A tree planting event will be held this Saturday, Dec. 1 in Santa Monica’s Sunset Park neighborhood and local residents are being encouraged to attend to help plant Arbutus ‘Marina’ trees.
City of Santa Monica staff, volunteers from Siemens Corporation, and the non-profit organization Alliance for Community Trees will be leading the effort.
The tree species Arbutus ‘Marina’ thrives in a coastal climate and is a drought tolerant species selected for its evergreen foliage and pink flowers with peak bloom in the spring and fall.
The tree planting initiative is made possible by a generous gift awarded to Santa Monica in April of this year, as the midsize community recipient of the 2012 Siemens Sustainable Community Award from the Siemens Corporation and the Business Civic Leadership Center. The award provided $20,000 for tree planting.
Santa Monica’s award application focused on integrating goals and principles of its Sustainable City Plan into a wide range of city operations, services and strategic planning initiatives, including the recently adopted Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE).
Judges noted Santa Monica’s excellence in setting strategic citywide goals that are reinforced across multiple planning areas, such as resource conservation, economic growth, open space and land use, housing, transportation, civic participation, and human services.
The judging panel included five academic, community development, and media professionals.
“What these communities have done so well, is use sustainability as a lever to overall community success, instead of as a stand-alone program to pursue specific environmental outcomes,” said Siemens’ Alison Taylor. “This holistic approach is a truer indicator of a community’s sustainability.”
More information about the awards program is available on the Siemens Sustainable Community Awards website: http://bclc.uschamber.com/sustainablecommunityawards.
Event Details:
— Saturday, Dec. 1
— 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
— 18th Street between Ocean Park Boulevard and Navy Street.
— Refreshments and lunch will be provided.
— RSVP to trees@smgov.net.
