California Canopy Connection
CAL FIRE Urban & Community Forestry Quarterly News & Updates
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In this newsletter, you will find announcements for Arbor Week Celebration opportunities, career opportunities with the UCF team, and SB 347. We also highlight Lynnette Short, UCF’s Supervising Urban Forester for the Southern Region, and learn more about “Branch Out San Diego”, Tree San Diego’s tree planting efforts on tribal land and throughout underserved communities. We also offer updates on UCF’s grant program, Tree City USA updates, and more.
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AMPlifying the Urban Forest to Plant 2,000 Trees in 30 Communities Throughout California on March 12, 2022!
Volunteer opportunities available!
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March 12th is quickly approaching!
And that means AMPlifying the Urban Forest and nearly 2,000 new trees will soon be making their way to communities across California. With an event of this size and magnitude, we need your help! Partners of the event including California Urban Forests Council (CaUFC), West Coast Arborists (WCA), Taylor Guitars, Western Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (WCISA), and the Britton Fund are calling upon members of communities across California to come out and volunteer at your local AMPlifying the Urban Forest tree planting event on March 12th to be a part of growing and advocating for your neighborhood urban forest.
Ready to get your hands dirty?
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NEW 2022 UCF Community Tree Planting Events Map! |
Find an Arbor Week Celebration or Tree Planting Event in a city near you!
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Image: The UCF Team! From left to right, Julia Gowin, John Melvin, Greg Dion, Lynnette Short, Eileen Hollett, Colin Highlands, Jimi Scheid (previous team member), Henry Herrera, Abbie Srader, Walter Passmore | UCF Photo Library |
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The UCF team is changing and growing and we invite you to join us in advancing urban forestry efforts across the State of California. We will soon be hiring for Forester I and Forestry Assistant II positions as Regional Urban Foresters.
We know the process of applying for state positions can be daunting, so we’re here to help navigate the system.
First step, create a CalCareer account. A CalCareer account will give you access to all open positions, allow you to set notifications, upload resumes, and send in your applications.
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SB 347: California Community and Neighborhood Tree Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund |
More trees in our neighborhoods? Yes, please!
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Meet U&CF's Lynnette Short! |
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Lynnette Short’s journey in the world of forestry began at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry & Natural Resource Management with a concentration in Fire & Fuels Management. Her career with CAL FIRE began shortly after in 2003 as a seasonal firefighter at the Monte Vista Unit in San Diego. In 2004, she was promoted to Forestry Assistant II in San Diego where she assisted with the Forest Health Enhancement Program, Forest Landowner assistance program, & Vegetation Management/Prescribed fire program.
In 2007 Lynnette joined UCF as Regional Urban Forester with responsibility for San Diego, Orange, and Imperial counties. Over the course of 14 years with UCF, Lynnette has administered over 55 grant projects & collaborated with dozens of local government agencies & non-profit organizations, tirelessly working to advance urban forestry efforts in her geographic region. She was recently promoted to Supervising Urban Forester for the Southern Region. Lynnette is a California Registered Professional Forester.
In addition to being born and raised in Southern California, Lynnette has invested 18 years of her professional career there and feels a vested interest in ensuring the urban forests are managed to the highest degree possible. Working within UCF for nearly 14 years, she has fostered a great understanding of the history and practices that have developed the program into what it is today. She looks forward to continuing the effort in her new capacity.
Lynnette resides in north San Diego County with her two daughters, ages 12 & 14. Outside of her professional career, she enjoys helping her girls pursue vocations in Softball, Volleyball, Barrel Racing & Rodeo.
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San Diego County residents are taking part in and benefiting from Tree San Diego’s mass tree planting project known as Branch Out San Diego (BOSD). Funded by CAL FIRE and California Climate Investments, this project serves disadvantaged and low-income communities through fostering community engagement and environmental awareness and by strategically planting trees that help to reduce heat island effects. The 1,575 trees distributed on tribal land and throughout underserved communities are provided in-kind along with free educational tree care training.
Unique to this project is the use of state-of-the-art imaging through photogrammetry aerial flights and detailed tree tracking on Tree Plotter. Once BOSD is concluded, this multifaceted program and its supplemental data are projected to bolster existing urban forestry plans and increase San Diego County’s urban forest in the areas that are in the greatest need of tree canopy.
