Healthy CommuniTrees 2010: Planting over 4000 trees in California on Saturday!

The California Urban Forests Council is happy to announce the upcoming United Voices for Healthier Communities' Healthy CommuniTrees event. On this Saturday, October 23, 2010, over 4000 trees will be planted at over 100 sites across California in support of Make a Difference Day! The plantings will take place in public places throughout San Diego County, the Fresno region and the Central Coast, with focus on areas of high need such as schools, playgrounds and senior centers or regions of high emissions such as freeway ramps, rail yards and refineries.  Please see http://www.unitedvoices.org/ for details on how to volunteer. Trees provide profound benefits to our communities. Trees remove carbon dioxide generated in through our lifestyles, keep our cities cool, and help to protect both water and wildlife. Studies continue to show that green environments promote relaxation and improve concentration. These 4000 trees will create lasting benefits across California. In addition, this project has also created eight full time jobs, and the community events will provide opportunities for education about the benefits of trees. This project is run by United Voices for Healthier Communities, a coalition of tree-focused organizations formed to get more trees planted and to spread the word about the benefits of trees.  United Voices for Healthier Communities partners include the California Urban Forests Council, Western Chapter International Society of Arboriculture, Tree Fresno, Urban Corps of San Diego County, City of Lompoc, San Diego Regional Urban Forests Council, Central Coast Regional Urban Forests Council and San Joaquin Valley Urban Forests Council.  The California Urban Forests Council acts as the communications, administrative and programmatic coordinator for United Voices for Healthier Communities. Funding for this project comes from the California ReLeaf AMERICAN RECOVERY & REINVESTMENT ACT Grant Program thro ugh the USDA Forest Service.  This is the second project of this nature for United Voices for Healthier Communities and we look forward to more in the future. Thank you for your support of urban forest projects, and we hope to see you at the planting sites on Saturday!