A hands-on Arbor Day celebration marked the launch of a major environmental initiative in Chula Vista, where city leaders are beginning a long-term effort to manage better and expand the local tree canopy.
The April 24 event at Montevalle Park & Recreation Center brought together residents, students, and community partners to plant 100 trees while kicking off a citywide tree inventory and urban forest management plan.
City officials said the effort will provide a clearer picture of the estimated 30,000 trees across Chula Vista, helping guide decisions about maintenance, planting, and long-term sustainability.
“By its very nature and mode of implementation, a tree inventory spotlights individual trees rather than whole stands. The system is a method of obtaining and organizing information about the number, condition (of health), and distribution (by species and location) of urban trees.
Information that is accurate, accessible, and simple is one of the best tools for making planning and management decisions. With tree inventory information, program resources can be allocated appropriately among the various tree management functions, work can be scheduled for maximum efficiency, and financial decision-makers can evaluate various work plan proposals by comparing expected results with [projected] budgets. Essentially, via a full inventory of Chula Vista’s trees, we want to really see the forest, and we want to see the individual trees,” said Sam O. A. Oludunfe, forester and open space manager for the city of Chula Vista.
The project is backed by a two-year agreement with ArborPro, Inc., supported by federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Fieldwork is expected to be completed within 18 months.
“As such, with the aid of up-to-date data generated from tree inventory field operations, forest management issues that have safety components can begin to receive crucial direct attention as soon as feasible; proactive forest management that minimizes risks to life and damage to properties, as well as optimizes benefits from the city’s urban forest, will be instituted,” Oludunfe said.orking in the neighborhood
Residents will begin to see arborists and technicians working across neighborhoods during the inventory process.
“ArborPro’s certified urban forest professionals, certified arborists, and GIS technicians are walking 360 degrees around each tree for up-close evaluation. In the summer, we will hold a town hall meeting to obtain Chula Vista’s residents’ input on the forest management plan,” he said.
Community participation was central to the Arbor Day kickoff, with volunteers from Tree San Diego, San Diego Gas & Electric, and students from the Chula Vista Elementary School District helping plant trees throughout the park.
“Volunteer tree planters, drawn from among Chula Vista’s residents and regional partners, have been the reason we get trees planted successfully in the city over the years. The success of the City’s Arbor Day celebration and tree planting ceremony this year will be a result of our community volunteers’ direct involvement and participation,” Oludunfe said.
Officials say the broader goal is to improve long-term environmental resilience.
Research shared by the city notes that trees can reduce energy use, improve air quality, and lower urban temperatures. The inventory will also support Chula Vista’s ongoing status as a Tree City USA community.
