About Tree Treks With Tree San Diego
San Diego has over 250,000+ urban trees in the county (excluding trees in parks!), and has some of the most diverse tree species of any county in the United States, with over X species.
And Tree San Diego – a local non-profit dedicated to improving our urban tree canopy – has a community engagement event call “Tree Treks,” where you and your family can join professional arborists for an urban walk to learn about the trees in our city and the benefits of them to your community, your health, and the environment.
Tree Treks are held in a different parks or neighborhoods to make sure all of San Diego’s residents have an opportunity to join. A map is provided to all attendees (along with a cool neon vest for safety when crossing streets) with pre-selected trees that will be included on the walk, usually about 8-12 trees. At each tree, a certified arborists will show you how to identify the tree, and explain its unique qualities and traits and the influence they have on the surrounding environment. Urban trees require a more dedicated and proactive approach to ensure their health, and you will learn why certain trees are selected for urban environments, the methods to properly plant them in a city, and the challenges that can happen when selecting the wrong tree, such as maintenance issues and certain hazards.
Tree Treks also give you a glimpse into the history of San Diego, as you’ll find certain non-native trees were brought here for specific reasons (cultural, religious) by settlers, or how some species influenced the economics and industries that grew the city. Contrary to common belief, the majority of San Diego’s palm trees are not native and were not commonplace until brought by Europeans. In fact, the United States only has a single native palm tree – the California Fan Palm – which primarily grows in the desert regions of Southern California and is not well actually suited for coastal urban life. The more you know.
Great For
• Getting outdoors
• Family time
• Learning history
A Closer Look
Tree San Diego is the mastermind behind these events. As the unsung heroes of San Diego’s urban forest, they have planted over 10,000 trees in the past ten years in San Diego County which you can partake in as well. However, many residents are unaware of these efforts and the critical need for them. Hence, Tree Treks was born, which is intended to help you engage with your community, teach you the natural and cultural history of your neighborhood, and shed light into the critical need for a healthy urban tree canopy in San Diego.
Without an urban tree canopy, communities are subject to challenges like the urban heat island effect, economic and social distress, poor education, and negative affects on your mental health. The more you know, the more you can appreciate the need for a healthy tree canopy. This is Tree San Diego’s way of bringing awareness and creating stewards of the local environment, because we know that this cannot be accomplished unless a village gets behind it.
Find out more about Tree San Diego and all the other events you can join, including tree plantings, stewardship training, and tree give-aways. If you’re able, please donate to them here and support your urban tree canopy.
