2020

Served on Mayor’s Commission of Climate taskforce.  A bold and ambitious goal to be carbon neutral by 2045.  Cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento adopted recommendations that include tree canopy goals of 25% by 2035 and 35% by 2045; by targeting under-canopied and underserved neighborhoods.

Led the development of the nation’s first urban forest certification program for new residential neighborhoods - Green Neighborhood Certification 

Completed 300 acres of native tree and habitat plantings in Sacramento County by our NATURE (Native Trees in the Urban and Rural Environment) program.  Since 1999, this native tree mitigation program has served both government and private sector projects.

Acorn Harvest celebrates 100,000 acorns collected over past 10 years.  Trained volunteers learn how to ecologically collect acorns for our “Seed to Seedling, growing native oaks in the classroom” 4th grade curriculum.

Sacramento Shade celebrates planting of 600,000 shade trees and its 30th anniversary. The SMUD funded program revises its focus from summer energy-savings to carbon storage and more deeply commits to focusing on energy savings.

Partnered with city of Roseville to plant 1,000 native oaks.

2018

Convened the first annual NeighborWoods Leadership Summit. To grow the impact of the NeighborWoods initiatives, neighborhood leaders from across Sacramento came together to learn about how to improve the urban forests in their communities, gain inspiration from one another, and to grow their connections.

2016

The Save the Elms Program is revived – monitoring the City of Sacramento’s remaining 2000 mature elms with customized software and a cadre of 200 volunteers every summer.

Received first of three Cal Fire Greenhouse Gas Recovery grants to launch Urban Wood Rescue.  An urban saw mill and kiln operation to repurpose logs and register carbon stored that otherwise would have been chipped, burned or buried in landfills.

 2015

Awarded a large grant from Cal Fire to focus a NeighborWoods initiative in South Sacramento.

As a part of Cal Fire’s “California Climate Investments” program, the Tree Foundation received funding to expand the urban forest in one of Sacramento’s most under-canopied communities.

Received and Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program grant for the Bear River Habitat Trail project in Yuba County.

2014

Awarded a grant from the Rose Foundation to manage a Watershed Wise Neighborhoods project in Elk Grove.

2012

Celebrate our 30th anniversary by bring world renown artist Konstantin Demopoulos’s international Blue Trees living art project to downtown Sacramento.  Demopoulos Blue trees call attention to the worldwide loss of tree cover, which the Tree Foundation calls for attention to the disparity of tree cover in Sacramento's low-income neighborhoods.

Sacramento Shade enlists over 250,000 SMUD customers and achieves 500,000 shade trees planted and cared for.

Received an Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program grant for improvements at the Stone Lakes National Wildlife refuge that resulted in the establishment of trees, native grasslands, and a habitat hedgerow at Blue Heron Trails.

2011

The Acorn Harvest won best urban forestry project from the California Urban Forest Council.

Seed to Seedling is refreshed to meet California State Curriculum Standards. Continually taught in elementary schools since 1985, the award-winning environmental education program is made available for free online.

Collaboration with Leadership Sacramento on "Cover Your Asphalt," a parking lot shade tree retrofit pilot project.

2010

Inaugural GreenPrint Summit offers key presentations on public health and local neighborhood tree initiatives.  Audience of 200 include community members, business owners, service and faith-based groups, youth groups, elected officials and local government staff.

First year running the community-based 10,000-acorn annual harvest and began training Acorn Harvesters.

2009

Special tree planting campaign with Twin Rivers School District to plant more than 1,000 trees at school campuses.

2008

Published a history of our first 25 years (.pdf) building the best urban forest for the Sacramento region.

Established “Folks for Oaks" Sacramento Shade tree planting program with Sheldon community.

Awarded Cal Fire grant to support enhanced citizen engagement in our urban forest.

Launched Hands On Trees (HOT), a student-led club organized by the Sacramento Tree Foundation, Hands On Sacramento, and Sacramento High School empowers students to become environmental stewards, neighborhood leaders, and life-long volunteers.

2007

Hosted national workshop to model our regional GreenPrint initiative for urban forest/municipal partnerships across the country. Twenty cities/counties participated in three-day workshop.

Completed first regional tree assessment with 300 permanent 1/8 acre plots using I-Tree software

Began providing mitigation services directly to the County of Sacramento 

2006

Conduct a volunteer-led street tree assessment and evaluation for the City of Elk Grove.

