Twenty-six volunteers participated in Benicia’s Arbor Day 2024 on Saturday, October 19th, to plant 25 trees at Southampton Park. Volunteers included Benicia High School students from the Key Club, Tree Service Club and National Honor Society. Other volunteers were residents and families from the neighborhood and from as far away as Fairfield and Concord.
The City of Benicia and Benicia Tree Foundation sponsored this annual event, which is a requirement of the Tree City USA designation that the City maintains with the National Arbor Society. Benicia Tree Foundation Board members Alison Fleck and Steven Goetz recruited and organized the volunteers, and provided tools and refreshments. City employees Marcos Jaime, Kenneth Hand and Zachary Ioakimedes brought the trees, dug the holes and provided instructions to the volunteers on how to plant a tree.
Mr. Jaime explained to the volunteers that most of the trees to be planted are replacing willow trees that once grew along the creek that flows through Southampton Park. Willow trees are typically short-lived and in their native habitat along creeks are continually replaced with new willows that sprout from willow branches buried in silt. The replacement trees included Coast Live Oak, Strawberry Trees and Western Redbud, which are all longer-lived trees.
New trees were also planted to beautify the park entrance on Chelsea Hills Drive near Panorama Drive. These trees included Crepe Myrtle and Coast Redwood.
The community generated 78 hours of volunteer labor on a sunny and breezy day for Arbor Day 2024. “It is great the City of Benicia provides opportunities such as Arbor Day for residents who want to give back to their community, support our parks and cool the city,” said Goetz.
