See our latest Annual Report here.

Annual Report 2014
Empower grassroots efforts and build
strategic partnerships that preserve,
protect, and enhance California’s
urban and community forests
Mission & Goals
California ReLeaf works statewide to promote
alliances among community-based groups, individuals,
industry, and government agencies, encouraging each
to contribute to the livability of our cities and the
protection of our environment by planting and caring
for trees.
Programs & Services
California ReLeaf ’s core programs & services are:
•Supporting the ReLeaf Network of urban forest non profits
•Facilitating peer-to-peer learning, education and outreach
•Advocating for grants & public policy
•Leading the State’s California Arbor Week
2014 Staff
Cindy Blain
Executive Director
Amelia Oliver
Interim Executive Director /
Program Manager, Finance
& Administration
President’s
Message
Chuck Mills
Program Manager, Grants &
Public Policy
Ashley Mastin
Program Manager, Network
& Communications
Kathleen Ford
Program Manager, Finance
& Administration
2014 Board of
Directors
Jim Clark
HortScience, Inc.
Board President
Tracy Lesperance
Horticultural Therapist
Board Secretary
Catherine Martineau
Canopy
Board Treasurer
Haydi Danielson
Boething Treeland Farms
Desirée Backman
California Department of
Health Care Services
Lisa DeCarlo
California Energy
Commission
Rose Epperson
Western Chapter
International Society of
Arboriculture
Ruben Green
Evergreen Arborist
Consultants
Matt Ritter
California Polytechnic State
University
Ray Tretheway
Sacramento Tree Foundation
Gail Church
Tree Musketeers
2014 WAS CALIFORNIA RELEAF’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY. Over that time, the organization
has moved from the Trust for Public Land to the National Tree Trust to incorporating on its
own. None of this would have been possible without the support of the USDA Forest Service,
CAL FIRE and our Network members. Thanks very much to all.
25 years certainly deserves a birthday party. Thanks to the hospitality of Rhonda Berry, we had
one! Many of the founding members were present including “founder” Isabelle Wade. As a
relative newcomer to ReLeaf, I was just happy to listen and feel the passion and commitment to
urban forestry.
Helping the Network take advantage of these funding opportunities requires a strong
organization and committed staff. In this area, California ReLeaf faced one challenge after
another during 2014. First, Executive Director Joe Liszewski resigned in January, seizing the
opportunity to move east and be closer to family. And we knew that 2014 would be the year that
Kathleen Farren resigned and went off to dental hygienist school. Finally, Ashley Mastin resigned
late in the year, taking the opportunity to be a stay-at-home-mom for her children. Chuck Mills
must’ve wondered what was going on.
California ReLeaf welcomed Cindy Blain as the new Executive Director and Amelia Oliver as
Program Manager for Network & Operations. Both Cindy and Amelia bring a long history of
interaction with California ReLeaf, knowledge of the Network, and passion for the work.
Despite all these changes, California ReLeaf has strengthened partnerships with environmental
justice coalitions and other sustainability organizations to help secure new funding to plant
and care for more trees in our cities and towns. The focus of this funding is for disadvantaged
communities who typically have low tree canopy cover. These are the neighborhoods who need
trees the most and can benefit the most from all the ways trees make neighborhoods healthier
and more livable.
I couldn’t be more appreciative of, and thankful for, California ReLeaf ’s Board of Directors:
Rose Epperson, Matt Ritter, Desirée Backman, Catherine Martineau, Tracy Lesperance, Ruben
Green, Lisa DeCarlo, Haydi Danielson, and Ray Tretheway (these latter two both new in 2014!).
Together, we strive to achieve ReLeaf ’s mission of empowering grassroots organizations and
building strategic partnerships.
A founding Board member, Gail Church from Tree Musketeers, left the board in 2014. I want to
personally thank Gail for her years of service to California ReLeaf.
I have no doubt that 2015 will present as many challenges and opportunities as 2014 did. Rest
assured, ReLeaf ’s staff and Board of Directors are here to help you make the most of them.
Thanks very much!
Jim Clark
Celebrating a Quarter-Century
On October 11, 2014, California ReLeaf hosted a Reunion Party in San Jose to celebrate 25
years of ReLeaf. More than forty of ReLeaf ’s closest friends and colleagues joined in for a
night of festivities, food, fun, and – most of all – great memories from 25 years of working
together to change California for the better through trees.