In partnership with the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, we are awarded a research grant - Urban Forest for Clean Air demonstration project – to calculate the air quality benefits of trees for the Sacramento region. This study positions our region to have the nation’s first EPA approved State Air Quality Implementation Plan to include trees.

Partnered with the City of Elk grove to plant mitigation trees in public spaces.

Sun Smart Kids is launched to teach students to practice sun-safe health habits, and about the long term effects shade trees can have on the prevention of skin cancer

2005

Completed our GreenPrint Initiative to build the nation's best regional urban forest; adopted by resolution by 26 cities and counties in the region.

Our successful Street Tree Partnership sees 3,000 trees planted in one year.

2004

Institute GIS urban forest mapping and monitoring system.

2003

Our Sacramento Shade partnership with SMUD plants its 350,000th shade tree.

2002

Inaugural Tree Hero Awards is held a major annual fundraiser.

Began a partnership to monitor the woody vegetation for the Natomas Basin Conservancy.

Partner with the City of Sacramento to offer self-help, tool-loan program for pruning of mistletoe.

2001

Initiate the Sacramento Regional Urban Forest Framework, later renamed GreenPrint.

Lead role in delivering the California Energy Commission's Cool Roof Rebate Program.

Arbor Day marks the successful completion of the 10-year Trees for Tomorrow Campaign, renamed the Millennium Tree Celebration, to plant one million trees.

2000

Published our State of the Trees Report. It calls for a community-wide renaissance on the importance and value of tree; and calls for an regional approach to managing our urban forests.

Cool Communities research study is completed and recommends 5 million shade trees needed to mitigate urban heat islands and improve our air quality.

1999

Launched a native tree replacement mitigation program, NATURE – Native Trees in the Urban and Rural Environment – with the County of Sacramento to serve both public and private sector projects.

1998

Petition the U.S. EPA and NASA to select Sacramento in its "urban heat island" initiative. This marks the beginning of the Sacramento Cool Communities Project.

Launch “NeighborWoods” with support County of Sacramento grant to foster neighborhood-led and designed urban forest projects.

1996

Issue Sacramento's first State of the Trees Report, subtitled “creating a shared vision for stewarding a sustainable urban forest.”

1995

The Western Center for Urban Forest Research completes an exhaustive study on the value and economic benefits of Sacramento County’s urban forest.

1994

A citizens group called Save the Elms Program (STEP) creates a volunteer monitoring program to combat Dutch elm disease. STEP is coordinated by Tree Foundation staff.

1993

In collaboration with Congressman Vic Fazio, establish the U.S. Forest Service Western Center for Urban Forest Research located in Davis, California; their first research west of the Mississippi River and first to partner with a nonprofit organization.

The Alliance for Community Trees is founded as a national network for community tree organizations; Ray is the first president of their board of directors.

 The Sacramento Shade Program plants a record 48,000 shade trees for summer energy savings in a single year.

1991

As a result of our partnership with SMUD we grow exponentially from planting 1,000 trees a year to more than 25,000 trees a year. Our budget grows from $80,000 to $ 1.6 million. 

1990

SMUD pledges to partner with the Tree Foundation to plant 500,000 trees, their pledge to the million tree Trees for Tomorrow campaign.

The community-based program is called Sacramento Shade.

Hire Ray Tretheway to be our first full time executive director.

STF launches Save the Elms Program (STEP) in response to Dutch elm disease.

1989

STF launches Trees for Tomorrow campaign to plant one million trees by the year 2000. Initiative endorsed by the City and County of Sacramento.

1985

The “Year of the Oak” celebrates native trees throughout Sacramento County. 10,000 new oaks are planted.

Develop a new education curriculum: “Seed to Seedling, growing native oaks in the classroom.”

1983

Plant 400 trees in its first year through its community grants program for trees in parks, schools and streets.

1982

California Arbor Day (March 7) marks the founding of the Sacramento Tree Foundation. Ann Kohl volunteers to be our first Executive Director on a half-time, volunteer basis.

1981

City of Sacramento Mayor Phil Isenberg and County Board of Supervisor Illa Collin call for the creation of a nonprofit tree foundation dedicated to trees.

1980

Sacramento County Tree Task Force drafts Oak Tree Preservation Ordinance for adoption by City and County of Sacramento.

Parking Lot Shade Tree Ordinances adopted by City and County of Sacramento.

1978

Proposition 13 passes, limiting taxes for state, city and county services.  Tree and park budgets receive low priority.

1977

Sacramento County Tree Task Force created