According to Tree Davis’ website, more than 13,000 trees have been planted in Yolo County by the organization and the Tribute Trees program allows loved ones to be honored with a dedicated tree. Photo courtesy of Tree Davis

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - A Yolo County environmental organization is committed to educating the public about trees and their impact within urban forestry through an internship program at River City High School. 

Tree Davis, according to its website, is a Davis-based company operating since 1992 that finds different ways to partner with community members, providing skills and resources to not only plant trees, but care for them in the long term. 

The organization has “coordinated educational programs with area schools and community groups, including Birch Lane, Cesar Chavez, North Davis, Patwin, Pioneer and Willett Elementary Schools, Holmes Junior High, Emerson Junior High, Davis High School, Davis School for Independent Study, UC Davis, University Extension, the Yolo Basin Foundation, the Boy and Girl Scouts, and the Davis Rotary Club,” according to the organization’s website. 

The director of outreach and education for Tree Davis, Elizabeth Hursh, said that the internship program at River City High School is part of Cal Fire-funded, Urban Forestry Grant that also includes Washington Middle College High School and other schools in Davis. She said that Tree Davis has partnered with the Washington Unified School District in the past, allowing the district and Tree Davis to facilitate landing spots for the grant program. 

“Something we’re trying to instill in the students is, ‘Yes, you can come back and see this tree that you planted in year,’” Hursh said, “but you can also come back in five years, ten years and see the change that is so gradual, but really amazing.” 

Hursh said that the grant funding was approved in 2022 and the program started in January 2023 and is active in at least five different schools. She said this specific round of grant funding is coming to an end after this year, but the organization’s 33 years in business has established a precedent to continue and expand on similar programs in the future. 

Students can join the grant’s final cohort at any point during the semester and that peer learning is highly encouraged, meaning to learn from others who have been in the program longer, Hursh said. Students learning from other students can sometimes be more effective than listening to teachers teach, she said. 

“Anyone can learn to plant a tree at any time,” Hursh said. 

Cohorts are typically five to 10 students at a time, Hursh said, and students learn technical skills applied to weeding, mulching and planting. She said students learn the basics of what urban forestry is and how it is related to climate change. 

Hursh said students learn knowledge that they can go teach their friends and family. She said the program empowers participants to consider environmental sustainability as a career path and some kids develop a deep passion for it after the program. Some alumni from the program have gone on to pursue forestry related majors in college. 

When established trees “age out,” research-based decisions are applied when considering a replacement, Hursh said. Trees are being planted now for 30 years from now, she said. 

According to Tree Davis’ website, more than 13,000 trees have been planted in Yolo County by the organization and the Tribute Trees program allows loved ones to be honored with a dedicated tree.  

To learn more about Tree Davis and the many different programs, services and information they have available, visit https://www.treedavis.org/. Available on the organization's website are detailed step-by-step instructions on how to plant, select and care for trees, accessible at https://www.treedavis.org/learn-explore/.