The City of Coronado’s Street Tree Committee hosted its annual tree planting event in honor of Arbor’s day. Saturday, May 3, 2014 scores of volunteers arrived at Spreckels Park to help plant new trees all around Coronado.
Preparing for volunteers to arrive by familiarizing with the map of where trees will be planted.
Scores of volunteers arrived to help plant trees.
Volunteers included local residents, military personnel and others from communities in San Diego County. There was a wide variety of ages and a high level of enthusiasm. Volunteers were asked to bring a shovel and gloves.
Miss Coronado, Susanna Wiggins and Miss Teen Coronado, Katie Hearther helped check in volunteers.
Marvin Heinze, Vice-chairman of the Street Tree Committee was on hand with amazing energy, checking volunteers in, assigning them an area in which to plant and giving general instructions. There was a crew of city employees helping with the event as well. Coffee, water, fruit and mini cinnamon rolls were offered to help people get in the spirit and ensure they were wide awake and fueled for the work to be done.
There was a great group of volunteers who showed up to plant trees.
The City of Coronado plans the tree planting event every year in honor of Arbor Day. For the last 29 years, Coronado has been designated a “Tree City USA” by the National Arbor Day Foundation. To qualify for this designation, “a town or city must meet four standards established by The Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters. These standards were established to ensure that every qualifying community would have a viable tree management plan and program.
The four standards are:
1. Have a tree board or department
2. Possess a tree care ordinance
3. Have a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita
4. Have an Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation
For more information on the National Arbor Day Foundation, click here.
There are fourteen different types of trees that the committee chooses from each year. They are all trees considered to grow well in our community. The committee recommends areas for planting based on trees that may have come down during the year due to illness or other factors. The City reviews the recommendations of the Street Tree Committee and contacts the owner of the property where the tree is to be planted. The owner is given a choice of the type of tree and where, exactly, they would like it planted. The trees in question are planted in the area between the curb and the sidewalk and that is why they are called “street trees”.
Miss Coronado, Susanna Wiggins, Vice Chair of the Street Tree Committee Marvin Heinze and Miss Teen Coronado, Katie Hearther show off the Melaleuca nesophila provided to volunteers by West Coast Arborist.
Marisa Dunn from West Coast Arborist was on hand to provide information to volunteers, pass out saplings of the melaleuca nesophila and support the event. West Coast Arborist has a contract with the city for tree services. The company is charged with pruning, removal and plantings. More information on West Coast Arborist can be found here.
As volunteers arrived, they approached the gazebo to check in and receive the address where they would be planting. Generally, the committee tried to send groups of three to four people. Maps were on hand to help folks visualize where they would be heading. After everyone was checked in, Mr. Heinze organized the group for a photo. Next it was time for a demonstration of how to properly plant a tree.
The first step to plant a tree is digging a hole that is the right diameter and depth.
City employees painted a circle on the grass in Spreckels Park near the Sixth street sidewalk. A few folks dug a hole for the tree to be planted. The lead volunteer of this portion of the program discussed the proper way to dig and remove dirt, proper depth to maximize success of growth for the new tree and how best to replace the dirt and pat it down. Volunteers gathered around to look and listen. A group of children jumped in to help replace the dirt and pat it down once the tree was in place.
Once the hole is complete, proper depth for the tree must be ensured if it is to grow properly.
There were plenty of volunteers to help replace the dirt once the tree was placed in its new home.
The last step, before watering the newly planted tree, is to pat the dirt in place.
With the conclusion of the demonstration, volunteers were ready to go plant some 40 trees in our city. Each volunteer (if they wanted) was presented with a certificate to commemorate their volunteer effort.
Miss Teen Coronado, Katie Hearther and Miss Coronado, Susanna Wiggins show off their volunteer certificates while posing with Councilman Mike Woiwode.
This was a well-attended, meticulously planned and executed event. Hats off to the City of Coronado Street Tree Committee and everyone who helped make this event such a wonderful success.
Kellee Hearther
Staff Writer
eCoronado.com
