The Sacramento County Department of Waste Management and Recycling provided just the right environment for a volunteer tree planting event held by the Sacramento Tree Foundation (SacTree); the Kiefer Landfill located in the southeast County. The event’s goal was to plant 135 native oak trees on the hillside that faces commuters from Rancho Murieta, eventually covering the barren hill with a beautiful landscape while helping to filter ground water and provide habitat for the native wildlife.
“At the County Department of Waste Management and Recycling, sustainability is a real priority,” said Director Paul Philleo. “One of the most sustainable things we can do is plant trees. As these trees mature, the public land surrounding the landfill will be home to a nice visual landscape and provide a sustainable canopy for the future.”
Thanks to the many volunteers led by Sarah McKibbin, SacTree’s Urban Ecology Project Manager, the tree planting was a great success. “SacTree’s mission is to build healthy, livable communities in the Sacramento region by growing the best urban forest in the nation,” said McKibbin. “By extending and connecting our forestry, we receive the benefits of planting in unpopulated areas and we would like to invite everyone to volunteer with us and advance our goal for the community.”
The tree sprouts were originally planted in pots as acorns by third graders. The volunteers who planted the trees were mostly high school students who worked on hand and knee throughout the morning.
View Tree Planting Video.