- Author: Janet S Hartin
To date, over 1,800 climate-ready shade trees and tips on their planting and long-term care have been provided by UC Master Gardeners and over 20 partners to residents of low shade neighborhoods in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties through the “Trees for Tomorrow Start Today” project. Tree species given away are identified from research projects including the joint University of California/United States Forest Service (USFS) study at UC Riverside as well as from other research, local observations, and input from the green industry and academic colleagues.
Why is this project so important? 95% of Californians now reside in cities and suburban environments. Resulting urban heat islands created by built environments coupled with impacts of climate change can be mitigated through nature-based solutions. Planting climate-ready shade trees now will help ensure cooler urban areas in the next several decades as trees mature and maximize their urban ecosystem benefits. Fortunately, the shade from a single well-placed tree can decrease surface temperatures of black asphalt and artificial turf by more than 70 degrees F in hot inland and desert cities. Studies show that surrounding air temperatures can also be reduced through the transpiration process.
A major goal of the"Trees for Tomorrow Start Today" project is to enhance tree canopy cover in low shade neighborhoods also plagued with much higher than average levels of air pollution and pulmonary and cardiovascular disease incidence. Events over the past month have occurred in Fontana, San Bernardino, and the Salton Sea.
Thank you to all our partners and, especially, our tree recipients, for greening and cooling your yard and neighborhood!
- Author: Grace Dean
With decades of forestry and community outreach experience behind him, David Kelly felt he had more to give after retiring as Division Chief for the U.S Forest Service. Now, he's the Forest Specialist for the Arrowhead Lake Association (ALA), where his experience with the San Bernardino National Forest can be implemented at a smaller scale. “The first thing I said to [ALA] was, what's your forest management plan?” Kelly remarks.
Looking back, Kelly explains that the concept of forest management was not always celebrated in the Lake Arrowhead community. Years ago, homeowner's associations and local ordinances made it difficult for a landowner to undergo management projects. Today, there is a clear difference in how the topic is approached publicly.
Why the change after nearly 20 years? Kelly attributes a large part of it to the 2005 bark beetle infestation around the lake, coupled with the Old Fire of 2003. This led to a collective realization that allowing landowners to complete forest management projects was necessary. “Forest management has slowly gotten into the community,” Kelly notes, “so that the trees remain healthy, and the ecosystem remains functional.” Interest in prescribed fire is now on the rise, he mentions, with the local PBAs (Prescribed Burn Associations) and Fire Safe Councils being very active.
Still, not everyone in the community exhibits the same enthusiasm for forest management. To bridge these gaps in management philosophy, Kelly finds that investing time into personal interactions is a strong start. He's adamant that being active with community members is what builds trust, which he describes as a ‘two-way street'. “An ‘expert' stamp doesn't do much,” he laughs, “the personal touch is what builds trust.” While in the ALA office, he'll get calls once or twice a week from folks about “someone they saw marking some trees”. That someone, of course, being Kelly. “I tell them, yeah! That was me!” he says, oftentimes encouraging them to ask him questions the next time they see him in the field. He notes that being receptive to curiosity is low energy on his part and goes a long way towards building community trust.
With his neighbors' newfound curiosity in forest management, Kelly utilizes his past community outreach experience to help explain the reality of undertaking projects to landowners. He's developed some analogies to help folks understand, like this ‘haircut' one: “If you have a date next week,” Kelly begins, “you're going to want to get a haircut now, so that it will have time to grow in and look exactly how you want it by next week.” The logic here can be applied to forest management projects as well, he says. People have a goal for what they want their forestland to look like, but don't often realize it takes time after project completion for their forestland to look how they envisioned.
“I try to convince people that you have to get a couple years of management in before it looks perfect,” Kelly says. This, he points out, is why planning is of utmost importance. Using ALA as an example, he points out that there are different constrictions he must plan his projects around: “We're constrained to working outside of boating season, and we have to think about snow, fire, etc.”. Kelly explains that ALA typically completes two big projects a year, one in spring and one in the fall. Seasonal constraints are one of many things forest landowners should consider when thinking about projects and is information that helps guide a forest management plan.
Careful tending is necessary for both community trust and forestland. “The forest grows every day, and it's always changing, whether you see it or not,” Kelly says. “If you turn your back on it, it'll be a mess. If you manage it, you can trend it to whatever you'd want it to be, but it takes a plan.”
