Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 21, 2006

CONTACT: Jana Dilley, Program Director
                    (650) 964-6110 jana@canopy.org

Canopy Marks Its 10th Anniversary by Partnering with East Palo Alto
for Major Tree Planting Initiative

2004 Nobel Peace Prize Winner to Kick-off Events April 30

Palo Alto, Calif., March 21, 2006 – To celebrate the 10th anniversary of its founding, Canopy, a Palo Alto-based urban forest advocacy organization, is branching out by partnering with the City of East Palo Alto to plant 1,000 trees by 2010.  On April 30, Nobel Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement, will formally launch the initiative at a community celebration in East Palo Alto and then will help raise funds by delivering the keynote address at a dinner event in Palo Alto.

Advocates for healthy urban trees

Founded in 1996, Canopy has established deep roots as Palo Alto’s urban forest advocacy organization.  Just ten years ago, the health of Palo Alto’s trees was in decline due to a succession of droughts, city budget constraints, the lack of tree protection regulations and a lack of awareness.  Canopy was formed to work with City of Palo Alto arborists and residents in an effort to protect, care for and renew the Palo Alto urban forest. 

According to Mayor Judy Kleinberg, Canopy is adding significant value to the city.

“Canopy has raised the profile of trees in our community by providing residents with the opportunity to learn more about the kinds of trees we have and how to keep them healthy,” Kleinberg said.  “Through their work with Canopy, residents become much more engaged in caring for the trees near their homes.  Our city budget simply could not fund all the work managed by Canopy and its volunteers.  Palo Alto is fortunate to have such a dedicated group working with city staff to keep our urban forest replenished.”

Some of Canopy’s accomplishments in the past ten years have included the following:

• In 1996, Canopy championed two Palo Alto ordinances protecting native trees on both public and private land.  Prior to that time, trees could be removed at will regardless of species and age.  The City of San Francisco is currently considering a similar ordinance.
• In the past 10 years, Canopy has mobilized approximately 2,000 volunteers who have invested 15,000 hours of work on activities such as removing invasive plants from the base of trees to planting trees along city streets and in public parks.  The events are truly multigenerational, as elementary school-aged Cub Scouts and Brownies often work side-by-side with long-time Palo Alto residents and retirees.
• Canopy volunteers and staff have planted more than 900 trees and have provided care for more than 3,700 trees.
• Annually, Canopy works with volunteers to survey the health of each street tree planted in the prior five years.  Since proper care in the first five years of a tree’s life is essential to long-term health, volunteers assess each tree’s overall condition and monitor for proper irrigation and staking support.  Requirements for proper care are provided to residents and the results of the survey are turned over to the City of Palo Alto Tree Division so that necessary action will be taken.
• In the past five years alone, Canopy has held 51 educational events at which prominent arborists have taught nearly 1,300 people about the proper care and maintenance of trees.
• Canopy serves as a rich information resource for residents.  The Canopy.org website has received approximately 750,000 hits since its launch in 2004.  The website features a searchable database with information about and photos of 185 species of trees present in Palo Alto.
• Canopy mobilized 47 volunteers in a four-year effort to inventory the 9,000 mature native oak trees in Palo Alto.   Published in 2001, the results of the inventory, called the OakWell Report, are available on Canopy.org under “Programs.”

Plans for the future

According to Executive Director Catherine Martineau, Canopy enters its second decade with two primary goals: to continue strengthening tree programs in Palo Alto and to launch an urban forestry initiative in East Palo Alto.

“Canopy has developed expertise that benefits Palo Alto and that will allow us to work hand-in-hand with East Palo Alto to bring the benefits of an urban forest to our neighbors,” Martineau said.  “We have ten years of experience working with city officials, engaging local arborists, mobilizing volunteers, and securing funding from individual donations and corporate and government grants.”  

Partnering with East Palo Alto

Recently, Canopy and East Palo Alto community leaders, including City Council member Pat Foster, secured a $142,000 grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection through its Green Trees for the Golden State program.  The grant will cover the planting and installation of an irrigation system for more than six hundred trees.

According to the California Department of Forestry, the initiative is a good fit with its urban forestry program. 

“Through this grant, we will improve the urban forest conditions and demonstrate the benefits of a healthy urban forest ecosystem in the East Palo Alto community,” said Ruben Grijalva, acting director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

“The positive impact of trees in urban communities is well documented,” said Foster.  “There are environmental and health benefits such as improved air quality, economic benefits including increased property values and social and aesthetic benefits. We are pleased to be partnering with Canopy to evolve the East Palo Alto landscape so that we can achieve these important goals.”

The Trees for East Palo Alto Initiative consists of the following comprehensive elements:

• Plant and install irrigation for 1,000 public trees by the end of 2010
• Provide three years of follow-up care
• Engage and educate residents in the planting and care of community trees
• Assist the City of East Palo Alto in creating a comprehensive municipal urban forestry program including tree protection regulations, planting plans, and inventory and management tools

According to Foster, East Palo Alto has virtually no municipal budget for plantings or tree care, and interventions are made on an emergency basis only. She said that the partnership with Canopy will offer East Palo Alto residents the opportunity to participate fully in the beautification and environmental development of their community. Canopy is working in partnership with the City of East Palo Alto public works department and local groups to design and coordinate plantings.

Nobel Laureate to launch events

On April 30, Prof. Maathai will plant the first tree under the new initiative at the intersection of Newbridge and Bay roads in East Palo Alto.  A native of Kenya, Prof. Maathai received the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize “for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.” Her achievements as a leading international environmentalist and stateswoman started with the simple act of planting a tree which led to the planting of more than 30 million trees in Africa. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the Goldman Environmental Prize in 1991.

Prof. Maathai will deliver the keynote address at Canopy’s 10th anniversary dinner event, with proceeds to benefit urban forest initiatives in Palo Alto and East Palo Alto.  Congresswoman Anna Eshoo is honorary chairperson of the dinner. State Senator Joe Simitian is emcee.

Canopy has two part time employees and receives funding from the City of Palo Alto, individual contributors, businesses, foundations and state agencies.  Visit the Canopy website (www.Canopy.org) or contact Jana Dilley (650 964-6110, jana@canopy.org) for more information including the following:

• Fact sheet on the benefits of urban trees (pdf)
• Background on Prof. Wangari Maathai (pdf)
• Photos including Canopy activities and Prof. Maathai
• Information on purchasing tickets to the 10th anniversary dinner event

Art renderings of the East Palo Alto Initiative will be available within the next two to three weeks.

Canopy is a Palo Alto-based non-profit advocate for the urban forest and works to educate, inspire and engage the community as stewards of young and mature trees.

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