Tree planting and planning events in Goleta to resume, assuming state finances come through

Goleta Valley Beautiful has been authorized to restart the 5-month delayed Goleta street tree planting program and the Goleta Urban Forest Management Plan contract. For those of you who have submitted a request to GVB for new street tree, we're working on the paperwork and should be back in contact with you sometime this month. GVB is also working with City staff to complete the initial portion of the Urban Forest Management Plan, which will include a State of the Goleta Urban Forest Report.

These projects are funded by previously approved State Bonds and do not come from State General Fund financing. However if the State starts to issue IOU's, the projects may again be put back on the shelf. Stay tuned.

Volunteer Opportunities for July

Since we are on summer schedule, times and locations may be subject to change. Please RSVP at 685-7910 to confirm. Community service credits available for all activities, bring your forms to the volunteer event.

Tree Care

Friday, July 3, 9 am - Noon - Young tree care at Devereux Greenhouse and Growing Grounds . Meet at 6980 Falberg Dr on the Devereux Campus. Call for directions 685-7910.
Sat. July 4 - NO PROJECT -Celebrate the Fourth at the Stow House 11 AM to 4 PM, and at Girsh Park 4 PM to 10 PM
Monday, July 6, 13, 20, 27 1:30 - 3:30 pm - Young tree care at Devereux Greenhouse and Growing Grounds . Meet at 6980 Falberg Dr on the Devereux Campus. RSVP and Call for directions 685-7910.
Wednesday July 8, 15, 22, 29 1:30 - 3:30 pm - Young tree care at Devereux Greenhouse and Growing Grounds . Meet at 6980 Falberg Dr on the Devereux Campus. RSVP and Call for directions 685-7910.
Sat. July 11, 9 am - Noon - Young tree care at Devereux Greenhouse and Growing Grounds . Meet at 6980 Falberg Dr on the Devereux Campus. RSVP and Call for directions 685-7910.
Sat. July 18, 8 am - Noon - Mulch Los Carneros Interchange. Meet at the corner of Los Carneros and Calle Koral. Call for directions 685-7910.
Sat. July 25- NO PROJECT (We're all on vacation)
Sat. Aug 1, 9 am - Noon - Young tree care at Devereux Greenhouse and Growing Grounds . Meet at 6980 Falberg Dr on the Devereux Campus. RSVP and Call for directions 685-7910.
Part time summer internships (4 hours or more per week) for high school and college students. Gain valuable experience and receive community service hours. Positions available now! Also part time paid Greenhouse internships (4 hours/week) available to UCSB students only for the summer and fall. Call 685-7910 for details
Litter Pickup

Roadside trash collection in the Goleta area, 2nd and 4th Saturdays. Grabbers and bags provided. Call Don and Judy Nason 964-4895 to RSVP

Graffiti Removal - Call Ed 964-7117 to participate in graffiti removal and to report incidents in your area.
Award Nominations - Goleta Valley Beautiful award nominations - Call 685-7910 . We'll accumulate the nominations for the annual awards since we need additional volunteers to serve as judges. Call us if you are interested in contacting owners and writing descriptions of properties.

How do we prevent this tree topping from happening again?

The Goleta Community Services Department issued a stop work order to Progressive Tree Care after topping a public tree in front of 336 Coronado. Progressive Tree Care owner Arturo Gonzalez claimed he was unaware of City requirements to get a permit before performing any work on public trees. He also stated his crews mistakenly topped the tree at the request of the property owner while he wasn't there to supervise. Mr.. Gonzalez has pledged to work with the City of Goleta to help in the long process of restoring the crown of the tree.

How can we prevent this from happening again?

1) Get a permit before working on public trees. Public trees are normally any tree within a public street which includes the median and parkways, i.e. the area between the curb and the sidewalk. In some cases, the right of way extends beyond the sidewalk. Public trees are also located in parks, and public areas like the Library and Community Center. When in doubt, contact the City or County Public Works or Parks Department offices.

2) Don't top shade trees Neither public nor private shade trees should be topped, and clients should not ask their tree care companies to do so. If any tree care company or individual offers to top your tree, find another tree care company. For more information on the problems associated with tree topping, visit www.treesaregood.com, specifically http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/topping.aspx.

3) Plant the right tree in the right place Understand the mature characteristics of a tree before you plant it. Trying to change a tree's natural growth habits are a lot more difficult once it gets started.

