Canopy: Healthy Trees, Healthy Communities
July 2015
In this issue:
 
Community News and Events
Take a Tree Walk!
Saturday, July 11, 10-12pm
Meet at Palo Alto High School (Churchill Ave. at Castilleja)
Let's take a walk!

Join Canopy and expert arborist Christian Bonner for a tree tour of the Southgate neighborhood.

We'll encounter a delightful range of tree species, including the delicate Mimosa, magnificent Blue Atlas Cedar, spongy-barked Cork Oak, colorful Idaho Locust, and many more.

The perfect way to spend a summer morning!

Meet in the Palo Alto High School parking lot on Churchill Avenue at Castilleja Avenue. 

Join us!

Palo Alto Residents: Get your Free Mulch!
Sat, July 25, 10am - 2pm 
3201 East Bayshore Road 
We love mulch!
Mulch is one of the best ways to preserve moisture in your landscape and conserve water during the drought.
The City of Palo Alto is having a mulch give-away for local residents and businesses from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, at the Municipal Services Center located at 3201 East Bayshore Road. More information here.
Don't live in Palo Alto?
You can still get free mulch!
Many other cities have free mulch give-aways, so check with your city for resources.
Additionally, many local tree companies will deliver mulch for free--all you have to do is ask!
You can check out Canopy's online Arborist list, and select "Free Wood Chip Delivery" under Other Services to find local tree care companies that offer this service.
For tips on proper mulch application, see info about Preserving Trees and Conserving Water. In general, mulch at least to the tree's drip line, but be sure to keep mulch a few inches away from the root flare to avoid decay.
Happy mulching!
Free Workshop:
Water Conservation 101
Thurs. August 13,  7-9pm
Lucie Stern Com. Center
1305 Middlefield Road
Water Conservation
This workshop from the City of Palo Alto is open to everyone.
Topics include drought impacts, managing home water usage, checking for leaks, efficient irrigation tools and tips, and active rebate opportunities.
Volunteer with Canopy!
Help us keep young trees from getting thirsty!
This month, join Canopy to refill DriWater gels and perform other basic tree care for the young trees at Cesar Chavez Academy in East Palo Alto
Tree Care Service Day
Thursday, July 16th, 2:30 - 5pm
2450 Ralmar Avenue

Tree care service days are a fun, hands-on way to help grow the urban forest and improve your community in a tangible way. Sign up to volunteer!

Questions? Email Natalia. 

Trees get a drink
 

Thank you to June tree care volunteers!

Team work!

Our thanks go out to the awesome team of tree care volunteers that joined our June service days!

Thanks to their efforts, we provided care for over 115 young school trees over 4 service days. This hard work will have impacts for decades to come as these trees continue to grow, thrive, and benefit the entire community.

Awesome job, everyone!

Say

Connect with Canopy:

Like us on Facebook 

Follow us on Twitter 

View our photos on flickr

Support Canopy:
Donate Now
Vehicle Donation
Canopy Online Resources:
Arborist List
Tree Library
Tree Care
 
Teach Kids about Trees! Education Leader Workshop starts in August
Sparking curiosity
Are you passionate about trees, nature, and education?

Canopy works in classrooms throughout East Palo Alto and east Menlo Park, offering hands-on tree-centric activities that spark kids' curiosity about trees and nature.

To deliver these lessons, we depend on a wonderful team of education volunteers who love trees and kids.

Next month, we'll host a three-part workshop series to train new people who want to help out in classrooms and inspire the next generation!

Volunteer training with local experts

3 sessions on consecutive Wednesdays:

August 5th, 12th, and 19th, 4:30 - 7pm

Special guests include:

Jennifer Saltzman, Director of Outreach Education for the Stanford School of Earth Sciences

Nico Janik, STEM Coordinator for K-5 at the Ravenswood City School District

Topics include teaching methodology, cultural sensitivity, and Canopy's unique curriculum.

Learn more

This week: Survey Trees!
Survey trees with us!

Sign up today for the Palo Alto Young Tree Care Survey 

Saturday, July 11, 9am - 12pm

Wednesday, July 15, 5:30 - 8:30pm

Sign up to volunteer

The Young Tree Care Survey is a fun, flexible volunteer opportunity.

