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June 2023

This Month's Issue:

Bidwell Park and Chico Creeks Cleanup & Restoration Project

UC Climate Stewards Course

Become a Business Sponsor!

Hot Topic: Urban Forest Master Plan

Grant Program Updates

Upcoming Community Partner Events

36th Annual Bidwell Park and Chico Creeks Cleanup & Restoration Project

Join us this September for BEC's 36th Annual Creek Cleanup! Last year, with the help of over 500 volunteers, we removed nearly 80 tons of waste from our local waterways, and with your help, we'll do it all again this year.

Sign-up as an individual or group to help clean our creeks, and take part in collective climate action this fall!

If you're a business looking to support the Cleanup, check out our business sponsorship link below!

Apply to be a

UC Climate Steward!

Butte Environmental Council is thrilled to announce that we will be offering the UC Climate Stewards certification course! The course will focus on community climate action projects, with weekend field trips, and guest speakers from many local organizations. Upon

completion of certification requirements participants are eligible for four academic units through UC Davis Extension for an additional nominal fee. The summer session will meet weekly, June 24th-August 12th. The course fee is $200, a limited number of scholarships are available.

Registration Deadline: June 14th

Become a 2023

Business Sponsor!

This September BEC will host our 36th Annual Bidwell Parks & Chico Creeks Cleanup and Restoration, a community event to remove waste from our local waterways.

Our business sponsors make this event possible! Please consider becoming a Butte Environmental Council business sponsor for the 2023 Bidwell Parks & Chico Creeks Cleanup and Restoration, so we can continue building a more sustainable future, together.

Become A Business Sponsor!

Hot Topic: Urban Forest Master Plan

After attending two Internal Affairs Committee meetings regarding Chico's Urban Forest Master Plan, one thing is clear: Chico is in need of climate action.

With another hot summer at our heels, Chico's tree canopy is a one-stop shop for shade, moisture, and habitat. The Urban Forest Master Plan initially called for an increase from 36% to 40% canopy cover, but after special interest groups made claims of undue "government oversight", the committee softened the UFMP's language and decided to drop regulations regarding residential properties' tree canopy. Effectively watered down, the UFMP's long-term efficacy is in now in question, just as anxieties of extreme heat and wildfire re-enter the collective psyche.

BEC spoke alongside several local environmental groups, including AltaCal Audubon Society and Chico Tree Advocates, to urge the Internal Affairs Committee to keep the integrity of the current plan intact, and remind them that Chico needs climate action, now.

The Urban Forest Master Plan will be on the City Council agenda

Tuesday, June 20th.

Join us in packing the council chambers and speak in support of a bold vision for our urban forests, because the best time to plant a tree was 30 years ago, and the second best time is now.

Program Updates

Seed to Shade

We have worked hard this year to plant trees in Chico that provide shade, fruit, beauty, and so much more to the community. As the heat cranks up this summer, we want to make sure our trees are getting enough water. Here are a few ways to make sure your trees are thriving this summer:

Check the leaves. If they are yellowing or crackling on the branch, your tree likely needs more water!
Check the soil. Dig up a spot about 2” below the surface of the soil, if it is dry to the touch and crumbles in your hand, your tree needs more water. If the soil feels cool, clumpy, or moist, your tree has enough water for a few days.
Young trees need to be watered more frequently to prevent the soil from drying out. Using an ooze tube is a great way to make sure your tree gets enough water on a continuous basis.
Water Early: If you are using a drip system or hand watering make sure you water in the early morning so that the water can soak into the soil for the roots to absorb. This is the most efficient time to water also because you will lose the least amount of water to evaporation.

If you follow these tips, your trees will have the best chance to thrive throughout the summer. As always if you have any issues with your trees or are worried about their health, please reach out to us at urbanforest@becnet.org.

Treecovery: 2023 ReLeaf Retreat!

Last month, California ReLeaf hosted a Network Retreat for all tree planting grantees in the state of California. We came together to learn about the different approaches organizations are taking to increase the urban canopy all across the state.

Our Trees PLEASE Program Manager, Miranda, had the wonderful opportunity to be featured as a guest speaker during the retreat. She highlighted nine school tree planting events, nine parks, and one shared community space as Treecovery tree recipients. In total, over 100, 15-gallon trees have been planted as part of this program since the beginning of 2022.

Other organizations that spoke at the retreat included Watstonville Wetlands Watch, the Urban Forest Ecosystem Institute at Cal Poly SLO, SistersWe, and the Sacramento Tree Foundation, and many more!

There are 100 more trees in need of planting before mid-October! Sign-up to hep get the trees in the ground, or to request a tree or two for yourself, a local par, or another shared space by reaching out to Miranda at steward@becnet.org

Funding for Trees PLEASE has been provided through California ReLeaf and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), Urban and Community Forestry Program with funds made available through the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access For All Act of 2018.

Compost Pick-Up

Oak Way Community Garden

Garden Volunteer Days

We host a monthly volunteer work day at our Oak Way Community Garden. Bring your friends & family to do some gardening and explore the space. We also accept food scraps for compost!

Garden Materials Donations

Want to sponsor the Oak Way Community Garden? We are looking for in-kind donations to continue community gardening and composting initiatives. Materials or monetary donation appreciated.

Drop In The Bucket

Join the pickup brigade and help collect food scraps in your neighborhood! See flyer above.

End of the School Year

RARE Recap

What an exciting school year! You probably already know that through the Recycling and Rubbish Education (RARE) Program, BEC brings Recycling, Composting, and Oil Recycling Workshops into the classroom and hosts landfill field trips for students in Butte County.

This year, RARE delivered 59 workshops and 5 landfill field trips to Butte County students! Over 1,700 students were part of these education programs!

A huge thank you to every teacher who planned a workshop or field trip this year! Your trust in BEC and our programming is not overlooked. We appreciate the opportunity to join the little ecosystem of a classroom and share something we are excited about.

Finally, thank you to our community partners, like Butte County Public Works and CARD, that make it possible to share waste stream education with students.