Over the past two years, we’ve worked with the City of St Helena, Sustainable St Helena, various schools and community groups, and the general public to plant native oaks and also redwoods in the effluent spray fields at the St Helena Wastewater Treatment Plant along Zinfandel Lane.
But… why? It all started with Napa RCD Board Member Paul Asmuth, his love for redwoods, and an idea for a community forest. In 2012, Paul worked with the City of St Helena to plant 400 redwood trees as a trial run to see if the idea of using effluent spray to irrigate trees would work. It did! Then in 2021 we worked with Paul and our partners to get volunteers and crews out to plant another 400, and by the end of 2022 about 1,800 redwoods were in the ground. This spring, we held a series of planting days at the Napa Valley Community Forest, including some student groups and a Community Oak Planting Day.
So what’s the long-term plan? Eventually, this site will be accessible to the public and will hook up to other trails in the area. As the trees grow and continue to re-establish healthy ecosystems in place of a fallowed field, the site will become a shady respite in the valley, with a native oak buffer along the Napa River. Paul’s vision is for this plot of land to become a true resource for the community that can be used not just for peaceful recreation open to all, but also to showcase healthy native ecosystems, act as a living classroom for local students, and help us move forward in a world with a fast-changing climate.
What’s been done so far? So far, over 1,800 trees have been planted at the site. Most are redwoods, planted by community members and work crews, but there is also a riparian buffer of native oaks established by a series of school groups and a Community Oak Planting Day held in February. Napa RCD has helped plant 252 trees on site, and will be including other species of native plants in the coming year.
Want to help? You can join us as we celebrate Arbor Day on April 29! We will be working to plant redwood seedlings in the ground, securing them into pre-dug holes. Register HERE today!
Looking for a May-August activity for your nonprofit group or employee teambuilding? Help us steward the Napa Valley Community Forest and other tree plantings throughout Napa County! Visit our Corporate & Group Volunteering page and contact Ashley@NapaRCD.org for more information.