Five trees planted at Francesca Terrace Park.
The Starlight Montesorri School asked Benicia Tree Foundation for advice on planning an Earth Day celebration suitable for their preschoolers. We connected them to the City Parks and Community Services Department. City staff identified a park that needed more trees and helped select the appropriate tree species. The selected tree species was Cercis occidentalis (Western redbud), which is a deciduous, multi-trunk tree that grow to 20′ tall and is native to California. The new trees were to be located where the park borders the backyards of neighboring homes, under utility lines. The Benicia Tree Foundation supplied tools mulch, and instruction on how to plant a tree. The school paid for the trees.
On April 28, 2022, the preschoolers, their teachers and parents arrived at Francesca Terrace Park at 9AM. While the preschoolers toured the park, parents dug holes for the five trees to be planted. With the holes dug, the preschoolers planted the trees, and mulched and watered them. The event was over by 10:30. The trees will last a lifetime.
