Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WATER 149 TREES IN ONE HOT, AUGUST WEEKEND

Over the weekend of August 27th, community volunteers watered 149 trees along Foothill Boulevard from the 210 off ramp by Ralphs to Mt. Gleason Ave. Organizing this event was Pat Kramer, STNC’s Safe Traffic & Transportation Committee chairperson, and Stephanie Mines, board member of the Sunland-Tujunga Chamber of Commerce. Pat also brought in members of the Crescenta Valley Group of the Sierra Club. All told, about 25 volunteers, from the age of 14 to the age of 83, watered every single tree on both sides of Foothill Boulevard in Sunland.
“Our goal was to just water half of Sunland’s trees on Foothill Boulevard, but since the volunteers were willing to go above and beyond that goal, we kept working until every tree got watered. This is essential to do because the City of L.A. no longer waters any of these trees. After they plant them, they only water them for about 3 years and then they are left to survive on their own. We all know that Climate Change is here and with temperatures getting hotter and the ongoing drought, people need to step up and water these trees as much as possible,” says Kramer.
While Kramer coordinated this event, Stephanie Mines from the S-T Chamber provided a location for everyone to meet, get water, and get assignments for what trees to water. “We all worked together to make this a successful event,” says Mines. We can accomplish great things when people work together.”
Thanks go, not only to the S-T Chamber, the Sierra Club and the STAT Committee, but also to STNC’s Beautification Committee members who showed up to help and to Ralphs supermarket, which provided reinforcements of water for many of the trees.
Efforts are now underway to get business owners and residents involved in watering the trees near their establishments. Each tree needs 5 gallons of water a week to remain healthy – 10 gallons in very hot weather. Anyone interested in volunteering to take care of one or more trees can contact Pat Kramer at:
[email protected].