What can I do if I see a public tree getting cut down?

Any private tree care firms working on public street and park trees must have a permit to do so. Crews from public agencies are under the direction of their supervisors to protect public health and safety while preserving public trees. Unless it is a blatant illegal act, most work done on public trees is being performed by crews sanctioned by a public official. The key to effective preservation of desirable public trees is finding out what is being planned before it happens so that you are not put into a position of trying to question a work crew in the filed. Pay attention to public notice signs, and get involved in local public meetings that discuss landscape changes and future landscape planning specifications. For more information on how to get involved, call 685-7910

NEWS Briefs

- GVB Board positions open -We have two UCSB student positions open, one San Marcos High position and one one general Board position open, preferably someone with a financial /accounting background. We're looking to diversify our Board, so unique individuals are encouraged to apply.
- Stage coach signs to be maintained - Wells Fargo has informed us they will be supporting the cost of doing maintenance work to the 56 signs and posts that GVB erected in 2001. Volunteers are needed to assist in the preservation effort.
- Website updates- Check www.goletavalleybeautiful.org to see archived copies of photos from past projects dating back to 2000. A new website oriented to urban forests in the greater Santa Barbara County region is being developed at www.caufc.org, and specifically http://www.caufc.org/Regional%20Councils to learn more about the Central Coast Region Urban Forest Council.
- Tree Campus USA GVB is opening a dialog with UCSB to assist them in qualifying for a new award from the National Arbor Day Foundation similar to the Tree City award. More to follow in the fall.
- Free trees and treegators - Goleta Valley Beautiful offers a free treegator (portable tree irrigator) upon request from any GVB donor member for the care of their trees. We also offer a variety of native trees including coast valley and live oaks, alders, cottonwoods, sycamores and other assorted trees. Call us for further information at 685-7910.

NeighborWoods Begins Isla Vista Youth Projects

Thanks to the 16 volunteers who contributed 32 community service hours Saturday morning June 6th for a tree planting and landscaping project. This was the second Goleta Valley Beautiful NeighborWoods Project this year emphasizing local affordable housing. The featured partners for this event were the Isla Vista Youth Projects Children's Center at 6842 Phelps Rd adjacent to the Peoples Self Help Storke Ranch Affordable Family Rental Apartments . The Day care facility serves 190 children (infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and after school kindergarteners) with 87% low income. Volunteers included families attending the Isla Vista Youth Projects Children's Center, Team Depot from the Goleta Home Depot Store, Dos Pueblos High School and the UCSB Honors Program.

The volunteers planted 6 redbud trees(Cercis occidentalis), and seven 5 gallon trumpet vines (Campsis tagliabuana Madame Galen) to add privacy and shade to the children's play area, and two Australian Willows (Geijera parvifolia) to shade the eastern wall of the main building.

This project was sponsored through the support of the Alliance for Community Trees, the Home Depot Foundation, the Goleta Home Depot Store, West Covina Nurseries, the UCSB Coastal Fund, the Santa Barbara Foundation and the generous donations of hundreds of Goleta Valley Beautiful Donor Members.

3965 Via Lucero - Habitat for Humanity

Thanks to the 17 volunteers who contributed 66 community service hours Saturday morning may 30th for a tree planting and landscaping project. This was the first Goleta Valley Beautiful NeighborWoods Project emphasizing local affordable housing. The featured partners for this event were Santa Barbara Beautiful, the Southern Santa Barbara County Chapter of Habitat for Humanity and the residents of the 3 homes at 3965 Via Lucero. Additional volunteers participated representing Santa Barbara High School and UCSB Honors Program.

The volunteers planted one redbud tree, restaked an avocado tree and pruned 4 Citrus trees, as well as clearing drainage ways of weeds, and planting twelve 5 gallon violet trumpet vine (Distictis Rivers) to add a lush visual attraction to the entryway for the homes.

This project was sponsored through the support of the Alliance for Community Trees, the Home Depot Foundation, the Goleta Home Depot Store, San Marcos Growers, Santa Barbara Beautiful, Southern Santa Barbara County Habitat for Humanity, the UCSB Coastal Fund, the Santa Barbara Foundation and the generous donations of hundreds of Goleta Valley Beautiful Donor Members.

