April 28 marks Arbor Day, a national celebration to plant and protect trees. A local environmental nonprofit, The Water Conservation Garden is calling on the community to register for their second annual San Diego Tree Week initiative, April 22-29, 2023. San Diego Tree Week, an initiative of The Water Conservation, aims to bring together neighbors to plant trees in our community. Businesses, schools, and individuals alike can come together to celebrate the many benefits of trees.
In its inaugural year with the help of our community and sponsors, the 2022 San Diego Tree Week participants planted over 200 trees throughout San Diego County and registered 70 teams. The Garden hopes to continue this movement and teach our neighbors the benefits of growing more tree canopies in our community.
There are many ways you can get involved. You can lead a tree planting event, donate dollars, volunteer, gift trees, attend a workshop, or become a sponsor. San Diego Tree Week is generously supported by San Diego Gas & Electric, Sycuan Casino & Resort and Wheelhouse Credit Union.
With a mission to promote water conservation and the sustainable use of related natural resources, The Water Conservation Garden encourages all of us to become better stewards for our planet. CEO & Executive Director of The Water Conservation Garden, Jennifer Pillsbury encourages San Diegans to plant drought-tolerant, native trees, “Many trees are stressed by the ongoing drought. Water-wise plants can save you money on your water bill and tend to be lower maintenance. You can use less water and create environmentally-friendly landscapes that look beautiful all year-long.”
When the right tree is planted in the right place, they can have a huge impact. Trees help slow climate change, strengthen biodiversity, provide shade, increase property values, and filter our air and water1. People tend to protect what they love. By learning about our environment and participating in San Diego Tree Week, we hope to ignite a passion for our beautiful natural world.
Even with this year’s unprecedented rainfall, drought continues to threaten San Diego trees, and people in the community are continuing to step up and protect them. More than 129 million trees in California have died over the past decade because of the drought. When trees are stressed from high temperatures, they are more vulnerable to insects, diseases, and wildfires. This leaves San Diegans at risk with impaired watersheds and wildlife habitats2.
“I am thrilled to kick off the start of Tree Week that every year brings together communities from all of San Diego,” said San Diego County Chairwoman Nora Vargas. “By planting trees, we are not only beautifying our landscapes but also combatting climate change and helping create cleaner air for everyone to breathe. That’s why I’m committed to a goal of planting 10,000 trees across the County. Together, we can improve our environment as we embrace this year’s The Water Conservation Garden’s San Diego Tree Week initiative.”
The Garden was recently accredited with an ArbNet Level II Arborteum status and works to facilitate the sharing of knowledge, experience, and other resources. This is in line with ArbNet as an interactive, collaborative, international community of arboreta. Arboretum status is important in conservation efforts helping to save endangered trees and supporting the wildlife that depend on them. In this way, The Garden becomes a beautiful location to showcase and enjoy.
As a nonprofit, The Water Conservation Garden relies on donations to continue our programs and outreach. This Arbor Day, consider a tax-deductible gift to support The Water Conservation Garden’s mission. Together, we can plant trees today for a better tomorrow.
