We have been a long-time partner in the regional urban forestry world, supporting tree planting, tree care best practices and education about the importance of trees. Our mantra, "right tree, right place," extends beyond the 460,000 trees in our maintenance program.
Through a combination of charitable funds and ratepayer-funded programs, we work with cities, agencies, and nonprofit partners to expand the size and health of our region's tree canopy.
Last week, we joined Forever Balboa Park to "Plant it Forward" – a tradition for the previous three years. This year, in addition to planting new trees to offset the significant tree mortality the park faces, the organizations joined forces to empower community members to plant it forward at home.
The Plant it Forward celebration honors Kate Sessions, an iconic San Diegans whose horticultural vision helped to create Balboa Park and many other green spaces in our community. The campaign culminated on Nov. 8, her birthday.
The Next Generation of Environmental Stewards
On Friday, students from High Tech High spent their morning in Balboa Park learning how to plant trees from Forever Balboa Park and Tree San Diego's Tree Stewards. After a series of tree planting demonstrations, students put their new skills to use, planting ten trees in the Park near the Fleet Science Center. While there are over 15,000 trees in Balboa Park, many were produced decades ago and are reaching the end of their lives.
Thus, it's important for community organizations and volunteers to help the City by planting new trees to offset tree mortality.
Community Involvement and Tree Planting Safety
On Saturday, San Diegans made their way to Balboa Park and picked up climate-appropriate tree saplings from Forever Balboa Park. Community members learned more about proper tree planting and tree care techniques from a series of online videos to ensure that their trees will thrive in their new homes.
Our very own Utility Forester, Jimmie Webb, provided the utility perspective for tree planting, reminding customers to look up and look down to see potential utility conflicts like power lines or underground utility services, and reminded everyone of the importance of calling 8-1-1 before you dig. 8-1-1, or DigAlert, is an essential and free resource for customers and should be used before you ever put a shovel in the ground.
This service will come out and mark all underground utilities – not just our facilities – at no cost.
10,000 Trees and Counting
Throughout 2021, our company been supporting numerous tree planting and tree care events as we work toward our Sustainability Strategy goal of planting 10,000 trees each year. Thanks to partnerships with organizations like Forever Balboa Park, we are proud to announce that it has surpassed 10,000 trees planted this year.
Stay tuned for the end of the year as we announce our grand total!