San Diego Regional Urban Forests Council
Creating a cleaner, healthier and more prosperous San Diego by investing in urban trees.
We had a great success during our Earth Day planting project at San Elijo Campground. Check out our new web page that outlines how we are asking the users of the park help keep the trees and plants watered. This page is on a QR code on the dozens of signs placed in every campsite there was a planting and at various other locations in the park! http://sdrufc.com/san-elijo-planting-project/
Tree San Diego recently planted hundreds of trees in the Chula Vista and Logan Heights areas. As part of the plantings, regular watering will help ensure these trees will survive. Tree San Diego announces two part time – Saturday and Sunday contractor positions. One for a truck driver for the water, and another for a volunteer coordinator. Apply by April 28th!
Volunteers are needed to help SDRUFC plant over two dozen trees at San Elijo Campground.
Years of drought and water restrictions, heavy site use, combined with pests and disease have all but wiped out much of the vegetation at this iconic campsite. But there is help on the way. The park has recently received a grant for re-vegetating and irrigating the north end of the grounds. SDRUFC is helping out with some additional funds to plant native 5 and 15 gallon trees.
These trees will help soften the effects heavy campground use has on the site and the surrounding community. As they mature they will provide shade to cool the area and intercept smoke and exhaust from vehicles and generators.
Trees are provided but we need gloves, pry bars, and shovels to get the trees in the ground.
Please join us for this incredible Arbor Day Event! Sign up using this google form by April 7th!
Saturday April 22
Check in – 8:30 am
Event 9am-12:30pm
Free street parking available nearby. Day use lot at north end of campground for $10.00/day
Balboa Park Club: Santa Fe Room
2150 Pan American Rd West.
San Diego 92101
This meeting will be held from 11:00am to 1:30pm
This meeting will have 1 CEU’s for Arborist / Tree Worker Certification.
This Months topic will be:
As nesting season for many wildlife species begins in Southern California, there is no time like the present to learn about minimizing impacts to wildlife during tree care!
While many tree care workers and land managers wish to act responsibly around wildlife, little information has been available about how work can best be accomplished with minimal or no negative impact to wildlife. In addition, the existence of Federal and California wildlife regulations are not widely known within the tree care industry, thereby putting uninformed workers at risk of significant fines and public criticism. The Tree Care for Birds working group has brought together 80+ urban forestry and wildlife professionals to develop Best Management Practices (BMPs), training, and education programs, to enhance habitat and protect wildlife through tree care practices. Learn more about the project attreecareforbirds.com.
Corey Bassett, West Coast Arborists, and Magen Shaw, Davey Resource Group, both members of the Tree Care for Birds working group, will be presenting the group’s work at the San Diego Regional Forest Council meeting in April.
BIOS:
Corey Bassett is a Program Coordinator at West Coast Arborists, Inc., (WCA), and works out of the San Diego area. She coordinates state wide tree and community outreach grant programs and performs urban forestry, biological, and arboricultural consulting work. She is an ISA Certified Arborist, holds the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification, and has a Masters in Environmental Studies conc. Environmental Biology and B.A. in Earth Science concentration in Environmental Science, both from the University of Pennsylvania. Outside of work, Corey is very involved with the San Diego Audubon Society chapter and leads volunteers at habitat restoration events. Feel free to contact Corey with any questions at cbassett@wcainc.com or (619) 218-4573.
Magen Shaw, a San Diego native, obtained a B.S. in Environmental Studies, with a concentration in Environmental Restoration and Natural Resource Management, from San Jose State University (SJSU). Shortly after graduation, she moved back to San Diego, and in March 2015 began working for Davey Resource Group (DRG) as a Consulting Utility Forester. She obtained an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certification as an Arborist in July 2015. She now works between the Natural Resource Management and Urban Forestry Departments, as DRG’s Associate Biologist and an Consulting Arborist. Feel free to contact Magen with any questions at magen.shaw@davey.com or (858) 864-6069
Please email confirmation
Tree Warden / Code Compliance Officer
Help Save San Diego’s Trees!!
Urban forester/arborist sought to plan, coordinate, and implement urban forestry or tree maintenance programs; administer and inspect the work of private contractors; make inspections of public right of way tree conditions to determine work priorities; provide technical arborist expertise to subordinates, supervisors and other City departments; evaluate and rate the work of subordinates and contractors; and perform other duties as assigned. Program info at https://www.sandiego.gov/
SDRUFC Executive Committee member, Anne Fege has been working with Ocean Beach residents to address specific concerns and opportunities, and lately to develop a Tree Advocacy Handbook and Class. The class now has a date-time, location, and outline! This is an extension of the “tree advocacy” that has been in the works.
SDRUFC is sponsoring the event Saturday, March 25, 2017, 9:30 to 12:00 (starting with coffee and bagels), at the Ocean Beach Community Center, 4843 Voltaire Street. The event is FREE! Register at https://treeadvocacyclass.
This short class will answer these questions: Where are the trees and who owns the trees? What laws apply to trees, and who takes care of them? What does it take to manage trees? What can citizens do for trees in San Diego? More information in Tree Advocacy Handbook that all participants will receive.
Our drought may be easing – for now, but we have learned we need to change our thinking and be water-wise 24-7-365!
“Trees in irrigated landscapes become dependent on regular watering. When watering is reduced – and especially when it’s stopped completely – trees will die.
Tree loss is a very costly problem: not only in expensive tree removal, but also in the loss of all the benefits trees provide. Your trees provide an immense range of health, energy, environmental and economic benefits:
Find our more information at www.saveourwater.com/trees
We are well aware of the benefits trees provide our communities. However in order to keep them healthy and thriving, trees require maintenance. Tree-care professionals work in one of the most hazardous occupations – and injuries and fatalities are on the rise. If you are a home owner – please hire only companies that are qualified, are certified arborists, and maintain strict safety standards. If you are a tree-care professional, please always work safely, do not cut corners, and if something feels wrong – Stop immediately and correct any potential safety issues.
The Tree Care Industry Association tracks injuries and fatalities in the tree-care industry. TCIA learned of 153 tree care-related occupational incidents in calendar year 2016. Ninety-two of them were fatal. A report in the most recent issue of ArborAge provides what TCIA knows about these incidents from the media accounts.
Drought panic and rebates incentivize too many quick and dirty solutions for our water crisis. All over the city — and especially in park-poor areas, where postage-stamp lawns may be the only relief from pavement — we have to think before we act. Will exchanging a living, breathing yard for a bleak gravelscape save water? Some. But is it the only way? Is it the right way?
We know the answer is Heck No! But to find out why not, check out this great Op-Ed from the LA Times from Jun 2015
San Diego is hosting the 2017 WCISA conference May 8-11 with a theme of “Plans, Partners and Progress.” Several SDRUFC members are actively involved in the planning and preparations for this event. It will be held on the island resort of Paradise Point in Mission Bay. There is a fantastic line-up of engaging speakers, and plenty of entertainment including “Joe Rathburns Island” a Jimmy Buffet Cover band.
We had a walk through of the site yesterday and this definitely is a conference not to be missed!
Check out the conference website for more details and to register to attend! https://wcisaconnect.com/