2014 Trees for Free Program With nearly 200 trees added to the neighborhood in the combined 2011 through 2013 programs, the El Quito Neighborhood Association has been extremely successful in the execution of the annual "Trees for Free" program. The program has added a significant amount of trees to both our residential neighborhood, and our own El Quito Park.
With the 2014 program now under way, we hope to offer the neighborhood a continuing annual program to nurture and grow our urban forest within our neighborhood. For more information, and to see the wide variety of tree species that are offered through the program, please see our "Trees for Free" program web site. The trees in this program are premium nursery grade 15 gallon trees, and are planted and staked for you AT NO CHARGE by "Our City Forest"! Improve your property value, help lower the summer ambient temperature of our community, and help reforest our neighborhood. Please join us in improving our El Quito neighborhood by making it a tree-friendly, more beautiful community! 2014 program participation forms are due on February 7, 2014 for an anticipated planting date in the spring of 2014! Act now and reserve your FREE TREES for your El Quito property!
Letters were mailed to residents in early 2014 with postcards enclosed for voluntary participation. If you have a mistletoe infestation in your street trees, please take advantage of this NO COST program to improve the health of your trees. Removal of mistletoe also reduces the likelihood of additional infestations and the spread of the parasitic plant in our neighborhood.
For additional information, please read an overview of mistletoe control measures by UC Davis.
June 2011
Saratoga's department of Public Works just completed the renovation of the north and west side of El Quito Park, adding over thirty new trees, new flower beds, new boulders, and reconditioned the pedestrian path. The project was managed by Saratoga’s department of Public Works, working with Our City Forest to complete the physical planting, path renovation, and distribution of bark for ground cover.
A wide assortment of drought tolerant trees and plants cultivars were selected and planted in the park to increase the park’s overall plant diversity. Tree and plant selections were chosen to add arboretum-quality diversity and beauty to the park, attract and feed our local bird and butterfly populations, and to attract and nurture native pollinators. Underutilized turf areas were removed around the perimeter to significantly reduce water, chemical, and fertilizer use in the area.
A special thanks to Kevin Meeks and John Cherbone of Saratoga’s Public Works department as well as Nick Masso, Rick De Paredes, and Sigi-Freda Juarez (pictured above), the volunteers and staff of Our City Forest, and the El Quito Neighborhood Association for a job well done! 2011 El Quito Neighborhood "Trees for Free" Program Planting Day A Resounding Success!  March 2011
With a beautiful spring day as the back-drop, the El Quito neighborhood tree planting day started off with a kick-off event at El Quito Park. With over 150 people in attendance, the honorable Howard Miller, mayor of Saratoga, greeted volunteers and neighbors to the kick off the event and congratulated everyone for all of the efforts that had led up to the tree planting day in our neighborhood. Speakers included Council person Jill Hunter, Lori Ellingboe - El Quito Neighborhood Association president, Rhonda Berry - CEO Our City Forest, and Rev. Erik Swanson - Pastor of Westhope Church in Saratoga.
When the spring 2011 program is complete, we hope to have approximately 100 new trees added to our neighborhood! An additional 30+ new trees will be added to El Quito Park later this spring (in a separate parks program initiative).
 We sincerely thank our volunteers, public officials, the Saratoga Department of Public Works, Our City Forest, and our El Quito residents who added trees to their properties to benefit our entire community. WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOU - THANK YOU!
The 2011 "Trees for Free" program is closed, here are details of how our program worked...
Program Details
Go to Our City Forest's El Quito Neighborhood Street Trees for Free web site for the following;
Sponsors:
Recent Announcements
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