How We Began
Oakland City Council cut the 2009-'11 budget for the Tree Services Division (a part of Public Works) because of the recession.
Tree Services laid off half of their employees, including 2 of their 3 work crews. They stopped pruning trees and stopped planting trees.
This situation inspired the founding of a new volunteer tree-planting program that later came to be called the Sierra Club Tree Team (or SCTT), which in turn gave rise to this program (Trees for Oakland, a project of the Oakland Parks & Recreation Foundation (OPRF)).
With the recession behind us, the Oakland Urban Forestry Forum and a coalition of community groups in Oakland urged the City Council to do these 3 things:
On July 1, 2017 the City Council approved the next 2-year budget, for Fiscal Years 2017-'18 and 2018-'19. It included a restored 5-person crew (4 tree trimmers and 1 supervisor) for tree maintenance, under the Alameda County Measure BB sales tax for transportation projects.
Oakland City Council cut the 2009-'11 budget for the Tree Services Division (a part of Public Works) because of the recession.
Tree Services laid off half of their employees, including 2 of their 3 work crews. They stopped pruning trees and stopped planting trees.
This situation inspired the founding of a new volunteer tree-planting program that later came to be called the Sierra Club Tree Team (or SCTT), which in turn gave rise to this program (Trees for Oakland, a project of the Oakland Parks & Recreation Foundation (OPRF)).
With the recession behind us, the Oakland Urban Forestry Forum and a coalition of community groups in Oakland urged the City Council to do these 3 things:
- restore funding for the Tree Services Division (part of Public Works) to at least the 2007 level of 30 employees;
- fund an Urban Forestry Management Plan;
- establish an Urban Forestry Commission or Task Force.
On July 1, 2017 the City Council approved the next 2-year budget, for Fiscal Years 2017-'18 and 2018-'19. It included a restored 5-person crew (4 tree trimmers and 1 supervisor) for tree maintenance, under the Alameda County Measure BB sales tax for transportation projects.
Cal FIRE grant and 1,500 trees planted (2015-2019)
In 2015, The Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation (OPRF) and Keep Oakland Beautiful (KOB) received grant funding for a project called "Trees for the Oakland Flatlands", to plant 1,500 trees over three years, starting January 2016. Trees for Oakland formed as a new project of OPRF in 2017 to become the grant receiving organization. During the next 3 years, we recruited volunteers, solicited tree request forms, and organized tree planting events in flatlands neighborhoods. We narrowly missed our target, planting 1,475 total trees, almost exclusively through volunteer labor.
The grant was administered by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)'s Urban & Community Forestry Program, with money pulled from the state's Climate Investments. The grant applied to communities deemed “environmentally-disadvantaged”, according to the CalEnviroScreen 2.0 rating system. See below for more information about California Climate Investments.
"Trees for the Oakland Flatlands" involved planting trees in the areas of Oakland rated in CalEnviroScreen's top 25% (most severely impacted), or within one-half mile of these areas. Every one of Oakland's Council Districts has areas that meet these criteria.
Most of the trees we plant have been along sidewalks, but we also plant in other public areas like parks, libraries, and schools. We even planted in front yards, back yards, and other private properties, if the property-owners understood that they had to keep the tree alive and thriving for at least 40 years, and that they must make the tree available for inspection by CAL FIRE on request.
The primary purpose of the program is to absorb and sequester carbon dioxide as the trees grow, so larger trees are better for this goal. Beyond carbon sequestration, the new trees will also provide many other environmental and social benefits to the community.
In 2015, The Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation (OPRF) and Keep Oakland Beautiful (KOB) received grant funding for a project called "Trees for the Oakland Flatlands", to plant 1,500 trees over three years, starting January 2016. Trees for Oakland formed as a new project of OPRF in 2017 to become the grant receiving organization. During the next 3 years, we recruited volunteers, solicited tree request forms, and organized tree planting events in flatlands neighborhoods. We narrowly missed our target, planting 1,475 total trees, almost exclusively through volunteer labor.
The grant was administered by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)'s Urban & Community Forestry Program, with money pulled from the state's Climate Investments. The grant applied to communities deemed “environmentally-disadvantaged”, according to the CalEnviroScreen 2.0 rating system. See below for more information about California Climate Investments.
"Trees for the Oakland Flatlands" involved planting trees in the areas of Oakland rated in CalEnviroScreen's top 25% (most severely impacted), or within one-half mile of these areas. Every one of Oakland's Council Districts has areas that meet these criteria.
Most of the trees we plant have been along sidewalks, but we also plant in other public areas like parks, libraries, and schools. We even planted in front yards, back yards, and other private properties, if the property-owners understood that they had to keep the tree alive and thriving for at least 40 years, and that they must make the tree available for inspection by CAL FIRE on request.
The primary purpose of the program is to absorb and sequester carbon dioxide as the trees grow, so larger trees are better for this goal. Beyond carbon sequestration, the new trees will also provide many other environmental and social benefits to the community.
California Climate Investments
The "Trees for the Oakland Flatlands" project began as part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap‑and‑Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California.
The "Trees for the Oakland Flatlands" project began as part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap‑and‑Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California.