As highlighted by California Assemblyman Chris Ward, “Tree San Diego’s urban forestry [BOSD] program is essential to improving the quality-of-life of our neighborhoods while we address the impacts of climate change. The project is a positive and progressive solution to supporting the region’s urban forestry targets, and through its education component will plant the seed of good tree stewardship in our young San Diegans."
Through collaboration with regional organizations such as Indigenous ReGeneration, Mundo Gardens, and FireWatch, Tree San Diego surpassed its 50% completion milestone in 2021 with more than 850 trees finding homes on residential property.
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Images: The Tree San Diego Team at a tree giveaway on the San Pasqual Indian Reservation | Tree San Diego Photo Library |
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Congratulations to successful applicants for the CAL FIRE U&CF Grant Program! CAL FIRE selected 40 applications totaling $29.9 million!
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Urban Forest Expansion and Improvement
14 Awards
$12,964,475
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Urban Forest Management Activities
13 Awards
$4,509,821
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Education and Workforce Development
13 Awards
$12,434,035
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For successful applicants, a Grant Agreement is currently being drafted and will be sent electronically. The applicant returns a digitally signed copy of the Grant Agreement document to the CAL FIRE Grants Management Unit within 10 business days.
Normally, within two weeks of a signed grant agreement being returned to CAL FIRE for signature, the grant agreement is signed and fully executed. CAL FIRE will notify the Grantee of the approved agreement.
Fully executed contracts are expected by the end of March.
DO NOT start work on a project until you have:
1. A fully signed and executed grant agreement and a
2. Completed a pre-operational meeting with CAL FIRE Regional Urban Forester staff.
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Image: View of downtown Los Angeles from Northeast East Los Angeles | U&CF Photo Library |
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For calendar year 2022, an Arbor Day celebration and proclamation will be required in order to earn or maintain Tree City USA. An Arbor Day celebration will also be required to earn or maintain Tree Campus Higher Education and Tree Line USA recognition. There are many ways a community/campus/utility might meet this standard, including:
- An in-person gathering (e.g. community tree planting or festival)
- A virtual event (e.g. webinar or livestreamed tree planting)
- A social media post or campaign
- Mail outreach (e.g. A Right Tree, Right Place educational flier)
- A tree distribution
- Direct, in-person outreach or trainings (e.g. workshops educating community members about their community trees)
Proclamations should declare a local Arbor Day, and ideal celebrations will occur on or surrounding Arbor Day; however, it is not required for the celebration to occur on or surrounding Arbor Day.
Also, as a reminder, the application 2021 portal will close on April 30, 2022.
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Tree City USA is a national program that is administered locally by state foresters and provides a framework for community forestry for the cities and towns across America. The program started in 1976 through the Arbor Day Foundation, National Association of State Foresters, and the USDA forest service. The idea was to expand the concept of Arbor Day from Tree planting to more comprehensive tree care.
Communities receive Tree City recognition by meeting 4 core standards:
Standard 1: Maintaining a tree board or department
Standard 2: Having a tree care ordinance
Standard 3: Having a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita
Standard 4: Having an Arbor Day Observance and proclamation (celebration).
Tree City USA provides opportunities to educate the community about the value of tree resources, the importance of sustainable tree management, and the engagement of the individuals and organizations advancing tree planting and care in our urban forests across California.
Consider dedicating more than the minimum $2 per capita and invest more in your urban forestry programs. You can increase tree protection and care through stronger ordinance and policy creation. And don’t limit the celebration of your city trees to one day—find ways to celebrate your trees year-round. Plant and maintain even more trees! Find more guidance and specific Growth Award activities here.
If you have any questions about becoming a Tree City USA or ways to increase your impact, contact your CAL FIRE regional urban forester today.
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Images: Previous years' Arbor Day Celebrations around California with CAL FIRE staff | UCF Photo Library |
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View previous editions of our newsletter:
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Questions, comments, concerns, feedback?
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California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection | Urban & Community Forestry Program
P.O. Box 944246 | Sacramento, CA 94244-2460
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