• Musical performances by Andy Z and local talent.
• Delicious eats by Sam's ChowderMobile and Oaxacan Kitchen Mobile.
• Tree climbing with Tim Womick and Chad Brey of the Tree Circus
• Fun tree crafts with the Palo Alto Art Center
• Science and critters with the Junior Museum & Zoo
• Tree-themed raffle prizes from local artisans
• Activities and info from non-profit and City of Palo Alto partners

...and much more. Mark your calendar, invite your neighbors, and come celebrate trees!  

The San Jose Mercury News recently reported that an invasive pest called the Asian citrus psyllid has been spotted around San Jose.

The insect carries huanglongbing (HLB) a disease that is harmless to humans, but deadly for citrus plants. So far, citrus trees in Florida and Texas have been infected, but the psyllid is known to exist in ten other states.

According to the Mercury News, 8,000 jobs have been lost in Florida due to the impact of HLB on commercial orchards, a figure that worries California's $2 billion citrus industry. Any spread of the Asian citrus psyllid or the disease it carries poses a real threat to California's commercial and residential citrus plants. 

We all have a role in protecting local trees. To help prevent the spread of Asian citrus psyllid and HLB, you can: 

• Avoid bringing citrus into the area from other states or countries
• Purchase citrus plants from local, trusted sources
• Inspect your own citrus trees
• Read the article, or visit California Citrus Threat to learn more.

According Bloomberg Business, scientists at Oxford University have been working to determine the most effective technology to combat climate change, and they have found a winner: trees!

Compared with other carbon-capturing methods, researchers noted, afforestation (in other words, tree-planting) and the use of biochar "are low-cost, have fewer uncertainties and offer other benefits to the environment."

At Canopy, we've always known that trees provide life-giving benefits, locally and globally. Visit our website to learn more about planting and caring for trees in our area. 

While some Oxford researchers are reporting the life-saving benefits of trees (see above), editors at Oxford University Press are sending a different message, removing a long list of nature words from their Junior Dictionary in favor of more tech-focused vocabulary.

Instead of looking up almond, beaver, acorn, or other trees species, seven-year-olds will instead have access to terms including MP3 player, blog, voicemail, and broadband. 

The trend worries conservationists and environmental educators, who assert that people -- especially children -- are becoming more disconnected from nature, spelling trouble both for people and their environment. Canadian wildlife artist and conservationist Robert Bateman is among those concerned by the change. "If you can't name things, how can you love them?" he asks. "And if you don't love them, then you're not going to care a hoot about protecting them or voting for issues that would protect them."