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On February 10, 2012, Kevin Kielty, the town arborist, and members of the Tree Committee, educated Robbie Christensen's third grade class at Las Lomitas School about the trees on their school campus. The class was particularly interested in how old the oaks were. Kevin explained the only way to know for sure was to cut down the tree and count the rings, one ring per year. Kevin estimated that the three oaks planted where the presentation was given (two valley oaks that lost their leaves in winter and one coast live oak that kept its leaves) were about seventy or eighty years old. But oaks can live to be 400 years old and the oak visible from the classroom window, with a much thicker trunk, might be 200 years old or older. The class and the committee also discussed gall wasps, squirrel nests, how trees grew around fences, and mistletoe.
On March 7, 2011, the Tree Committee led the pre-school reading group at the Atherton Library in reading two short books about trees, in a "field trip" exploring trees around the library, and in planting a new Magnolia soulangeana. Hopefully the children will remember, when the tree blooms every spring, that they were the ones who planted it. See a photogallery of the day's events.
In a combined Arbor Day and Volunteer Day in the Park celebration, the Tree Committee led dozens of volunteers in planting trees, spreading chips, and planting shrubs and hedges throughout the park. The weather was perfect, the volunteers accomplished a great deal, and everyone enjoyed a barbecue lunch at the end of the morning. (Photo at Right, April 18, 2010)
(Photo at left, March 25, 2010) the Tree Committee dug the holes and planted four gingkos (Gingko biloba) in at the edge of the north meadow in Holbrook Palmer Park The committee mixed the soil with compost and spread mulch around each tree. The park irrigation system will be extended to water the trees. See photo to left.
On February 11, 2010, the Tree Committee planted six new trees along Middlefield Road with the help of the town's public works department. The trees were red oaks (Quercus rubrus) and black tupelos (Nyassa sylvatica).
The Tree Committee, with the help of Town employees, planted approximately ten trees in 15 gallon containers along the west side of Middlefield Road south of Watkins on January 30, 2009. See photo to right.
In November, 2007, the committee planted new trees in Holbrook Palmer Park. The trees included a Manchurian Oak donated by Corrine Derringer, a Valley Oak in memory of Bill Anderson, and a Blue Oak in memory of Rita Gado. See photo to left.
