Virtual Arbor Day

Arbor Day is often a day to get your hands dirty, to dig in and help plant a tree, or at least get out and enjoy the beauty of the many trees at local parks and open spaces.

But since we're not out of the woods yet with the pandemic, the city of Menlo Park is taking this traditionally outdoorsy event online, for the most part. The city's Arbor Day celebration, which takes place Saturday, March 27, 9:30 a.m., will still feature a tree planting — 12 trees, in fact — at Burgess Park, including a "ceremonial" Arbor Day tree, which is a deciduous valley oak (Quercus lobata).

The virtual event will feature local officials, including Menlo Park Mayor Drew Combs and City Manager Starla Jerome-Robinson, members of the Environmental Quality Commission and the city arborist. 

For more information, visit menlopark.org.

Interactive tree walks

Menlo Park's Arbor Day tree planting at Burgess Park is in partnership with Canopy, a local nonprofit that focuses on growing and maintaining the peninsula's urban forest. 

Before the pandemic, Canopy held regular tree planting and maintenance sessions for which the public could volunteer. The nonprofit also hosted arborist-led tree walks that explored the diversity of trees in local parks.

Though those activities continue to be suspended due to the pandemic, Canopy has posted four online interactive guides that will allow you to do your own self-guided tree walks to learn about the various types of trees growing in parks and public spaces in Palo Alto and Mountain View. 

For more information, visit canopy.org