June Volunteer Projects

See website for additional photos www.goletavalleybeautiful.org

Date - Event - Volunteers - Service Hours - Trees Planted - Trees Maintained

5/30/09 AM - 3965 Via Lucero - 17 - 66 - 1 – 5

5/30/09 PM - Greenhouse = 14 - 40 - 0 – 0

6/6/09 AM - Isla Vista youth Projects - 16 - 32 - 8 - 6

6/6/09 PM - Hollister #2 - 6 - 20 - 0 - 12

6/13/09 AM - Greenhouse - 4 - 8 - 0 - 0

6/20/09 AM - Greenhouse - 4 - 19 - 0 - 0

6/27/09 AM - Greenhouse - 1 - 3 - 0 - 0

Totals - - - - - - - - - - 62 - 188 - 9 - 23

-The GVB/Cambridge Community Church litter collection crews provided 18 service hours collecting 10 thirty-three gallon garbage bags of roadside trash in June , for a 2009 cumulative total of 169.5 hours and 72.5 bags of trash. Note day changes in June

-Volunteer groups participating included: UCSB Honors Program, Santa Barbara County Resource Recovery and Waste Division, UCSB Wellness Program, Beta Theta Pi, Isla Vista Youth Projects families and staff, Dos Pueblos High School.

-Sponsors for these events included: UCSB Coastal Fund, City of Goleta, Green Park Foundation, GreenWorks!, the Alliance for Community Trees /Home Depot foundation, Devereux of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Foundation, Goleta Home Depot , West Covina Nurseries, San Marcos Growers, Santa Barbara County Hhabitat for Humanity and Santa Barbara Beautiful. and hundreds of GVB donor members.

8th Annual Heritage Tree Tour

Thanks to all who attended our 8th Annual Heritage Tree Tour on Sunday, June 21st, 2009. Photos from the event are attached. If anyone would like full resolution copies of the attached photos, please send an e-mail request to Kennethknight@cox.net.

This event was made possible by Santa Barbara Airbus. Our courteous and skillful driver Norman navigated the tour bus in a timely and comfortable fashion. Check our the regular airbus schedule at www.sbairbus.com.

Also returning for his 7th year as a tour guide was Jerry Sortomme, SBCC Professor Emeritus. Jerry dazzled the crowd with his wit and vast knowledge of arboriculture that he gathered in his decades of teaching at SBCC. You can learn more abut Jerry's work in the Huerta Project to restore the Santa Barbara Mission to past glory by contacting him at jerrysortomme@hotmail.com.

We were also treated to Randy Baldwin's private gardens and a sample of Randy's latest introductions to the plant world. You can learn more about San Marcos Growers Wholesale offerings at www.smgrowers.com.

Eugene Mangini graciously allowed the tour to stop at the pioneer home of the Lillards to view some magnificent araucarias, and to see where the stagecoach used to stop.

We're also grateful to the Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration for providing us the beta version of the UCSB Palm Tour. A brochure of the tour will be available at ccber.lifesci.ucsb.edu/education, where you can also find a brochure for the exotic tree tour (ccber.lifesci.ucsb.edu/collections/flora/exotic-flora-walking-tour.pdf) .

Although Mike Keston is recuperating from an illness and could not make the tour, Felix Gomez from the firm managing Bishop Ranch provided the tour access to the horticultural treasures surrounding the now vacant farmhouse. Although most of the trees are showing signs of distress from drought conditions, the area is still a pristine example of ranchero conditions from over a century ago.

Goleta Parks and Open Space Manager/City Arborist Bill Millar introduced us to the historical Eucalyptus groves at the Ellwood Preserve. You can learn more about City of Goleta trees at their website www.cityofgoleta.org/index.aspx?page=228.

Our final stop of the day was at the magnificent Moreton Bay Fig Tree Forest at Dos Pueblos Ranch. Henry Schulte has done a superb job of rescuing these historic treasures from an invasion of Algerian ivy. Since our visit last year, the perimeter of the trees was cleared of ivy, and much of it pulled from the trees. Within a few more years, the canopy of all the trees should be restored to their full glory. Kudos to Henry.

Goleta Valley Beautiful is in the process of updating its 2002 version of the self guided Heritage Tree Tour at www.goletavalleybeautiful.org/TTarchive.asp.

Support our Supporters

Please mention to our supporters how much you appreciate their support of Goleta Valley beautiful. You can find the list of our donor members at http://www.goletavalleybeautiful.org/Membership.asp and those who have supported our Stewards of Goleta Valley fundraising campaign.

Goleta Valley Beautiful News - July 2009