Tree City USA
Arbor Day celebrated at parkway
“Tree City” USA is a perfect description of what Porterville is doing at the Tule River Parkway off Jaye Street in its efforts to make a beautiful tomorrow. On Friday, the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day, four Valley Oak trees were added to beautify the parkway.
“Today, our city joins communities across the nation in observance of Arbor Day. While most holidays celebrate something that has already happened and is worth remembering, Arbor Day represents a hope for the future,” said Donnie Moore, Director of Parks and Leisure Services for the City of Porterville, on Friday. “The simple act of planting a tree represents a belief that the tree will grow to provide us with clean air and water, cooling shade, habitat for wildlife, healthier communities, and endless natural beauty – all for a better tomorrow.”
Moore talked of the trees’ benefits – shade, reducing stress, boosting the market value of homes, and serving as physical and emotional landmarks. He mentioned 1872 as the first year Arbor Day was observed and said the Arbor Day Foundation has planted close to 500 million trees around the world within the past 50 years. Locally, the celebration continues with the planting of 10 Valley Oak trees today and three Western Sycamore trees along the Tule River Parkway on Friday and today, Moore said. All made possible and funded by an Arborweek grant received by Cathy Capone and the Tule River Parkway Association — a group of local advocates for the preservation and restoration of the Tule River, who also recently spearheaded a large native plant garden along the trail.
In the 1990s, a local group of citizens established the non-profit Tule River Parkway Association, Capone said, origi
nally developed to clean up the river and make the natural wonder accessible to the community. The association applied for a grant through the Arbor Day Foundation to fund the planting of native trees in celebration of Arbor Day.
“We were one of only 19 organizations in California to receive the grant funding,” Capone said. “The program promotes the value of trees for all Californians and was made possible by the sponsorship of Edison International and San Diego Gas and Electric. We also appreciate the ongoing support of CAL FIRE’S Urban and Community Forestry Department and the U.S. Forest Service.”
Arbor-week celebrations, she said, promote community engagement, volunteerism and education about the importance of trees for community health and combating climate change.
“We have almost twenty volunteer groups signed up to plant a tree (Friday) and (Saturday),” Capone said.
In addition to the Arbor Day Grant, the association has also been working on re-vegetating the river area with native species through the “Adopt a Native Plant Garden” program. The program was developed with the City of Porterville, California Native Plant Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife, with volunteers planting and caring for demonstration concept gardens along the Tule River Parkway.
The gardens are designed to provide improved habitat for birds, bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, while using less water. Currently there are 18 adopted gardens with more areas available for adoption, Capone said and she encouraged those in attendance to visit the gardens.
Moore praised the collective efforts of the association as a main factor over Porterville obtaining the “Tree City” title for the past 29 years.
Shortly after, Porterville City Mayor Martha A. Flores declared April 29, 2022 as “Arbor Day” in the City of Porterville. The proclamation also urged all citizens to celebrate Arbor Day and “support efforts to protect our trees and woodlands, and plant trees to gladden the heart and promote the well-being of this and future generations.” The presentation of certificates to the garden adopters followed with Rosalinda Alexander, representing the Office of Assembly member Devon Mathis awarding commemorative certificates.
The program concluded with the planting of the trees and an opportunity to enjoy the gardens.
“I like this,” said Leonardo Ramos, 7, as he shoveled dirt. “I like playing with dirt.”
Leonardo said he will return to visit “his tree” and will watch it grow taller with every visit.
“It was a big success today,” Capone said after the event. “We have 17 groups coming (today) and it was wonderful of Devon Mathis offering the certificates to all our garden adopters who have worked so hard the past two and a half years, many of them the past one and a half years to maintain it. It is important all volunteers get recognized for the contribution they make to this commitment.”
For more information on the Tule River Parkway Association, visit tuleriverparkwayassociation.org or contact Cathy Capone at tulerivergarden@gmail.com for more information.