, and obtain adequate mitigation for the trees that must be cut down.

Stay tuned for updates on our efforts.

Earth Day 2014: Canopy Joins City of East Palo Alto Celebration on April 19th.

As part of East Palo Alto's "Green Cities" Community Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 19th, Canopy will host a tree care workday at Cesar Chavez Academy.

Planting Leader Call: Regular volunteer slots for the tree care workday are full, but we still needs
6-7 tree care leaders from 8:30am - 12pm. Please contact Maika if you're willing to volunteer.

Email Elizabeth Sarmiento for more information about the East Palo Alto Community Earth Day Celebration.

Earth Day Cupcakes for Canopy!

In celebration of 2014 Earth Day, Sprinkles Cupcakes will generously donate 100% of proceeds from their Earth Day Cupcakes to Canopy!

Order the Earth Day Vanilla cupcakes April 21 - April 25

and your purchase will directly support Canopy and the work we do to enhance local urban forests. Sprinkles stores nationwide have donated over $78,000 to environmental nonprofits.

SPRING GIVING UPDATE:
Your Gift to Canopy Can be Tripled!

You'll be able to get your donation to Canopy TRIPLED
thanks to challenge grants from Canopy's Board AND SVGives.

Stay tuned for instructions on how to get your donation matched this Spring (or email Anwyn for details now).

April 2014:

Water Conservation Award

PG&E Tree Removals

Earth Day Celebration

Sprinkles Earth Day Cupcakes

Triple your Spring Donation

Canopy has many opportunities to get involved. Check out our online calendar or consider one of these volunteer needs:

1. Tree Care Leaders for 4/19

2. Tree Watering Teams

3. Young Tree Care Survey Coordinator (Summer)

For more information, email Maika.

FREE TREE WALK
Junior Museum & Zoo: Sat. April 12, 10am - 12pm

Everything you need to know about neighborhood trees.

Join John McClenahan, President of S.P. McClenahan Co. Tree Service and Board Certified Master Arborist, for a walk around the Junior Museum and Zoo. Meet outside the front entrance to the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, 1451 Middlefield Road. Learn more. Sign up.

In Review: Arbor Day Festival

1 tree circus, 1 band, 1 giant squirrel, 2 food trucks, 6 craft tables, 10 fantastic partners, 12 raffle winners, 50 tree climbers and more than 600 happy humans!

Canopy's Arbor Day Festival on March 8th was a dynamic family event with education, crafts, and fun for all ages. Check out photos of this special day: Canopy's flickr set.

Summer Arboriculture Boot Camp & Certified Arborist Exam Prep

Several training dates available between June 11th and July 9th, 2014.

This is both a preparation course for the ISA Certified Arborist Exam and a way to gain practical horticultural knowledge that is useful in everyday gardening. Tree lovers, tree workers, landscape architects, designers, gardeners, and landscape contractors can all benefit. Learn more.

Canopy is proud to be

affiliated with:

Canopy is a nonprofit environmental organization that plants and protects trees in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, and neighboring communities. Thank you for helping us create a continuous, sustainable, and thriving urban forest that can be enjoyed today and by future generations.