Running for ReLeaf
California ReLeaf 25th Anniversary
Interview Series
“There has to be a statewide
organization dedicated
to nonprofits. California
ReLeaf provides meaningful,
proactive, and comprehensive
urban forestry programming
throughout the state. ”
California ReLeaf organized not one but two California
ReLeaf tree teams to participate in the California
International Marathon (CIM) on December 7, 2014,
celebrating this milestone year by running 26.2 miles
through Sacramento’s extensive, gorgeous urban
forest. Each team member ran between 5 and 8 miles
to complete the race, and each used the race to raise
support for California ReLeaf.
Team members included Alex Byrne, Tracy Lesperance,
Becky Garrow, Julie Oliver, Kathleen Ford, Monica
Engebretson, and Julie Parsons.
Rhonda Berry
Founding Director
Our City Forest
San Jose
“Through persistence and
action, ReLeaf and the
urban forestry movement in
California have grown and
flourished.”
Andy Lipkis
Founder & President
TreePeople
Los Angeles
“In sum, the quality of life in
the state is vastly improved
because California ReLeaf
exists.”
Gail Church
Executive Director
Tree Musketeers
El Segundo
Pictured above: Tracy Lesperance, Kathleen Farren
Ford, Julie Oliver, Alex Byrne
2014 Accomplishments
In 2014, ReLeaf Network Members had some impressive stats:
39,175 368,378
trees planted
trees cared for
2,404
59,427
outreach events
community members
reached
38,537 239,363
volunteers
volunteer hours
2014 Financials
These financials reflect California ReLeaf ’s annual Independent
Accountant’s Review Report for July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.
California ReLeaf Network
With more than 90 Network Member groups in 2014, California ReLeaf continues to hear,
voice, and support the needs and concerns of communities all across Calfornia.
• Acterra*
• Goleta Valley Beautiful*
• Amigos de los Rios*
• Greenspace -- The Cambria
Trust
• Arroyo Seco Foundation
• Atascadero Native Tree
Foundation
• Growing Together*
• Benicia Tree Foundation*
• Hollywood/Los Angeles
Beautification Team*
Huntington Beach Tree
Society*
• Butte Environmental
Council*
• Inland Urban Forest
Council*
• California Association of
Local Conservation Corps*
• Just One Tree
• Atherton Tree Committee
• California Community
Forests Foundation
• California Urban Forests
Council*
• Canopy*
• Keep Eureka Beautiful*
• Koreatown Youth &
Community Center*
• Los Angeles Conservation
Corps*
• Carpinteria Beautiful
• Los Angeles Community
Forest Advisory Committee
• City of Lompoc
Appeaerance &
Beautification Commission*
• Los Angeles Community
Garden Council
• City Trees
• Collective Roots
• Common Vision*
Community Services &
Employment Training, Inc.
(CSET)*
• Riverside-Corona
Resource Conservation
District*
• Roseville Urban Forest
Foundation*
• Sacramento Tree
Foundation*
• Tree Lindsay
• San Bernardino Volunteer
Yard Beautification Project
• Tree Musketeers*
• San Diego Community
Forest Project Advisory
Board
• San Joaquin Regional
Conservation Corps*
• San Luis Obispo Botanical
Garden
• Santa Barbara Beautiful,
Inc.
• Santa Barbara County
ReLeaf
• Trees for Seal Beach
• University Arboretum,
CSUS
• Urban Corps of San Diego,
CSUSD
• Urban ReLeaf
• Urban Tree Foundation*
• Sempevirens Fund*
• Markham Regional
Arboretum Society
• Shadetree Partnership, Inc.
• West Hollywood Tree
Preservation Society*
• Mendocino County ReLeaf
• Mountain View Trees
• Solano Advocates Green
Environments (SAGE)
• South San Francisco
Beautification Committee
• North East Trees*
• Streaminders/Chapter of
the Izaak Walton League
• Forestry Educators
Incorporated
• Oakland Landscape
Committee*
• Ojai Trees*
• Street Tree Seminar, Inc.*
• Ojai Valley Land
Conservancy
• The Incredible Edible
Garden*
• Orange County Great Park
• Tree Davis*
• Our City Forest*
• Tree Foundation of Kern*
• Patricks Point Garden Club
• Tree Fresno*
• Professional Tree Care
Association of San Diego
• Tree Guild of Arroyo
Grande*
• Full Circle Farm
• TreePeople*
• Marin ReLeaf
• Fallbrook Land
Conservancy Save Our
Forest Committee*
• Friends of the Urban Forest
• Tree San Diego*
• Victoria Avenue Forever*
• Stewards of the Coast &
Redwood
• Friends of the Palo Alto
Parks
• Tree Partners Foundation*
• Santa Margarita
Community Forestry
• Mountains Restoration
Trust
• Friends of Carmel Forest*
• Tree Lodi
• Magic
• Coronado Stree Tree
Committee
• Friends of Balboa Park
Learn more
about our Network
Members at
californiareleaf.
