Arbor Day Celebration Proclaimed At Laguna Beach Council Meeting

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — A proclamation was read at the recent Laguna Beach city council meeting discussing big plans for the upcoming Arbor Day celebration on Main Beach.

Laguna local and owner of the Laguna Nursery, Ruben Flores, wore a bright green "Party with the Trees" shirt for the announcement. He smiled from ear to ear about the upcoming festivities on behalf of the trees.

"We have been working toward this one for quite a long time!" he said, eight years in the making, he told Patch. Of the longtime planned event, Flores told us he's just "worn (the council) down with my enthusiasm."

Thanking many, openly, at the council meeting, Flores included special praise for the Laguna Beach Garden Club, the community garden club and all of the different plant and garden-focused organizations who "love living things."

The Arbor Day celebration will take place Friday, March 8 at Main Beach, from 3 to 5 p.m.

During the event, visitors can expect giveaways of plants, seeds, and succulents, LOCA will do face painting, and the highlight will be the ceremonial planting of a 48-inch box Metrosideros tomentosa - more commonly called the New Zealand Christmas tree. That tree will replace one that is dying, Flores told us.

"That original tree was planted by Harry Lawrence, the president of the beautification committee way back when," Flores said.

Now, according to experts, "bird poop is killing the tree," he said.

Now, better watering techniques will keep the rest of the grove and the newly planted Metrosideros tomentosa alive, keeping more birds away by watering the trees instead of the area around it, he said.

LOCA, Conservancy, the Community Garden, Garden Club, and Transition Laguna will all be at the tree planting at the Windows to the Sea - Main Beach - Grove, in the cobblestone area.

The Community Garden Band and April Walsh will perform, live.

Ruben invited all of Laguna Beach to come for the tree planting and stay for the festivities, that he said, "will be phenomenal."