Mainstreet Linear Park Tree Planting in Alameda
By Joyce Mercado
The Rotary Club of Alameda and Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda (CASA) came together for a tree planting on Saturday morning, July 12, at Main Street Linear Park in Alameda in conjunction with the Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) and 100K Trees for Humanity. CASA was awarded a $1000 matching grant from the Rotary Club of Alameda, thanks to a generous donation of $500 by a Rotarian, which was then matched by the Alameda Rotary Endowment Foundation. CASA decided that what better use of that money than to plant trees and sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to help the City of Alameda achieve its climate protection goals. Joyce Mercado, President of the Rotary Club of Alameda, reached out to ARPD to determine which park needed the trees the most and requested that they choose native trees from their master plan for Alameda. Cedars were selected, and 100K Trees for Humanity ordered and delivered the 10 trees. The wonderful ARPD workers did a lot of prework for the planting day, including digging the holes, laying out irrigation, and prepositioning the trees, stakes, fertilizer, and compost. With all of that preparation work complete and a short training session, the twenty or so volunteers from Rotary, Interact Clubs of ASTI and Encinal High, 100K trees, and CASA, with ARPD’s help, got the job completely done in one and a half hours. The cedar trees look great in their position in Main Street Linear Park, will provide shade and wildlife habitat for years to come, as well as help prevent water runoff and protect the climate.
CASA supports the City of Alameda’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and to get to net-zero emissions by 2040. The Rotary Club of Alameda does community service and supports non-profits in Alameda, like tree plantings and CASA, as well as does work around the world for the good of humanity. 100K Trees for Humanity are neighbors like you, greening their city. As their website says, they “are planting 100,000 urban trees and plants to increase our urban forest canopies, restore natural habitats, increase urban carbon sequestration capacity to help cities meet carbon reduction goals, and for greater equity for cooler, healthier communities.” As ARPD’s website indicates, “ARPD is proud to be the third oldest park system in the State of California with over 30 parks and facilities serving more than 15,000 people annually.”
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