Fwd: Help plant trees for Berkeley this spring

[Diane Tokugawa]

Diane

Begin forwarded message:

From: City of Berkeley <ne...@news.berkeleyca.gov>

Subject: Help plant trees for Berkeley this spring

Date: March 2, 2026 at 5:01:54 PM PST

To: dtok...@comcast.net

Join community volunteers this spring to plant trees, support pollinators, paint public spaces, or learn on a guided tree tour across Berkel

March 2, 2026 View this message as a webpage SERVICES. RESOURCES. COMMUNITY. News from the City of Berkeley Help plant trees for Berkeley this spring Join community volunteers this spring to plant trees, support pollinators, paint public spaces, or learn on a guided tree tour across Berkeley. Come volunteer to plant trees and native plants at four events in March and April designed to help improve Berkeley’s parks, a public corridor and at the waterfront.  City staff will be on site to lead the work, demonstrate techniques, share safety guidance, and answer questions as you go. Depending on which event you attend, you’ll: Help add shade near an active City park Plant a native garden to support bees, butterflies, and other pollinators Learn a new technique for planting trees that will grow quickly with little maintenance Plant trees, shrubs, and native plants near the shoreline and then take a walking tour about the symbiosis of different tree species. Events take place at San Pablo Park, South Berkeley, Willard Park, and the Berkeley Waterfront. Register in advance when noted and arrive on time ready to participate. Pick a day to help Berkeley  Join one or more spring events to help plant, restore, and care for shared spaces across Berkeley. Community tree planting at San Pablo Park Saturday, March 7, 2026 9:15 am – 1:00 pm San Pablo Park, 2800 Park Street Registration required Help plant a row of new trees along the northwest side of the park to rebuild canopy and add future shade near active areas. Stay after planting for lunch and a short tour of trees already growing in the park. Miyawaki forest planting in South Berkeley Saturday, March 7, 2026 9:00 am – 3:30 pm Corner of Adeline Street and MLK Jr. Way Registration required Join community partners Green Pocket Forest and City staff to plant a dense pocket forest using native saplings in a small urban space. The Miyawaki Method of planting focuses on fast-growing habitat with little to no maintenance. Willard Park pollinator garden planting Saturday, March 28, 2026 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Willard Park, 2730 Hillegass Avenue Help install a native pollinator garden that supports bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Volunteers will dig, plant, water, and learn how native gardens strengthen local ecosystems. Arbor Day tree planting at the Berkeley Waterfront Saturday, April 25, 2026 9:30 am – 1:00 pm Shorebird Nature Center, 160 University Avenue Registration required Celebrate Arbor Day by planting trees, shrubs, and native plants near the shoreline. After planting, join a short walking tour to learn about different tree species and how they work together in this Bay-edge environment. Bike parking is available at most event sites. Public transit access includes multiple AC Transit routes, and some locations are within walking distance of BART stations. Parking availability varies by site. Lend a hand and care for Berkeley’s parks and green spaces Get outside, work together, and make visible improvements in your neighborhood. These events include hands-on outdoor work like digging, planting, watering, mulching, or walking park paths. Activities take place on grass, soil, or uneven ground, and conditions may be muddy, windy, or cool depending on the site and weather. Most events start with a short welcome and safety talk, then move into small-group work. Some events include a lunch break and time to talk with staff. Please plan to bring: Closed-toe shoes that can handle dirt, mud, or paint Long pants A reusable water bottle Optional: your own work gloves or a favorite shovel Tools and supplies will be available on site, so bringing your own equipment is not required. For questions or to request an accessibility accommodation, please contact tr...@berkeleyca.gov or call (510) 981-6660. How Berkeley is planting, restoring, and caring for shared spaces Berkeley neighborhoods have differing amounts of tree cover. Some parks and public corridors experience more sun and heat than others, which affects how comfortable they are for walking, play, and everyday use. As temperatures rise due to global warming, shade and vegetation play an increasingly important role in public health and quality of life. The City is responding by planting trees and native plants, restoring habitat, and caring for public spaces in ways that support long-term growth and use. Planting today helps create cooler, healthier spaces in the years ahead. Pollinator gardens strengthen biodiversity at ground level, while maintenance work like fence painting helps parks feel cared for and welcoming. Together, these efforts support climate resilience, healthier neighborhoods, and shared responsibility for Berkeley’s public spaces. These volunteer events are organized by the City of Berkeley’s Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront Department in coordination with the Urban Forestry Unit, which manages and cares for trees across parks, streets, and public spaces. If you are interested in applying for a tree in front of your home or business, fill out our Trees Make Life Better application. Check the area map to see if you live in one of the eight areas that are eligible. Volunteer at one of these four events to help plant trees, build habitat, and care for Berkeley’s parks this spring.  