BTF News

Benicia's Joe Henderson, Matthew Turner and Mary Farmar elementary schools held Fall Arbor Day tree planting events last week with the assistance of the Benicia Tree Foundation, to promote the importance of trees in our community and the need to plant the right tree in the right place.

Second Saturday Tree Care Day event was held at the Liberty High School project site on October 13th.  Volunteers removed weeds at the project site and were trained in basic tree pruning methods.  None of the trees at Liberty had been pruned since they were planted in 2014 and had outgrown their tree stakes.  Most all the tree stakes and some dead wood were removed - this was followed with some structural pruning to help them mature into strong healthy trees.  Below is a photo from this Tree Care Day.  The Benicia Tree Foundation has applied for a grant to plant tre

Twelve volunteers attend our first tree care day event of the new school year at Benicia High School on September 8th.  Ten of these volunteers are in the picture below.  About 70 trees were watered this day.  Later in the year, we will be putting tree cages around the trees after the first winter rains begin.  The tree cages will protect the tree saplings from the goats that control the weeds on the hillside above the upper parking lot.

If young trees are "trained" or pruned to promote good structure, they will likely remain servicable in the landscape for more years than trees that have not been so pruned, especially if the training is started early on.  Defects can be removed, a single, or dominant leader can be selected, and branches can be well spaced along the main trunk.

Fourteen volunteers joined Benicia Tree Foundation board members Alison Fleck and Steven Goetz for today's Tree Care Day at the Lake Herman Open Space project site.  The sky was sunny and the breeze kept our volunteers cool.  All 67 trees were watered and the last of our vole-proof tree cages were installed.

Benicia Tree Foundation's Second Saturday Tree Care Day in July was held at the Benicia State Recreation Area project site.

Valero Benicia Refinery's Local Charitable Giving Program targeted the Benicia Tree Foundation for the first time with a $1,500 donation.

"We are grateful not only for this donation, but also for the many volunteer hours contributed by employees of the Valero Benicia Refinery through their participation in our Tree Care Days", said Benicia Tree Foundation President, Alison Fleck.  "Valero's support is vital to continuing our efforts to build community through tree planting, education and maintenance in Benicia."

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.