Frequently Asked Questions
We hope that this will help to clarify our priorities and goals.
Q: Does ReLeaf engage in advocacy?
A: As an organization, we perform limited public advocacy on causes directly related to trees in the Petaluma watershed. We generally do not endorse other groups’ advocacy campaigns and we do not endorse political candidates. We believe that it is important to focus our efforts on our own work. We have a limited amount of bandwidth, and we want to make sure that we are using it to the best of our ability. We also believe that it is important to be transparent about our work. We want to be sure that our supporters know exactly where their money is going.
Q: Why doesn’t ReLeaf plant trees in the downtown area or along residential streets, especially in mid-town or west Petaluma?
A: We are working on ideas for funding for planting shade trees in tight urban spaces. It is a complex problem. We do not plant trees in small squares in sidewalks. Trees planted in pots or small squares in sidewalks are unlikely to survive for very long. They do not have enough space to grow their roots, and they are often exposed to harsh weather conditions. We believe that it is more important to plant trees in the ground or large beds, where they have a better chance of surviving and thriving. Our landscape architects advise that trees need at least a 4’ x 6’ bed to survive and thrive. One of our funders, CAL FIRE, requires a 6’ x 6’ bed for trees they fund.
Q: Does ReLeaf offer educational programs for children? Does ReLeaf allow children to sign up as volunteers at its planting events?
A: Our climate priorities focus on educating decision makers, adults, to make the changes necessary to address the climate crisis. We believe that it is important to educate adults about the importance of trees and the role that they play in mitigating climate change, and the care that urban trees require. We also believe that it is important to empower adults to make the changes necessary to protect our urbanforests. There are many wonderful programs aimed at educating children about the environment including the benefits of trees. We leave this work to the experts.
Our insurance does not allow volunteers under age 14 for our work events.
Q: Does ReLeaf do complete ecological restorations, or at least plant native pollinator plants under trees?
A: We generally work in fragmented urban areas that will never be restored to full functioning ecosystems. The additional cost of complete ecological restorations is best spent elsewhere. We believe that it is more important to focus on planting trees that will help to improve the quality of life while contributing to biodiversity in our communities. When we work in more rural parts of our watershed, we generally find a partner or advisor that is expert in restorations, especially if a creek is involved.
Q: Why doesn’t ReLeaf plant non-native trees?
A: Non-native trees take up space and water that could otherwise help our biodiversity crisis. We believe that it is more important to plant native trees that support the local ecosystem. Native trees are also more likely to survive in our climate.
Q: Does ReLeaf plant “near-native” trees, or otherwise engage in assisted migration of trees?
A: It is not ReLeaf’s policy to actively assist in the migration of tree species from South to the North to mitigate climate change. We believe our own local trees are hybridizing and evolving in response to the changing climate. In our own area, there are trees suited to an array of differing microclimates, including very hot and dry conditions. However, we have created a “Near Native” list of trees to choose from which help to expand and round out our tree choices in certain circumstances. Based on consultations with University of California experts, the list includes trees from Santa Maria and North, but we also added trees from the Channel Islands area which fit well into our residential program.
Q: Does ReLeaf plant only from November to March?
A: That’s correct, we do not plant outside of our wet season. The transplant shock for new trees in hot, dry weather is too risky, and may affect the tree for years if not its entire lifetime. It is very difficult to keep new trees watered enough on either end of the rainy season, when irrigation is often not yet turned on. We believe that it is more important to plant trees when the weather is favorable for their survival.
Q: Does ReLeaf plant Memorial Trees?
A: We do not plant Memorial Trees at this time. It requires a more complex support program than meets the eye for communications, design, siting and maintenance. We do not have the volunteer bandwidth to prioritize such a program for a relatively small amount of tree canopy contributed. We will continue considering this possibility from time to time.
Q: Does ReLeaf plant fruit trees?
A: We do not plant fruit trees, at this time. They require specialized knowledge, maintenance and siting, which we do not have. We believe that it is more important to focus on planting trees that provide benefits to the community, such as shade, air quality improvement and stormwater management.
Q: What is ReLeaf’s policy on sourcing its trees, acorns, and seedlings?
A: We purchase our trees and receive donations of seedlings from reputable growers. They can assure us their trees are of the correct variety and they take precautions to safeguard against the spread of diseases like Phytophthora ramorum, which cause Sudden Oak Disease. We gather, test, and sanitize acorns according to industry standardized guidelines which you can read about here.
We hope that this has helped to clarify our priorities and goals. We welcome your questions or comments by email to admin@releafpetaluma.org