BTF News

On most second Saturdays of the month, the Benicia Tree Foundation sponsors Tree Care Days from 9 AM to Noon at one of our project sites to check on the trees we have planted and give them a little TLC.  In January and February, Tree Care Days were held at the Lake Herman Open Space, one of our largest project sites with 100 trees.  In March, the Tree Care Day was held at Joe Henderson Elementary School. 

The first 3rd Thursday in 2018 was celebrated at Benicia Tree Foundation's Lake Herman Open Space project site.  About a dozen volunteers from Benicia's Valero refinery participated.  Last year they helped us start replacing the tree cages around the tree saplings planted in the open space to protect them from the voles that invaded the area after last winter's rains.  The voles can penetrate the existing chickenwire cages.

Ten volunteers responded to our Second Saturday Tree Care Day at Benicia Tree Foundation's Lake Herman Open Space project site.  About 18 trees were refitted with new cages to keep out the voles.  There are about 30 trees left to retrofit.

Last month the Benicia Tree Foundation received a grant from the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment.  The grant was from their Environmental Grassroots Fund and will support BTF operations.  "This grant provides a huge boost to our efforts for 2018," said BTF President Alison Fleck.  "We are also grateful to the letters of support provided by Mayor Elizabeth Patterson, the Benicia Unified School District, and the Benicia Housing Authority."

The Second Saturday and Third Thursday Tree Care Days for the first six months of 2018 have been posted on our website calendar.  Each Tree Care Day begins at 9 AM and ends no later than Noon.  Pick a date and register on our website or call us at 745-4546 and leave your name and phone number.  That way we can be prepared with enough tools and snacks.

Preparing the Tree Care Days schedule for 2018 required site visits to assess conditions at the various project sites maintained by the Benicia Tree Foundation.  The site visits occurred on December 23rd.  Here is a quick rundown on what was found.

We are visiting our project sites over the next week to assess their maintenance needs for the upcoming year.  Our Second Saturday and Third Thursday Tree Care Days for 2018 will be posted before the end of 2017.