Stewardship with Tree Davis
At Tree Davis, urban forestry is more than just trees. Urban forestry is an action. It is the continuous care and management of trees and understory plants. We have learned over the years that it truly does take a village to steward trees and landscapes, but it is a worthwhile fight. Research has found that young trees need frequent watering, mulching, weeding, and pruning for the first five years after planting. Since this time last year, we have:
Year-round stewardship is vital to the success of young trees. Though every tree has individual needs, there are general principles for care. Watering should happen in the dry months, pruning should be taken care of in the dormant season, and weeding and mulching should be done in the off seasons. In early March, UC Davis Professor Emerita, Dr. Alison Berry, led a pruning workshop for Tree Davis board members, staff, fellows, and interns at John Barovetto Park. This was a great opportunity for the team to discuss basic pruning techniques and ensure that everyone was comfortable with young tree care. We look forward to partnering with more urban forestry experts in the future to hone our stewardship skills. This is knowledge we hope to share with the greater community to promote thriving natural landscapes throughout our cities.
Often, the biggest barrier to practicing best stewardship practices is ensuring that staff are allocated to that responsibility. As we embark on new projects, we are always looking for ways to ensure funding for ongoing care in the spaces we create. This year Tree Davis has worked with the City of Davis to revitalize their city tree planting program. With the continued support of the City, Tree Davis is working to provide year round maintenance for over 1,500 young trees.
Along with the hard work of Tree Davis staff, the healthy canopy of Davis is a result of an abundance of support from community members. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their time at one of our stewardship events or donated to the organization. As Big Day of Giving approaches on May 2nd, we hope that you will consider donating to support our stewardship efforts.
