Re-Oaking Ojai

In Fall of 2021, our first ever Green Valley Project Youth Council partnered with Ojai Trees to plant 50 free native oak trees in the Ojai Valley community. Youth Council members worked together to canvas neighborhoods in Ojai and ask people if they would let us plant an oak tree on their property. They could chose either a Valley Oak or Live Oak, both native to the region.

Oak Trees play an important role in protecting Ojai’s watershed. The oak canopy slows rainfall, decreasing erosion of the soil and improving water quality in creeks, streams and rivers. Shade from trees can reduce surrounding temperatures by as much a 6 degrees. Native oak trees can support up to 67 nesting bird species at a time and provide winter shelter and habitat for more than 500 pollinator species.

The team also worked to create the educational brochure pictured below and spent time at the local farmers market educating the public on the importance of Oak trees!