org/network
• Richmond Trees
• Walnut Creek Open Space
• Woodland Tree
Foundation*
• Your Children’s Trees
*Dues-paying member
Volunteers help plant trees
at Tree San Diego’s first
project at Chollas Creek
Crossing
Investing in our Underserved
Communities
California ReLeaf’s grants enabled new organizations to take
root in their communities
California ReLeaf awarded nine grants in 2014 for projects that addressed tree inequities
in underserved area, or added trees to High Priority Landscape Areas as identified by
CAL FIRE. Grants were made possible by Proposition 84 funding awarded by CAL FIRE
to California ReLeaf in 2013.
One such project was for Tree San Diego, which used the grant to support its very first
project since forming earlier in 2014. Tree San Diego planted 55 trees at Chollas Creek
Crossing – a disadvantaged area closely connected to the local Chollas Creek Community.
In a matter of hours, an area prevalent with gang violence and drug use was transformed
into a beacon of change and hope within the community.
Overall, nine community-based organizations were awarded $55,000, which they
leveraged with $135,000 in matching funds and volunteer time. These organizations
collectively planted 487 trees and to bring access to nature and health benefits to
underserved and high-priority landscape areas throughout the state.
Grants
“As President of Tree
San Diego, a new nonprofit founded by this
funding, I can vouch for
the value of receiving a
pass-through grant from
California ReLeaf. This
grant provided us the
opportunity to do our
first tree-planting project,
thereby demonstrating our
capabilites and making a
meaningful contribution
of tree canopy to an area
badly in need of it.”
Laurie Broedling,
President of Tree San Diego
Urban Forestry Partnerships,
Environmental Justice, and
Greenhouse Gas Reduction
California ReLeaf’s new partnerships raised the visibility of urban
forest benefits at the state level in 2014
Advocacy
“Disadvantaged
communities across
California are hit first
and worst by the heavy
emissions generated
by our state’s major
polluters. Investments
in urban forestry,
low-carbon transit,
weatherization and
affordable housing will
all contribute to making
these communities
healthier places to live
and thrive.”
Alvaro Sanchez,
Director of Environmental
Equity at the Greenlining
Institute
In 2014, California ReLeaf teamed up with more than a dozen traditional and nontraditional partners to secure almost $18 million in state funding for CAL FIRE’s Urban
and Community Forestry Program – the largest one-year, single-state allocation in US
history for urban forestry.
The 2014 appropriation for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funding (GGRF) was a reflection
of hard work by several coalitions of nonprofits that formed in 2012 to secure these
revenues to support natural resources, environmental justice goals, and sustainable
communities’ strategies. The common link between these coalitions was urban forestry –
all of the partners advocated wholeheartedly for these dollars to go to CAL FIRE’s Urban
and Community Forestry Program.
Key Facts: GGRF Funds
The dollars were generated from the sale of credits auctioned by the California Air
Resources Board to entities in specific sectors that emit significant greenhouse gasses as
part of their daily business in California.
Revenues generated from these auctions must be used to support projects that reduce
greenhouse gasses and meet the goals of Assembly Bill 32 – California’s landmark climate
change law of 2006.
25% of these dollars must be used to support projects that provide benefits to
disadvantaged communities, which are hit hardest by the poor air quality and other
adverse impacts from greenhouse gasses.
10% of these dollars must be spent on projects located in disadvantaged communities.
All of the funds allocated to CAL FIRE’s Urban and Community Forestry Program in 2014
were granted to meet both needs.
Key Urban
Forestry Partners
• Greenlining Institute
• Housing California
• Safe Routes to Schools National Partnership
• The Nature Conservancy
• Coalition for Clean Air
Eureka Report
“We were very pleased to see urban forestry
funded in 2014 at a level
that can support several
strong projects in this first
year of expenditures. It’s a
good start.”