Registration for the UCANR San Bernardino Forest Stewardship Workshop is now open! Participants who complete the nine-week series will be eligible for a free site visit from a California Certified Range Manager, Burn Boss, or Registered Professional Forester. Sign up here. Registration is $60, and scholarship funding for registration fee is available. If you have any questions, please contact kcingram@ucanr.edu.
- Author: Janet Hartin
A major focus of the UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Master Gardener program in San Bernardino County is the “Trees for Tomorrow” project in partnership with the Inland Empire Resource Conservation District and over 30 other community-based partners and agencies. Over the past three years, over 1,200 climate-resilient trees have been
Why is this project so important? California has the lowest per capita tree canopy cover in the United States, a mere 108 square feet, disproportionally impacting people of color. Many neighborhoods in both San Bernardino County have tree canopy cover far below the recommended 25% - 40%, directly linked to extreme heat, high ozone concentrations, and high rates of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. A major reason for this low canopy cover is the result of fewer trees being planted in disadvantaged communities with low tax bases than in others. Another major reason is due to poor tree species selection and long-term maintenance, resulting in fewer than 40% of urban trees, on average, living beyond 20 years.
An important aspect of the project is its strong bilingual educational component that includes written tree planting and care information and in-person presentations describing the attributes of the climate-resilient tree species offered and tree care tips. Both help ensure that trees reach maturity, maximizing their ecosystem and social benefits. Another key
Please contact me if you'd like to be a partner or contribute trees or funding to purchase them. We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, and your tax-deductible contribution is deeply appreciated!
With gratitude,
Janet Hartin
- Author: Janet Hartin
Fall is a great time to plant trees in our urban landscapes. Temperatures are cooler than summer and trees adjust to transplanting much better than during the heat of summer.
Why trees? Trees reduce surface temperatures of asphalt and other dark impervious surfaces by over 60 degrees F in inland cities during spring and summer. They also reduce energy usage and costs, enhance habitat and pollinator populations, absorb and store carbon dioxide, provide oxygen for our subsistence, reduce erosion, reduce glare and noise, add beauty to our neighborhoods, and enhance mental and emotional health.
I am appreciative to UCCE San Bernardino County Master Gardener trainee Alex Shippee for his graphic design wizardry, making a drab publication on planting trees inviting and appealing to read.
Have more questions about your trees? Contact the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener tree helpline in San Bernardino County. 22trees4tomorrow@gmail.com or our general telephone helpline at (909)387-2182 or email mgsanbern@ucanr.edu where your gardening questions can also be addressed. (You will also reach this website by following the QR code link above.) We also have this handout available in Spanish.
- Author: Janet Hartin
Applications Now Being Accepted for the University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program “Trees for Tomorrow Start Today” Project.
University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) San Bernardino County is currently recruiting adults (18 and over) who are interested in becoming volunteers for our "Trees for Tomorrow" project. Complete training is provided online through a 50-hour Master Gardener training class taught by subject matter experts. Master Gardener volunteers will provide research-based information on the selection and care of heat, drought, and pest resistant trees and help our non-profit partners and community leaders enhance tree canopy cover in our most vulnerable neighborhoods. (To date, we are proud to have partnered with the Inland Empire Resource Conservation District, CA Climate Action Fellows and many non-profit organizations, communities, ESRI, and others to give away over 600 trees in the last year!)
Applications to become a UCCE Master Gardener volunteer for this project are open through August 31, 2022. UCCE Master Gardener “Trees for Tomorrow” Volunteer Application link: http://ucanr.edu/u.cfm?id=287
Questions about the application process or the volunteer opportunity? Contact UCCE Area Environmental Horticulturist Janet Hartin at jshartin@ucanr.edu
Why volunteer for this project? We are facing unprecedented times due to climate change and urban heat islands increasing temperatures in our communities. One of the solutions to a "cooler, greener, tomorrow" is through tree planting and proper selection and long-term care of heat, drought, and pest resistant trees.
Why trees? Shade produced by a single tree can reduce surface temperatures of asphalt and other impervious surfaces by up to 65 degrees F. Trees also lower air temperatures; enhance pollinator and wildlife habitat; absorb pollutants; reduce energy use and related costs (homes, offices, vehicles); beautify neighborhoods; absorb and store carbon dioxide; and provide many other ecosystem and societal benefits.
You can make a difference like never before enhancing tree canopy cover in our neighborhoods. Do you want to learn more about what UCCE Master Gardeners do for San Bernardino County residents and communities, find out what upcoming events they are hosting, or have them answer your horticulture questions Here's your pot of gold: https://mgsb.ucanr.edu/