There are two scheduled training dates:

  • Saturday, July 11, 9am - 12pm
  • Wednesday, July 15, 5:30 - 8:30pm

Each session is located at a park in Palo Alto (RSVP for location), and includes a brief training, after which volunteers team up to complete survey routes. Once they've attended a training, volunteers can check out survey routes to complete on their own or with a friend.

Please bring a smartphone if possible; we're piloting a new survey app (more details in RSVP confirmation email)!

Hope you can join us:

Volunteer!

Trees and Drought

Q: Should I fertilize my tree during the drought? 

A: No, not a good idea

Fertilizing a drought stressed tree is more likely to cause harm than good. Even in normal conditions, most trees do just fine without fertilizer. During drought, however, fertilizer can cause real damage and actually weaken the tree.

The surplus nutrients spur top growth and increase leaf area -- growth that the tree cannot sustain with limited water supply.

Additionally, without sufficient soil moisture, the salts in fertilizer can burn or damage the tree's roots. Young trees are especially vulnerable to this, and should always be protected from herbicides and fertilizers.

Learn five important steps to preserve trees and conserve water on Canopy's website, or download a printable brochure. Drought Tree Care

Trees in the News

School and Neighborhood Trees improve kids' attention and memory

Healthy Trees, Healthy Kids

A recent study suggests that nature and greenery in and around schools can boost kids' memory and attention. Read more from the Atlantic.

This is one of many recent studies that confirm the profound physical and mental health benefits of tree-filled schools and communities.

Learn about Canopy's Healthy Trees, Healthy Kids! initiative to plant trees in the schools and parks where they are most needed. Stay tuned for more on phase two in the coming season!

Controversy over eucalyptus removals in East Bay Hills 

Eucalyptus debate According to the East Bay Express, no one is happy about a recent proposal to reduce fire risk by thinning eucalyptus trees in the East Bay Hills.

Many local environment advocates say it doesn't go far enough; they want more of the non-native trees removed.

Neighborhood groups, on the other hand, feel the proposal goes too far, asserting that widespread removal of trees amounts to clear-cutting.

Read more...

Tough times for California's Joshua Trees  

Joshua trees are in declineClimate change and extended drought have become the biggest threats to California's iconic forests of desert-dwelling Joshua trees, as the LA Times reports.

The singular species, Yucca brevifolia (technically a succulent), is an important refuge for dessert wildlife as well as a recognizable cultural symbol, but young trees have a hard time establishing in drier, warming conditions.

Read more...

Save the Date!

Trees of Stanford: A Walk Through Time

Saturday, October 10, 9am - 12:30pm

A tree talk followed by an outdoor exploration of the trees of Stanford

Join Canopy, the Stanford Historical Society, and a panel of renowned experts for a walk through time on the Stanford campus.  Stanford Tree Talk

Featured speakers and tree walk leaders include:

  • Matt Ritter, Professor of Botany at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo;
  • Herb Fong, expert arborist and former Stanford Grounds Supervisor;
  • Dave Muffly, Head Arborist for Apple and passionate tree advocate

More details coming soon!

To receive event updates, email [email protected].

New at Canopy: Our first ever Urban Forestry Intern

Canopy's new internship position advances youth urban forestry skills 

This season, Canopy is excited to launch a new position -- an Urban Forestry Intern.

The Urban Forestry Intern oversees the work of the Teen Urban Foresters (TUFs), and works closely with Canopy program staff to do independent tree care on the thousands of trees Canopy has planted. The position is funded through a generous grant from the Morgan Family Foundation.

This summer, we're thrilled to have Jorge Rodriguez joining us as the first Urban Forestry Intern. Jorge has been a friend of Canopy since 2012, when he started volunteering and joined our crew of Teen Urban Foresters (formerly called the Youth Staff).

Jorge is eager to apply the skills and knowledge he gained as a TUF member in a new capacity, and to help mentor the new team. "There's so much to learn about trees," Jorge says. "I'm excited to keep growing and teach the new TUF members."


Canopy plants and cares for trees where people need them the most. We bring the life-giving benefits of trees to the schools, neighborhoods, and public spaces of the San Francisco Mid-Peninsula.

Canopy is proud to be affiliated with:

   Great Nonprofit (Small)