As the 2024 Summer Teen Urban Forester (TUF) session comes to an end, Canopy wishes to congratulate our recently graduated Teen Urban Foresters: Paco Arreola, Betzhy Garcia, Jeremy Lopez, Larissa Villanueva, and Jose Yopihua. 

These TUFs have championed the East Palo Alto urban forest by planting and caring for trees, helping our planting volunteers, advocating and canvassing for the growth of the urban forest, and educating our community about environmental justice topics. For many of them, the TUF program is more than a job and workforce development program. It’s a close-knit community where they can focus on their wellness, make meaningful connections with their peers, and feel empowered to take action and realize their goals. 

Congratulations, Class of 2024 Teen Urban Foresters! Canopy is excited to see how you’ll continue to foster healthy communities for all.

Canopy is happy to announce our new TreEnews series “Canopy Champions.” This series aims to highlight and celebrate our community members who are championing our local urban forests and helping to grow healthy trees and healthy communities for all.

Power of People:

2024 Tree Awards & Volunteer Party

Saturday, September 21st, 2024

3:00 – 5:00 PM

Bloomhouse, 2555 Pulgas Ave, East Palo Alto

Join Canopy in celebrating the Power of People at our annual Tree Awards and Volunteer Party! At this FREE community celebration, we will honor our 2024 Canopy Tree Awardees and the volunteers, partners, and supporters who help grow healthy trees and healthy communities. Check out our 2024 Canopy Tree Awardees!

Hosted at the BloomHouse in East Palo Alto, festivities will include indoor/outdoor mingling, refreshments, interactive displays, and a brief program toasting our 2024 Awardees and their contributions. All are welcome to join us at this celebration. We hope to see you there!

This fall, Canopy has been invited to send two Teen Urban Foresters (TUFs) and three staff members to represent us at the Partners in Community Forestry Conference in Chicago! Urban forestry leaders from across the country will hear directly from TUFs and Canopy staff about our powerful model for equity-centered, community-based youth leadership development. The team will also have the opportunity to connect with and learn from other leaders in community forestry, bringing the best ideas and solutions for sustainable urban greening back to their community. 

Canopy has launched a United Miles on a Mission campaign to help our TUFs and staff travel to Chicago. Through this campaign, you can donate your airline miles and make it possible for these five environmental justice leaders to attend the conference! If you’re able to support, please donate by October 11, 2024.

With the launch of our new planting season, we have many opportunities for you to steward and learn about your local urban forest. Please use our new volunteer sign-up form to register for specific volunteer events or express interest in general volunteer opportunities!

Sat. 8/31: The Great Oak Count Survey Event

Sat. 9/14: East Palo Alto Neighborhood Tree Planting

Sat. 9/21: Power of People: Canopy Tree Awards and Volunteer Party

Wed. 9/25: Tree Walk / Caminata de árboles: North Fair Oaks

Sat. 9/28: Mountain View Neighborhood Planting #1

Sat. 10/5: All Five / Belle Haven Community Planting

Canopy is thrilled to welcome AmeriCorps VISTA Member Noah Alagao (he/him) and RAY Tree & Climate Fellow Shadira Chester (she/her) to our team. Say hi to Noah and Shadira if you see them at our upcoming Canopy events!

Online Zoom Classes:

Thursdays, September 19 - November 21, 2024

from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Outdoor Field Experiences:

Saturdays, October 12, 19, and November 9, 2024

from 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Various locations in the Midpeninsula region

Become a Canopy-certified Community Forester! This 9-week Zoom course, with in-person field experiences on weekends, will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and training you need to take action for the trees in your community. As a Community Forestry School graduate, you will be equipped to identify trees, plant and prune effectively, explain the value of the urban forest to others, and advocate for trees in your community.

Enrollment applications are due September 4 at 5:00 p.m.

Are you interested in reconnecting youth with trees and nature through education? 

Apply to be Canopy’s K-12 Environmental Education Intern! We're looking for a highly motivated and organized individual to support Canopy’s Environmental Educator in leading in-school, tree-focused, hands-on lessons at elementary schools in Ravenswood City School District and Mountain View Whisman Elementary School District. The intern will also support the Junior Forester Leader Program and Wellness Walk Program. This internship is a great opportunity to gain experience in classroom management, lesson preparation and design, and program implementation!

Canopy is looking for education volunteers! Our education volunteers support and co-lead our fun, outdoor K-12th grade environmental lessons. You can expect to walk away from this experience with a variety of classroom management and engagement skills. No prior teaching experience is required, but a passion for working with kids is a must! Our lessons are held at schools in East Palo Alto, North Fair Oaks, Belle Haven, Palo Alto, and Mountain View during weekday school hours and are 60-90 minutes long. To apply, please send a quick introduction to Tania Cooley, Canopy's K-12 environmental educator, at tania@canopy.org.

Join Canopy in protecting our urban forest and safeguarding our water resources by following these water-wise tree care tips. Let’s keep our trees and communities safe and healthy!

Your vote matters more than ever. 

Dozens of California cities broke heat records again this summer. Our state is particularly vulnerable to climate change, with the threat of extended wildfire seasons, crop disruptions, heat waves, and flooding. 

Are our City Council candidates ready to take swift, meaningful action? What are their policy ideas for reducing local fossil fuel emissions? Join 350SV Palo Alto Climate Action, Canopy, and other local climate-concerned organizations on Thursday Sept. 19 at 7pm to hear PA Council candidates’ views on climate and the environment. Come at 6:30 to check out co-sponsor and candidate tables. 

Let’s make sure climate gets a seat at the table in November. 

Register to join us on Thursday, September 19, 7-9 pm 

–Live at First Presbyterian Church Palo Alto https://bit.ly/cccf24live

–or on Zoom at https://bit.ly/cccf24Zoom

Questions? Please contact the 350SV Palo Alto Climate Action at 350svpaloalto@gmail.com

Launched by nonprofit Acterra, HomeGrown Bay Area is a coalition working to build a more sustainable and equitable food system in the Bay Area by creating a public food forest in downtown San Jose. A community food forest is a public space that combines aspects of gardens, city parks, and orchards, providing residents an opportunity to harvest free and fresh produce. These spaces conserve water, sequester carbon, and boost local biodiversity, all while offering educational opportunities and strengthening community ecosystems. Sign the petition to help encourage San Jose leaders to bring a public food forest to downtown San Jose!

Kaye Crawford

in memory of James H. Crawford

Sand Hill Angels 

Kimball Foundation

California Library Services and Technology Act Sustainable Libraries Grant

Canopy's mission is to grow the urban forest in Midpeninsula communities for the benefit of all.



Our vision is a day when every resident of the Midpeninsula can step outside to walk, play, and thrive under the shade of healthy trees.