Save Our Forest's Arbor Day event connects community through trees

The “California Arbor Day Celebration,” sponsored by Save Our Forest, March 9, was a connector in a nontraditional way but “solidly rooted” in a shared love of trees by many Fallbrookians. Close to 50 tree believers showed up to rededicate their efforts to the care and preservation of Fallbrook’s many trees.

It is that love and commitment to caring for the town’s 2,700 trees planted since 1995, along with saving many ancient live oaks on Live Oak Road – that the group began as far back as 1972 when “Save Our Oaks” stood up to stop old oaks targeted for removal following a stormy flood. Then “Fallbrook Treescape Project” came to be which again morphed into “Save Our Forest” with converts gathering and off shoots and branches produced along the way.

At the short but educational event, they shared educational handouts, homemade snacks, drinks and brief talks about “what’s next!” There was also a tree-naming contest for the newly planted Cersis redbuds.

This mini parket heralded a recommitment to the cause, gathering like-minded residents who want a sense of well-being throughout that little corner at Vine and Alvarado streets. It will have showy blooms and cool shade to harken walkers and shoppers to sit a spell and stay awhile in the “Boddaert “log bench, when it is placed to complete the vision of this respite spot.

If The Tree Man of Fallbrook and Mother Trees-a have anything to say about it, it’s just a renewed beginning and passing of the baton.

On hand to celebrate were the next generation receiving tree huggers – eight of the 13 National Charity League volunteers and leaders enlisted as the next generation of “tree stewards” to love Fallbrook’s downtown shade bearers. The trees are interspersed among potted plants as supported also by Fallbrook Beautification Alliance.

Save Our Oaks, The Treescape Project, Save Our Forest, Fallbrook Land Conservancy, Village Green Initiative, no matter what you call the dedicated band of citizens caring for our trees, we in Fallbrook are lucky to have Jackie Heyneman and Roger Boddaert.

Thanks to them we have the beauty of trees surrounding us from village to roadways to passages in and out welcoming visitors or waving goodbye. They help create a friendly village atmosphere.

Let’s keep them around, shall we? Join in the support to Village Green Initiative, Save Our Forest and Fallbrook Land Conservancy to preserve and protect Fallbrook’s walkable, leafy, strollable and lovable downtown.

Nancy Heins-Glaser