Beyond museums, gardens and architecture, there is another reason why we should regard Balboa Park as the crown jewel of San Diego. Given its size – an urban forest covering 1,200 acres – the park also is an asset in helping our region fight climate change and air pollution.
How? By absorbing CO2 and other pollutant particulates and releasing pure oxygen.
That’s why we teamed up with the Balboa Park Conservancy today to plant new trees in the park, along with other landscaping efforts. Partners in this effort also included Tree San Diego, Urban Corps and the City of San Diego Parks & Recreation Department.
Part of a Larger Reforestation Initiative
This morning, nearly 100 of our employees – our Environmental All-Stars – and their families volunteered their time at Balboa Park to plant trees to replenish the tree canopy, where it has been depleted by drought or disease. Twenty-six trees were planted to help meet the goal of the Balboa Park Conservancy’s Tree Balboa Park initiative, which aims to reforest the urban oasis with 500 new trees over two years.
SDG&E and the Balboa Park Conservancy have an ongoing partnership to improve our local environment. The Conservancy is part of our Environmental Champions program, which supports non-profit organizations that are dedicated to enhancing the environment in San Diego and southern Orange counties.
Today’s tree-planting effort was made possible by a special SDG&E-San Diego Padres initiative called Broken Bats for Brand New Trees. The initiative generated funds for the Balboa Park Conservancy to help replace dead and dying; funds were set aside for every bat broken at Petco Park during the Padres' last season.
This Valentine’s Day, consider taking a stroll in Balboa Park to enjoy beautiful scenery made possible by the trees in the park and hug a tree as they deserve our love!
How to get Involved in Greening Our Region
Want to get involved in planting trees to create a more livable and beautiful environment?
Consider participating in the City’s Free Tree SD initiative. San Diego residents can request that the City of San Diego plant trees in the parkway in front of their residence at no cost. This is a great way to help contribute to clean air and fight climate change.