Countywide : Tree Experts Explain How to Obtain More

If you want more trees to grace your city but don’t have the tax money to buy them, try starting an adopt-a-tree program or creating a memorial tree park.

Those were a few of the suggestions that Northern California experts offered Wednesday during a daylong workshop in Anaheim for turning urbanized Orange County into a greener place.

About 150 people--mostly parks and recreation officials from several cities and counties --listened intently to members of California ReLeaf, the Sacramento Tree Foundation and the East Bay Regional Parks Foundation, who described the latest tactics in “releafing” the county.

“We all need to care more about the trees; but it’s all new to a lot of us,” Yucaipa Councilwoman Lillian Eaton said.

Sponsored by California ReLeaf, which is part of the American Forestry Assn.’s Global ReLeaf program, the conference was an attempt to encourage Southern California cities to become more involved in planting and caring for trees.

Local governments in Northern California are often thought to be the state’s leaders in environmental concerns, and the sponsors brought lessons learned in that area.

Isabel Wade, director of urban forestry for California ReLeaf, told department leaders that they need to involve residents and arouse community interest, which in turn will encourage local politicians to find funding and other types of support.

“You’ve got to build the base of public support, because without that the politicians are not going to lead,” Wade said.

Janet Cobb, executive director of the East Bay Regional Parks District, also discussed the need for community involvement in planting and caring for trees. She said that with city budget crunches, many local governments will need to rely on more help from volunteers if seedlings are to grow.

Jerry Crum, parks services manager for Anaheim, said the workshop was helpful.

“Often citizens are tired of their trees because they’re tired of raking up leaves,” Crum said. “This is good because it helps us explain to them the importance of trees.”