Links Volunteer events March 7: Community tree planting at San Pablo Park March 7: Miyawaki forest planting in South Berkeley March 28: Willard Park pollinator garden planting April 25: Arbor Day tree planting at the Berkeley Waterfront Volunteer Opportunities: Recreation volunteering, Adopt a Drain, Adopt a Green Infrastructure, Seniors, Animal shelter Sign up for Recreation's volunteer email list Forwarded this message from a friend? Click here to subscribe Help Shape Behavioral Health Services in Berkeley Tell the City which mental health and substance use disorder services are most important for our community via virtual or in-person community meetings or an online survey. Your feedback will help shape a three-year plan for behavioral health services. Funding from the State of California supports programs such as: comprehensive care for people with severe mental illness early intervention for youth and individuals in need outreach to people experiencing homelessness, and more. This plan will be the first under the Behavioral Health Services Act, an update and expansion of the previous State funding source. Compared to the past, this plan will include behavioral health related housing services, community supports, and full-service partnership programs. Community input will continue to play an important role in shaping local priorities, such as decisions about service models, populations served, and program design. Let us know what you think are the greatest behavioral health needs in Berkeley. Fill out the survey by March 4, 2026. Read more at BerkeleyCA.gov. First-generation home buyers can apply for housing down payment assistance Prospective first-generation home buyers can apply for a loan of up to $150,000 that would only be repaid when the house is eventually sold, transferred, or the mortgage paid off.  The loan can cover up to 20% of the home price and can be used for down payment or closing costs. You may qualify if: At least one borrower is a first-generation homeowner All borrowers are first-time homeowners Household income is under $253,000 in Alameda County You’re a California resident Owners will repay the full loan amount along with a share of the increase in home value when the house is sold, transferred, or the first mortgage is paid off. These state-funded loans are ideal if you can afford monthly mortgage payments but don’t have the savings to cover a down payment. To get started, check your eligibility, meet with an approved lender, and apply for the voucher lottery by March 16, 2026. Read more at BerkeleyCA.gov. Weigh in on plan to improve City buildings, parks, and more Attend one of a series of in-person community meetings to share feedback about potential projects to improve parks, community centers, fire facilities, and the waterfront. At each meeting, City staff will present an overview of Berkeley’s infrastructure needs and the types of projects under consideration. Ask questions. Discuss projects with others. Give input on which projects are most pressing and why.  The proposed projects repair and improve parks, community centers, fire facilities, waterfront and shoreline areas. They also address sidewalk and accessibility improvements. Berkeley maintains more than 54 parks, 95 buildings, 300+ miles of sidewalks, community centers, camps, pools, and more. Much of this infrastructure is more than 75 years old. The City faces an estimated $1.65 to $2 billion in needed repairs and upgrades with no identified funding. Since not all projects can move forward at once, we face the shared challenge of deciding which projects to tackle first. Help us set priorities by joining one of several meetings and giving input on which projects matter the most. Read more at BerkeleyCA.gov. More news from the City of Berkeley Artists and festival organizers can apply for arts grants,deadlines are March 4 and March 11 Volunteer at monthly Berkeley waterfront cleanups, next event is March 21 Apply for paid internships, path to a career, deadline March 27 See all news from the City of Berkeley. Upcoming City Events March 3, 7:00pm: Infrastructure Projects Community Meeting (South Berkeley)  March 6, 6:00pm: Community Game Night and Bingo March 7, 9:00am: Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Unit 5: Disaster Mental Health See details for all upcoming city events. Upcoming meetings City Council March 10, 6:00pm: Agenda City Council Committees March 4, 2:00pm: Policy Committee: Facilities, Infrastructure, Transportation, Environment & Sustainability See details for upcoming city council committee meetings. Boards & Commissions March 2, 5:30pm: Personnel Board March 4, 6:30pm: Planning Commission March 4, 7:00pm: Homeless Services Panel of Experts March 5, 4:00pm: Civic Arts Commission, Public Art Subcommittee March 5, 6:30pm: Landmarks Preservation Commission March 5, 7:00pm: Housing Advisory Commission See details for upcoming boards and commission meetings. We're here to help Use our Report & Pay tool to access City services quickly. Or call (510) 981-2489, or 3-1-1 inside City limits.  Unsubscribe from this list  *  Update your subscriber preferences You are receiving this message because you are signed up to receive Community News emails from the City of Berkeley. For questions, contact communi...@berkeleyca.gov. Follow City of Berkeley Bluesky (real-time updates) Instagram LinkedIn Get emergency updates Emergency notifications Emergency map

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