Anyone who has recently traveled along Foothill Boulevard in Sunland-Tujunga may notice the trees planted along the sidewalk are looking a bit healthier. There’s less overgrowth and many are surrounded by fresh mulch, which helps to preserve moisture from the air. This result is due to a teamwork effort initiated by longtime environmentalist and Sunland resident Pat Kramer and co-sponsored by the Crescenta Valley Group of the Sierra Club, DIY Home Center and the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council’s Safe Traffic & Transportation and Beautification committees.

On Saturday, June 11, 28 people from across the Crescenta Valley met at the DIY Home Center, 6300 Foothill Blvd. in Tujunga, to water, fertilize, prune and mulch 70 trees. This effort was made possible by the support provided by the DIY Home Center, which opened its nursery parking lot to this event and donated fertilizer and water. Additionally, the Crescenta Valley Group of the Sierra Club and the STNC provided funding for tools, five-gallon buckets, fertilizer and refreshments and Council District 7 had free mulch delivered from the Lopez Canyon Sanitation site.

“It takes a village to create a successful tree care event,” said Kramer, who has organized three tree care events in the past 10 months to water trees along Foothill Boulevard and plans to continue her outreach efforts. “With temperatures rising and a water shortage upon us, it is imperative for volunteers and business owners to water these trees to help them endure the drought conditions. Healthy trees lower temperatures with their shade, provide oxygen to us, and improve the overall look and feel of our community.

“I created this event in the hopes that people would show up and get involved and I was pleasantly surprised with the turnout of 28 volunteers, including parents with kids. Working on an effort like this brings people together and, at the end of the day, we all felt good about what we accomplished.”    

To volunteer for future tree care days, contact Kramer at patkramerstnc@gmail.com.

Submitted by STNC