Sustainable Saratoga’s Tree Toga is BACK for 2021, planting the next generation of trees in Saratoga Springs on Saturday, April 24
On Saturday, April 24, 2021, Sustainable Saratoga’s Urban Forestry Project is celebrating our community’s resilience and hope for the future by putting trees in the ground at the homes of 15 excited Saratoga families. This will bring the total number of Tree Toga plantings to 270 trees since 2014.
Peggy Brown, long-time Tree Toga volunteer, shared these thoughts about the importance of Tree Toga in 2021:
I’ve been involved with Tree Toga for several years and have planted with friends, family, and neighbors all around Saratoga. For all of us, it is so much fun to see the trees grow and really add to the community. To me, the trees feel like a legacy that will live on and give back to us. But this year in particular, with all that the world has been through, planting a tree seems even more important. Planting is a hopeful act, and a sign of rebirth and resilience after a dark time.
We’re bouncing back from a tough year by bringing back Tree Toga. Of course, this year we’ll be doing things differently and taking into account COVID-19 precautions. Teams of planters will gather at each planting location, getting those trees into the ground, to be nurtured and cared for by the homeowners whose yards will host the trees. The care that Tree Hosts provide is critical to tree survival and the success of Sustainable Saratoga’s mission to preserve and expand Saratoga’s urban forest.
The Tree Toga team from a prior planting event. Photo by David Aimone
Why plant trees? According to the City’s 2013 Urban & Community Forest Master Plan (UCFMP), trees are one of the most cost-effective pieces in the city’s infrastructure. Research shows that trees enhance retail and restaurant profitability, increase property values, save energy, improve air quality, reduce water pollution, enhance our mental and physical health, beautify our city, provide wildlife habitat and provide a direct link to Saratoga’s vibrant history.
Spring is a great time to plant your own tree. So why not join Tree Toga in spirit by planting one in your own yard, and sharing a picture of your new tree at #NextGenTree? We recommend planting a variety of trees native to our local forests, as well as a few of those from the wider region, that are adapted to our soils and climate and provide food and shelter for a variety of insects and wildlife. You can find a wealth of practical information on choosing, buying, planting and caring for trees on our website.
Sign up to be a volunteer or Tree Host for a future Tree Toga event here. Email us with any questions. Click here to donate to our efforts.
