El Cerrito Celebrates Arbor Week

Once again El Cerrito has celebrated Arbor Week with a collaborative tree planting event at Cerrito Vista Park.  On March 11, 2015 the City Arborist, Stephen Pree, worked with 23 fifth graders from Prospect Sierra School to plant 7 native oaks.  These trees will replace diseased and dying Monterey pines, building on three years of tree restoration planting by students at the site.  The El Cerrito Garden Club helped plan and fund the event, as it has in the past, and the City’s Tree Committee assisted with planning, site preparation and supervision.  CAL FIRE forester, Jim Sheid, also helped with the planting.

In an earlier Arbor Week event, the City worked with the Fairmont Elementary After School Program to host a performance by the Tree Circus, an education and entertaining project sponsored by the Western Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture.  Over a hundred students participated.  Afterwards, they watched the City Arborist plant a tree behind their school.  A great time was had by all!

El Cerrito celebrates California Arbor Week every year from March 7-14, promoting educational activities on the value of trees for building successful, health cities and neighborhoods.  The El Cerrito Tree Committee has lots of ideas for future events and looks forward to filling committee vacancies so it can work with the City to celebrate next year’s Arbor Day with even more activities!

Cathy Bleier, Vice Chair, El Cerrito Tree Committee