Releaf outlines plan to plant more than 2,100 trees in Petaluma with USDA grant

Releaf programs manager Carolyn Lacera told the Tree Advisory Committee that the City of Petaluma secured a $1,000,000 USDA Forest Service grant called the Pedaling the Canopy Grant to fund large-scale plantings through the end of 2028. "Our target is 2,168 trees," Lacera said, adding that planting began Jan. 1, 2024; about 1,700 trees have been planted and 463 remain for the current planting season.

Lacera outlined site-specific plans that include 10 trees at McDowell Meadows Park (big leaf maple, white alder, valley oak, coast live oak, western sycamore), 21 trees at Meadowview (smaller-stature species to accommodate overhead wires), 14 trees at Stratford Ladd and a major Westridge Open Space effort that will plant roughly 100 seedlings in groups to stabilize slopes and provide future canopy. She described a two-pronged survival strategy: planting hardy seedlings and locally collected acorns to increase long-term resilience. "We have volunteers right now collecting acorns locally and then we also travel a little bit to get, collect from hotter areas so that we will mix those up and have local acorns and also ones that are growing in hotter areas," Lacera said.

Committee members raised concerns about long-term watering and staffing: Lacera said watering is coordinated with Rebuilding Together, which provides water-truck support and volunteer stewardship, but that some staff funding for planting work will end around December or January and the organization is seeking additional grants. Several committee members offered to consider drafting a letter of support from the Tree Advisory Committee to help Releaf seek funding. Lacera welcomed that offer and noted volunteer planting events and gopher-cage volunteer dates are posted on Releaf's website.