Goleta Valley Beautiful News- December 2008

Annual 2009 membership renewal letter coming by mail the first week of November. Please help us keep planting for tomorrow!

GVB Volunteer Opportunities - RSVP 685-7910 or 252-1952 day of event. Community service credits for school, church, scouting and all legal community service requirements available. All tools, refreshments and expert training provided. All ages and groups welcome, with no experience necessary except as noted below. Smaller children should have family members present for supervision. Look for the one-ton white box GVB truck at the site. Restroom not always conveniently available. For additional information, opportunities and current updates, visit the GVB Volunteer Calendar

Sat. Nov 29th 9 am to noon- no project due to Thanksgiving holiday.
Sat. Dec 6th 9 am to noon- Tree Planting and Care. UCSB Campus parking lot 37 next to the Facilities bldg on Mesa Rd. between Los Carneros and Stadium Rd.
Sat. Dec 6th 1pm to 4pm- Tree care for city parks. Meet at IV Elementary School Parking Lot (6875 El Colegio Rd. Isla Vista 93117). This is across the street from Santa Catalina dorms, formerly Francisco Torres.
Sat Dec 13th 9am to noon Tree Care at Goleta Valley Schools. Meet at Brandon Elementary (195 Brandon Dr).
Sat Dec 13th 1pm to 4pm Tree Care for Goleta Street Trees. Meet at Fire Station #11 (6901 Frey Way) parking lot.
Sat Dec 20th 9am to noon Greenhouse tree plantings. Planting acorns for the next generation of oaks. GVB Greenhouse is located at 6980 Falberg Way on the Devereux property west of Isla Vista. Close to the Slough.
Sat Dec 27th 9am to noon Greenhouse tree plantings. Planting acorns for the next generation of oaks. Meet at the GVB Greenhouse and Growing Grounds on the Devereux property (see above)
Sat Jan 3rd 9am to noon Greenhouse tree plantings. Planting acorns for the next generation of oaks. GVB Greenhouse and Growing Grounds (see above)
Devereux Greenhouse/Growing Grounds tree nursery care - Every Tuesday and Fri. 9 to noon and by appointment - Call 685-7910
Litter pickup 2nd and 4th Sat. - Call Don and Judy Nason 964-4895
Graffiti removal and reporting - Call Ed Graper 964-7117, edgraper@yahoo.com
Monthly Goleta Valley Beautiful award nominations - Call Bonnie Freeman 683-1878 or Phebe Mansur 685-2277
Additional GVB ongoing indoor/outdoor volunteer community service activities including the Devereux Greenhouse and Growing Grounds, call 685-7910
SAVE THE DATES!! Saturday February 7th 8a-2:30p Young Trees: Planting, Pruning and Care workshop @ Goleta Union School District Board room (401 N Fairview Ave)
AND: Friday March 13th 8a-4p Project Learning Tree workshop emphasizing wild land interface planning and recovery. Held at UCSB as part of TEAWET training.

December Award- 626 Mayrum St.

The December winners are Rick and Adrienne Morinini of 626 Mayrum Street, Santa Barbara County, 93111. Homeowners since 1968, Rick recently retired after 18 years with GWD. Always a collector of antiques and rusty farm implements he also gathered natural stone from the foothills, all of which he integrated into their landscape. Adrienne, retired after 40 years as a hairdresser, began converting their thirsty beds into more drought resistant plants by adding succulents, cactus, and for whimsy converted their junipers into bonsai. The whole theme is magical and has created a haven for friends and neighbors. As their daughter Lynette said, “in a track where many people come and go as renters, their long-term commitment to their home has resulted in a jewel for the area.”

Thanks to Kitson Landscape Management, Inc. for Truck Donation!

When the GVB truck's engine failed, Kitson Landscape Management came to our rescue. Kitson had a heavy duty flatbed truck, which needed a new transmission, that they agreed to donate to GVB. Shown above is Sarah Kitson and Dave Fuderich handing over the keys to the 1995 Ford 450 truck to GVB President David C. Fainer, Jr. With the help of Jim Verhasselt of JV Enterprises and former GVB Board member Doug Winter, the old box was transferred to the new truck. Within a week GVB was back in business! Thanks again to all of our current and former Board members and the UCSB Coastal Fund for supporting the cost of converting to the Ford truck. Thank you all for keeping us running. Long live the truck!

Trees = Math + Science at Nov Science Night at La Patera Elementary

Thanks to the four Board members who contributed 12 service hours at La Patera Elementary School Science night on Thursday night, November 6th. Science Night projects included identifying specimens of the 33 difference tree species available on the campus, telling time through tree rings, testing acorns for viability and leaf printing.
Volunteer Science Night Presenters will be needed to help with future Science Nights coming up at El Camino (February 24), Ellwood (February 26) and several others to be scheduled. No experience is necessary for these fun events; well train you on the tree-related math and science presentations we make! For more information, please call us at 685-7910

Planting and Tree Care Projects this Month

This month Goleta Valley Beautiful hosted nine tree planting events, wherein a stunning turnout of 273 GVB volunteers provided 851 hours of community service in planting 110 trees and caring for 118 more! These included the following projects:
11/1 PM San Marcos High School 25 volunteers 75 service hours 11 new trees
11/7 PM West Storke Family Housing UCSB 7 volunteers 21 service hours 5 new trees
11/8 AM Santa Ynez Apts UCSB 46 volunteers 136 service hours 36 new trees
11/8 PM Ortega Dining Commons UCSB 14 volunteers 48 service hours 13 new trees
11/15 AM Dos Pueblos High School 81 volunteers 264 service hours 91 pruned, planted ~100 agapanthus plants
11/15 PM Dos Pueblos HS/La Patera Elem 4 volunteers 12 service hours 27 trees pruned/cared for
11/21 PM Mesa Road UCSB 26 volunteers 78 service hours 15 new trees
11/22 AM Mesa Rd & CCBER Greenhouse UCSB 42 volunteers 126 service hours 15 new trees
11/22 PM Mesa Rd & CCBER Greenhouse UCSB 28 volunteers 91 service hours 15 new trees

