Volunteers of all ages look after Fallbrook's trees

FALLBROOK - Trees are an important part of Fallbrook’s downtown and surrounding area’s appeal, yet being part of the unincorporated County, there has never been municipal services for planting and caring for them. That is how the Save Our Forest Organization (a division of the Fallbrook Land Conservancy) started. In 1996, SOF began planting trees downtown and realized that there was also a need for volunteers to “adopt” trees for their proper care and watering. Thus began the Tree Steward Program which today has twelve stewards, with several more needed.

Two new tree stewards helping the Save Our Forest organization are Izabella Ortega and Nina Boyle.

Ortega is a ninth grade student at Fallbrook High and is also active in the AVID program and Key Club.

Boyle is a seventh grader at Zion Lutheran School and involved in many other activities including National Charity League. She also acts in local theater productions.

These two students epitomize the importance and success of another major SOF program: education. Jackie Heyneman, who heads SOF, stated that this program aims to educate young people about the importance of trees and plants to the environment, help them understand conservation through planting for energy-saving shade, and choosing drought-tolerant plants for water conservation.

Heyneman is quick to emphasize another important aspect of SOF’s environmental education program: service to the community.

“Our hope,” Heyneman said, “is that young people who have adopted trees over the past years realize they must give back to the community, fulfilling needs that communities such as unincorporated Fallbrook have for tree care—and for that matter—many other niceties that make our town special.”

In addition to the need for tree stewards, volunteers are also needed for SOF “work parties” which are held twice a month for pruning and replacing trees, planting native shrubs, and installing and maintaining benches in public places. Those interested in volunteering are asked to call the FLC office at (760) 728-0889.