20 Years of Canopy
TreEnews - May 2016
Coming up at Canopy
Japanese Maple - one of many trees to see on this walk
Meet at the Greenmeadow Community Center - 303 Parkside Drive, Palo Alto
RSVP
Join Canopy and tree expert Peter Jensen, landscape architect for the City of Palo Alto, to explore both the trees and understory plants of the Greenmeadow neighborhood. In addition to a great variety of trees -- from Sugar Maples to Cork Oaks to Torrey Pines -- we'll discover other aspects of urban landscape ecology and learn how to make a good match between trees and their understory neighbors.
RSVP online or email [email protected].
Learn about Stanford oaks
Saturday, June 11, 10am - 12pm
Exact meeting location TBD
RSVP
Stanford is home to a rich mosaic of diverse tree species, including an impressive variety of oaks. Join expert arborist and oak specialist Dave Muffly for this unique exploration of the strange, wonderful, and often obscure tree species thriving on the Stanford campus. RSVP online or email [email protected].
Survey volunteers
Two Training and Survey Dates:
June 25 and July 16, 9am - 12pm
Meeting locations TBD
Learn more
Each year, Canopy volunteers and partners comb through Palo Alto neighborhoods to survey the health of hundreds of young street trees, and guide the city's young tree care efforts. This is a fun, flexible volunteer opportunity for all ages -- and a great way to learn your street trees! Volunteers are welcome to attend one or both sessions, and check out a survey to complete on their own time.
Learn more about the survey or sign up to volunteer.
There's still time to get your gift MATCHED through May 31st
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated this Spring and helped us secure valuable matching grants!
Donate now to multiply your impact
More than halfway_
We have 3 more weeks to secure the full value of generous matching grants from the Canopy Board and anonymous donors.
Would you consider a gift for urban trees and nature today?
Help grow healthy trees for all
"If you can only plant one tree, plant it in a city."
- David Nowak, U.S. Forest Service
Local SOD blitzes this month
SOD infected leaves
Peninsula and South Bay Blitzes happening May 14, 27, and 28
Calling all citizen scientists!
Every year, the Forest Pathology and Mycology Lab at U.C. Berkeley tracks the areas affected by Sudden Oak Death throughout Northern California, using volunteer-based surveys, called "blitzes."
If you'd like to help, there are four nearby blitzes coming up this month:
  • Saturday May 14: Portola Valley, Los Altos Hills
  • Friday, May 27: Santa Cruz
  • Saturday, May 28: Los Gatos
Details and the full blitz schedule available here. See "Trees in the News" below for an article in the L.A. Times about the spread of SOD and the fungus that causes it.
Here come the bugs!
Western Tussock Moth
Spring is the season for a variety of insects, including the California Oak Moth, Western Tussock Moth, and Leafroller. They attack oaks primarily, and occasionally wander onto other shrubs and trees.
Why are there so many bugs this year?
These insect populations explode every five to ten years. This year, their large numbers coincide with the plentiful rain that generated robust tree, shrub, and grass shoot growth -- supplies of tender food for caterpillars.
We can expect two to three generations of insects this year, with the summer populations being the most damaging to trees.
Congratulations! Friends and partners receive well-deserved awards
Marty Deggeller_ volunteer extraordinaire
If you've ever been to a Canopy tree planting, tree care day, or workshop, chances are that you've met Marty Deggeller.
Marty started volunteering with Canopy in 1997, shortly after he retired as an aerospace engineer, and not long after Canopy itself was established.
Over the last 20 years, Marty has helped make Canopy the organization it is today. He has served 18 years on Canopy's Board, many of those years as Board Chair. He has served on Canopy committees, strengthening our programs, enhancing our strategy, and supporting the Canopy staff in big ways.
In addition, he's led countless tree plantings and service days, mentored dozens of teen interns, and taught thousands of volunteers not only how to plant trees, but why it's so important.
Since 2002, Marty has also been an active volunteer and leader in Kiwanis Club of Palo Alto. Marty and his fellow Kiwanis Club members foster a spirit of collaboration, partnering with organizations like Canopy so that we can all accomplish more together.
Congratulations, Marty, on your immensely deserved award, and thank you for your years of inspiration and dedication. We wouldn't be where we are today without you!
Tree planting
Members of the Kiwanis Club of Palo Alto help plant trees at MLK Park in East Palo Alto earlier this year (January, 2016).
Canopy is thrilled to congratulate our partners at the Kiwanis Club of Palo Alto for their 2016 Tall Tree Award, presented by the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce at a ceremony on May 4th.
Each year, the Tall Tree Awards recognize individuals and organizations that have shown exceptional civic contributions and service to the community. Canopy was very proud to receive a Tall Tree award in 2008.
This year, the Kiwanis Club of Palo Alto was honored for the myriad ways that they support and empower local youth, and for their key role in beautifying and greening the community (including their wonderful support for Canopy's tree planting programs!).
As stated in their nominating letter, "All of this work is done with great enthusiasm, energy, and compassion of each member." We couldn't agree more. Congratulations, Kiwanis Club members, and thank you for all of your incredible work!
Trees in the News
SOD
According to new computer modeling, 'sudden oak death,' caused by a deadly fungus that emerged in 1995, continues to spread statewide.
The region has already lost millions of oak trees from Big Sur to Oregon, with over 50 million acres of land at risk. By 2020 the fungus is predicted to accelerate due to large regions of affected trees and weather conditions that invite infection.
Yet there is one bright spot. Researchers have found that restoring and treating small forests locally is a cost-effective way to manage the disease. Scientists are using the computer model to help local management efforts and prioritize trees for protection.
Tree-lined street
Researcher David Nowak with the US Forest Service advises: "if you can only plant one tree, plant it in a city."
Nowak is one of the creators of i-Tree, a software program that inventories urban canopies and their dollar value. He estimates that trees save cities millions of dollars each year through reduced energy costs, reduced air and water pollutants, and increased carbon sequestration.
The i-Tree software used to calculate these values continues to evolve as new metrics are added. Right now Nowak is working to quantify the value of trees in reducing stress. He hopes that tools like i-Tree will help cities think strategically about public health and sustainability, and recognize the true value of a healthy urban forest.
The gift of a cleaner future
April Tree Gifts and Dedications:
April 1st - 30th, 2016

Stepheny McGraw

in honor of Catherine Martineau

Special thanks to recent Grantors:
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Great news! Canopy is one of the first organizations to receive the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar, the world's largest source of nonprofit information.
GuideStar recently launched the Platinum participation level to help nonprofits share and celebrate their results. By sharing these metrics, we help the sector move beyond simplistic financial ratios to assess nonprofit progress.
Canopy 20 Years
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.

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