Tree Davis Memorial Grove

Background

The Tree Davis Memorial Grove was constructed 20 years ago when the University Retirement Community (URC) was built at 1515 Shasta Drive. The 1.4-acre site contains 61 Memorial trees and a welded steel sculpture containing small plaques for each person/tree, located in the center of the site. The sculpture currently has space for additional plaques, and Tree Davis is accepting donations for additional memorial trees. Trees have been planted along decomposed granite trails that meander along a beautiful cobble-lined stream bed. The site includes irrigated turf and climate-ready tree and shrub species. Overgrown shrubs that threatened the maturing trees have been removed and four mini-groves have been created with three more planned.

The Tree Davis Memorial Grove is a unique space within the Davis park system and greater Sacramento region. The Grove is the only park in the region to honor loved ones and celebrate trees. This space is also innovative in its emphasis on exhibiting climate-ready trees and landscapes — serving as a model for other greenspaces in the area to follow.

Plantings in the Memorial Tree Grove positively impact the entire Davis community, but are especially important to about 500 senior citizens who live adjacent to the Grove at URC and Shasta Point, an affordable housing facility. Seniors are particularly vulnerable to physical and mental health threats, and the Grove provides a beautiful area for residents to walk through, or sit and enjoy. By creating a shaded and scenic greenspace for the Davis community, the Grove is a pathway to both physical and mental health protection and chronic disease prevention.

Tree Davis is mobilizing volunteers to create Climate-Ready Landscape designs, remove existing shrubs, install new plantings, apply mulch, and provide establishment watering as needed. Tree Davis and the City of Davis are working cooperatively to manage the site.

Tree Davis Memorial Grove and surrounding area in west Davis.

Wolk Grove

Lois Wolk, the former City of Davis Mayor & California State Senator
Lois Wolk, former City of Davis Mayor and California State Senator
Wolk Grove Planting Plan

Lois Wolk has dedicated her career to public service and stewarding the environment. Having served in numerous civic leadership roles, from Mayor of the City of Davis to California State Senator, she has been a stalwart advocate of urban forestry, urban greening, and climate change mitigation. As a founding member of Tree Davis, she helped create the public-nonprofit partnership that still thrives today, engaging community members in enhancing and expanding the urban forest. 

In October 2020, the area was planted with over 100 native and drought tolerant understory plants, creating pollinator and wildlife habitat. An Atlas blue cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’) and strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) were also planted. 

During spring 2021 a tree planting and virtual dedication event was held to recognize Lois Wolk’s many contributions to urban forestry in Davis and California. A cork oak (Quercus suber) tree was planted, and a plaque was dedicated in her honor.

The Generations' Grove

The Generations’ Grove was planted in Fall 2021. The 75 ft x 170 ft area is on the southeast side of the Memorial Grove near Shasta Drive. Over 200 native understory plants and 13 trees were planted to create a rich and diverse habitat for pollinators and wildlife. The plant species were specially selected for spring flowering and fall foliage color, as well as drought and pest tolerance. 

Dogs and Philosophers Grove

More coming soon!

Elizabeth's Grove

More coming soon!

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