IR/PS Alumna Wins Award for Reforestation Project
Leslie Ricketts '93 wins "Outstanding Urban Forestry Project of the Year"
11/26/2008
Mira Mendoza,
The City of Monterey nominated IR/PS alumna Leslie Ricketts '93 for the statewide award, "Outstanding Urban Forestry Project of the Year." On October 14th, Leslie received the award from the California Urban Forests Council at the annual conference of the CaUFC and the Society for Municipal Arborists in San Diego. She won the award with her tree-planting project, “Small-scale Reforestation with Large Impact in Monterey.”
The local Monterey pine ecosystem, one of the rarest forest ecosystems in the world, provides numerous benefits to the region’s economy, from its intrinsic beauty that attracts tourists, to recreational settings for residents and visitors, to valuable ecosystem services, such as watershed protection and enhanced air quality. To increase awareness, education, and outreach related to Monterey Peninsula urban forestry issues and to help restore a forested area impacted by tree disease and human activity, a volunteer team led by Leslie from the Leadership Monterey Peninsula (LMP) Class of 2007 planted 87 native Monterey pine seedlings in February 2007. The team has continued to monitor and water them for more than a year, with an outstanding tree survival rate of 95%. The project is helping to counter the loss of local pines to pitch canker fungus disease and is beautifying a popular hiking and camping area in the City of Monterey’s Veteran’s Memorial Park.
Leslie's project is an exemplary partnership between a city government and local citizens, reforestation success rate, and continuing environmental, social and economic benefits. The project will benefit the local environment, community and visitors for many years to come. The follow-up reforestation project, implemented by the LMP Class of 2008, ensures that even more trees have been added to the city’s canopy and outreach has been extended to other urban forestry departments in Monterey County and beyond.