Bill Magavern,
Policy Director for the Coalition for Clean Air
California ReLeaf published Eureka! A Transformative
Approach to Sustaining California’s Urban Forests in
mid-2014. This report takes a close look at viable funding
options for urban forestry and how to ensure California’s
urban forests thrive as urban areas become more densely
developed.
After exploring different aspects of funding, the report hones
in on two funding options that appear most likely to meet
urban forestry’s needs: cap-and-trade auction revenues and
the lumber products tax.
Eureka! provides not only a pragramatic outline of funding
options, but also draws the conclusion that there is a strong
need for a statewide urban foresty vision based on increasing
urban tree canopy – vision that clearly demonstrates the
kind of social equity and quality of life improvements
that can be achieved through a substantial investment in
tree canopy cover over an extended period of time. Such a
vision will increase public awareness, encourage decision
makers to recognize urban and community forests as critical
infrastructure, and foster innovation and leadership in urban
and community forestry programs throughout the state.
California ReLeaf extends our gratitude to our generous donors
Individual Donors
Mark Applebaum
Samantha Aguilar*
Eileen Alves*
Doug Anderson*
Gretchen Anderson*
Jo Anderson*
Desiree Backman**
Raoul Badde
Tricia Banahan*
Eric Barnett*
Emily Bartnikowksi
John Beers
Autumn Bernstein
Nanci Bernstein*
Rhonda Berry
Cindy Blain*
Christen Brown*
Jennifer Byrne*
Travis Byrne*
William Byrne*
Hally Cahssi*
Jitender Chadda*
Gail Church
James Clark**
Genevieve Cross*
Michael Darnell
Olivia Darzell
Lisa DeCarlo*
Darleen DeMason
Tony and Jane Diamond
Nicole Durden
Monica Engebretson*
Rose Epperson**
Angela Farren
Christine Farren*
Gerald Farren*
Anne Fenkner
Deb Fine*
Kathleen Ford**
Walter Fujii
Stephanie Funk*
Tanya Garbolino*
James Geiger*
Ruben Green**
Janessa Hawkins*
Virginia Hedrick*
Pat Holloway
Elisabeth Hoskins**
Danielle Hudson*
Maisie Hughes
John Hyde*
Chuck Ingels*
Amanda Johnson
Laurel A. Johnston
Karen & David Jolly*
Margaret & Lynard Khan*
Mari Kilroy*
Karin Kirkpatrick
Paul-Michael Klein
In honor of the marriage
of Susan Sacks & Craig
Weizner
Ken and Nancy Knight
Lynne Koester*
Sharie Lesniak*
Gary Lesperance
Tracy Lesperance**
Joe Liszewski
Loren Magana*
Amy Malone*
Sandra Malone*
Brad & Rik Pavlescak Mann*
Catherine Martineau**
Ashley Mastin
Rick Mathews*
John Mathias*
Keith McAleer*
John Melvin*
Patrick Merony
Cory Meyer*
Chuck Mills**
Maridel Moulton*
Emily Oaksford
Beatrice O'Keefe
Amelia Oliver**
Christine Oliver
Donna Oliver*
Floyd and Ann Oliver
Julie Oliver*
Martha Ozonoff**
Robin Park
Kristin Parker*
Jim Patterson*
Gary Patton
Melissa Rakestraw
Tracie Reynolds
Robert & Marjorie Rice
Matt Ritter
Lisa Rosen
Susan Rosenberg
Joy Faye Rowan
Laura Salmen*
Darren Samuel*
Freya Samuels*
Melanie Samuels*
Jennifer Scott*
Erik Stolesen
Julianne and Mark Strain
In honor of the Bat
Mitzvah of Lucy Beckett
Kim Sturla*
Julie Summers
Stan Thompson
Ray Tretheway*
Lori Tsukiji*
Susan Vitulli*
Kendra Wershing*
Douglas Wildman*
Phil Wright*
*Contributed in honor of California
ReLeaf ’s 25th Anniversary
**Contributed general donations
as well as in honor of California
ReLeaf ’s 25th Anniversary
Corporate & Foundation Donors
Alliance for Community Trees
California Community Forest Foundation
Davey Resource Group
Disney Foundation
Grace Jones Richardson Trust
Kleen Kanteen
Madrone Landscapes Company
Microsoft
Sacramento Region Community Foundation
Social Media for Nonprofits
Southwest Airlines
The Refill Shoppe
Union Bank Foundation
2115 J Street Suite #213
Sacramento, CA 95816
(916) 497-0034
www.californiareleaf.org