Laguna Foundation's first ever
tree-a-thon
On January 9th, 2010, over 110 volunteers came out and planted 750 trees and other plants in record time, thanks to superb project organization by Catherine Cumberland, the Foundation’s Restoration Project Manager and Denise Cadman, Foundation Board member. An additional 100 acorns were planted in the couple of weeks before the event by students from Hillcrest Middle School, Elsie Allen High School and a Webelo group. So, a total of 850 plants were planted on a five acre parcel.
Here is a link to a slideshow of the event: www.flickr.com/photos/46457162@N05/
Photo credits: Erin Sheffield, Christine Fontaine and Jeff Edelheit.
Why Planting Oaks is so Important
The Laguna de Santa Rosa, like most areas of California has lost a very large percentage of its oak woodlands and the benefits they provide. Oaks are a keystone species in the Laguna offering wildlife nesting, feeding, hiding and hunting sites. They also host the largest species diversity of any habitat in California. At least 100 bird species use oaks for food and domicile, and mammals use oak habitat for shelter and food. More than 80 species of reptiles and amphibians are found in oak communities, many using the rich leaf litter to stay concealed or find prey.
A typical valley oak lives about 300 years. They take 100 years to grow big and slowly die over the last 100 years of their life. Most of the oaks remaining in the Laguna are old trees that are slowly dying. So if we want oaks in the Laguna, we must plant them now.