Tree clean our air and water, store carbon in their trunks, create habitat for wildlife, reduce air pollution, increase property values, and provide countless other benefits. The Sacramento Tree Foundation works to leverage all of the benefits that trees provide to create healthy and sustainable communities through building the best urban forest in the Sacramento region. A major keystone in building the best urban forest is the Greenprint initiative, a multi-decade regional framework created to meet Sacramento's sustainability and livability goals by expanding urban forests and optimizing the benefits of tree canopies. Greenprint partners, comprised of 22 cities and 6 counties, have agree

A non-profit group that promotes an “urban forest” through programs to plant and maintain trees is likely to receive a $750,000 federal stimulus grant to hire additional staffers. The Sacramento Tree Foundation has been selected to receive the American Recovery and Reinvestment grant and is ironing out the details for how it plans to use the money. The federal stimulus dollars will be distributed through the U.S. Forest Service and will be administered through California ReLeaf, a Davis-based environmental group. “We’re privileged as well as excited to receive the grant from the Forest Service,” said City Councilman Ray Tretheway, who is the foundation’s executive director. “It hits at a

Tonight the City of Sacramento Urban Forest Services Committee met to receive and comment on proposed changes to the tree appeals process. The proposed changes would move appealed tree removal hearings from the Parks and Recreation Commission to the Planning Commission. The meeting was civil but contentious. Representatives from Winn Park Neighborhood Association and Newton Booth Neighborhood Association attended to present letters from their boards opposed to the ordinance change. Committee members expressed mixed views of the change. This was a "receive and comment" meeting so there were no official votes on actions. But an unofficial vote on whether to recommend the proposed ordinance

Joe Benassini, the Manager of Urban Forestry Services for the City of Sacramento, responded to citizens concerned about the tree on 16th street coming down with this public email: All; The tree in question was removed as a part of the improved streetscape adjacent to the Hot Italian restaurant. The tree had a major limb failure and had other structural problems that might not have been apparent to a passer by. The City Arborist made the call to remove and replace the tree and include an irrigation system in an effort to improve the canopy cover, not to lessen it. The cost of removal and replacement was borne by the applicant, not the city. The fact that the tree was not posted was an ove

I've just learned that city management is planning  to move the appeal process to cut down trees from the Parks and Recreation Commission to the Planning Commission on all development related issues!!!  This would apply to ALL developer projects. Why is this bad?  This change will enable Development Services Manager and staff (who have no expertise in trees) to order removal of healthy shade trees any time a developer wants them removed.   The public  would have to appeal to the Planning Commission instead of the Parks and Recreation Commission.  A tree would not have to be in the way of construction.  It could be that the developer wants all new or fewer trees bordering the new building.