We need you! Committee & Volunteer Positions Open

The GVB Board of Directors photos are now complete, with the addition of Emily Mason (pictured below).
-- The Board is seeking an environmentally conscious people to be part of GVB committees. We have openings in the Finance, Special Events/Awards, Development, and Membership Committees. Number of hours of participation for each committee could be as little as 1 to 3 hours for an individual event. Call 685-7910 for more information.
-- Wish List - Individually packaged snacks (nothing that can melt) and water for volunteers.
-- Photos/Stories of your favorite tree in the Goleta Valley - It doesn't have to be the biggest, oldest or most unusual, but every tree has a story. Send us your story of your favorite Goleta Valley tree to KennethKnight@cox.net or mail it to PO Box 6756, Goleta, 93160-6756.
-- The GVB/Cambridge Church litter collection crews 2008 trash collection totals now stand at 282.5 person-hrs and 154.5 bags! To assist, call Don or Judy Nason at 984-4895

Water Kings and Queens Needed to Adopt FREE STREET TREES in Goleta through a California ReLeaf Tree Planting Grant

We've already planted trees at Carlo, Hillview, Braeburn, Wakefield, Stow Canyon, Del Norte, Verona, Paseo Palmilla, and Caroldale. You could be next! We're still taking orders for volunteers within the City of Goleta that are willing to water and weed a tree in a parkway (between the curb and the sidewalk) next to your house for the next two summers. In return, GVB volunteers will install a FREE street tree, along with arranging for installation of rootshields (if needed). Specific tree species and locations are subject to City selection criteria. The time to act is now as GVB has secured a grant for only 50 street trees. To sign up as Water King or Queen, call 685-7910. For those of you who have already responded, we'll be scheduling a date for planting in December .

GVB Executive Director Resigns from Planning Commission-- Urban Forest Management Plan to continue

GVB Executive Director Ken Knight has resigned from his position as Planning Commissioner in order to concentrate his efforts on Goleta Valley Beautiful and on the contract with the City of Goleta to develop an Urban Forest Management Plan. Mr. Knight wanted to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest between his role as a Planning Commissioner and his responsibilities as Executive Director. The Urban Forest Management Plan is a partnership between the City of Goleta and GVB that is financed in part by contributions from the City, GVB, and a grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Satellite data on the status of the Goleta urban forest is now available and GVB is working to produce a State of the Goleta Urban Forest report.

The next public advisory group meeting may occur either on Wednesday evening December 10th or January 14th. For more information or to be placed on the mailing list to receive updates on the status of the Goleta Urban Forest Management Plan, please contact City Arborist Bill Millar at 968-6848 or Ashley Flores at (805) 961-7578 or email aflores@cityofgoleta.org

Our Oldest Donor Member

Sister Witness Tree gives us clones so that we can continue planting native trees throughout the Goleta Valley. In early December , we are asking our not-so-ancient friends to help us with financial support to continue GVB operations. We make only one mailing a year for membership support, so please look for our Planting For Tomorrow GVB envelope when it arrives in the mail in early December! If you miss our mailer, you can donate online via TreeLink, or access the 2009 Membership forms on our website soon at www.goletavalleybeautiful.org, or call us at 685-7910!

Goleta Valley Beautiful is not a government agency but rather a non profit community service organization that is funded by grants and donations from the community. GVB relies upon the volunteer and financial support of the community to continue providing public services. Please check the Goleta Valley Beautiful website for weekly Saturday morning and afternoon volunteer opportunities. Back to Top

Dear Friends,

Thank you for logging on to the Goleta Valley Beautiful website. It is hoped you will visit our site regularly and check our volunteer calendar. During 2008-09 GVB will continue to plant and care for trees in the area west of the Santa Barbara city limits to the western borders of Goleta. For the past several years GVB has been planting and caring for over 500 trees each year, as well as growing over 2000 new trees at our native tree nursery at Devereux. Over 1400 volunteers have been assisting GVB each of these years. Many high school and college students are participating and earning community service credits. Each month we recognize outstanding residential and commercial beautification efforts. To learn more about GVB, click on about us. If you are not a member of GVB, we would be pleased to have your membership. Call our Executive Director Ken Knight at 685-7910 for information and suggestions. If you would like to make a donation to us, you may at the Tree Bank website.

Thank you, .

David Fainer
President.
Members of Goleta Valley Beautiful Board of Directors: David Fainer, President; Phebe Mansur, Vice President; Tami Mason, Treasurer; Zea Bauer, Secretary; Michael Bennett, Merlyn Cummings, Al Turnbull, Treva Yang, Maia Kazaks, Jill Tiegs, John Ingram, Stephen Fereday, James Lechuga, Emily Mason, and Ken Knight; Executive Director.
Click here to see the Boards photographs

ALBERTSONS PARTNERSHIP
With your help,and our new partnership with Albertsons, we can grow our successful education and youth programs that teach community leadership, tree care, and serve to increase our community’s public trees or urban forest by purchasing books for our local libraries.
To read our financial reports and learn more about how we spend your generous donations, please select GuideStar.