Friends of the Urban Forest

Greening San Francisco

Share FUF's site!
  • Contact Us
  • 简体中文
  • Español
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Our Location
    • Senior Management
    • Board of Directors
    • History
    • Financial Reports
    • Job Opportunities
  • Programs & Services
    • Greening
      • Free Trees for San Francisco
      • Tree Replacement
        • 更替树木
      • Sidewalk Gardening
      • Early Tree Care
      • Emergency Tree Care
    • Community Engagement
      • Community Engagement
      • Have a corporate workday with us
      • Green Christmas Trees
    • Education
      • Green Teens
      • Green Crew
      • Tree Tours
      • Community Forester Training
    • Advocacy
  • Get Involved
    • Events Calendar
    • Volunteer
    • Internships
    • Tree Topping Watch
  • Benefits of Urban Greening
  • News
    • Newsletters
    • Blog
    • San Francisco Urban Forest Media Summary
    • FUF in the News
    • Press Releases
      • 2018 Press Releases
        • Silliman and Woolsey streets win San Francisco’s “Most Greenified Block”
      • 2017 Press Releases
        • Shafter Ave wins San Francisco’s “Most Greenified Block”
        • Friends of the Urban Forest to Launch Large-Scale Tree Planting in the Excelsior
      • 2016 Press Releases
        • Tenderloin wins San Francisco’s “Most Greenified Block”
      • 2015 Press Releases
        • Ney Street “Neyborhood” wins annual “Most Greenified Block” award
        • Save Our Water and Our Trees! campaign offers tips to help trees thrive
        • Friends of the Urban Forest to plant 50,000th tree August 1
      • 2014 Press Releases
        • San Francisco’s in trouble when mild rain fells trees
        • #TechPlantsSF engages tech community in greening San Francisco
        • Broderick/Hayes wins “Most Greenified Block”
      • 2013 Press Releases
        • City’s “Most Greenified Block”: Pennsylvania Street Gardens
        • City to Install 11 Blocks of Sidewalk Gardens in SF Neighborhoods
      • 2012 Press Releases
        • Urban foresters to hold Great Tree Count
        • Friends of the Urban Forest Transforms Neighborhoods
        • Wells Fargo to plant 160 street trees for 160th anniversary
        • Applications due November 26 for subsidized fruit trees
      • 2011 Press Releases
        • Will our next mayor improve our streets and parks?
        • Urban Wood Movement to Hold First Conference in San Francisco
      • 2010 Press Releases
        • 150 Cherry Trees mark 150th Anniversary of Japanese visit
        • “Green Christmas Trees” better than dead ones
        • New sidewalk gardens beautify neighborhood and protect City sewers
        • Save a tree by logging it… into the Urban Forest Map
        • Friends of the Urban Forest to hold 1000th planting Feb 20
        • New trees for Nob Hill to echo nineteenth century glory
        • Big San Francisco tree planting planned for Tu B’Shvat
    • Coronavirus Update: Changes in Operations and Programs
  • Support Us
    • Donate Now
    • Matching Gifts
    • Sponsorship
    • Membership
    • Planned Giving
    • Tree Tributes
    • Our Reusable Paper Towels
    • Donate Appreciated Stock
    • More Ways to Support FUF
    • Supporters & Partners
  • Resources & Reference
    • Urban Tree Species Directory
    • Photos
    • Arborist (and Other) Referrals
    • Plant On Your Own
    • Tree Care On Your Own
      • Soil, Mulch & Nutrition
      • Watering
      • Stakes, Ties & Fencing
      • Sidewalk & Basin Care
      • Pruning
      • New City Tree Care Policy
      • Common Problems & Disorders
    • Useful Links
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Site Map
Home News Press Releases 2015 Press Releases Save Our Water and Our Trees! campaign offers tips to help trees thrive
Table filled with information about Friends of the Urban Forest

Save Our Water and Our Trees! campaign offers tips to help trees thrive

July 24, 2015 — Friends of the Urban Forest has partnered with California ReLeaf, Save Our Water, and a coalition of urban forest and other concerned organizations to raise awareness on the importance of proper tree care during this historic drought. Save Our Water is California’s official statewide conservation education program.

With potentially millions of urban trees at risk, this campaign focuses on a simple yet urgent message: Save Our Water and Our Trees! The Save Our Water and Our Trees partnership is highlighting tips for both residents and agencies on how to water and care for trees so that they survive the drought and continue to make our cities and towns healthier and more livable for decades to come.

“While Californians are expected to reduce water use during the drought, they are not expected to deprive their trees of water,” said Dan Flanagan, executive director of Friends of the Urban Forest. “On the contrary, we must ensure that the drought does not kill our trees, because they are a vital part of our ‘green infrastructure’ and cannot easily be replaced.”

Street trees and in-property (yard) trees can and must be saved during the drought. What you can do:

  1. Deeply and slowly water mature trees 1 – 2 times per month with a simple soaker hose or drip system toward the edge of the tree canopy – NOT at the base of the tree. Use a Hose Faucet Timer (found at hardware stores) to prevent overwatering.
  2. Young trees need 5 gallons of water 2 – 4 times per week. Create a small watering basin with a berm of dirt.
  3. Shower with a bucket and use that water for your trees as long as it is free of
    non-biodegradable soaps or shampoos.
  4. Do not over-prune trees during drought. Too much pruning and drought both stress your trees.
  5. Mulch, Mulch, MULCH! 4 – 6 inches of mulch helps retain moisture, reducing water needs and protecting your trees.

Trees in irrigated landscapes become dependent on regular watering and when watering is reduced – and especially when it’s stopped completely – trees will die. Tree loss is a very costly problem: not only in expensive tree removal, but in the loss of all the benefits trees provide: cleaning the air, capturing stormwater, providing wildlife habitat, reducing stress, increasing property values, and more.

Save Our Water’s website is available in both English and Spanish and is filled with tips, tools, and inspiration to help every Californian find new and creative ways to conserve. From tips on how to keep trees healthy during the drought to an interactive section allowing users to visually explore how they can save water both inside and outside the home, Save Our Water has a wealth of resources available for Californians.

Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF) helps individuals and neighborhood groups to plant and care for street trees and sidewalk gardens in San Francisco.  Since 1981, FUF has planted more than 49,000 trees to reduce the city’s tree shortage.  By greening the streets of San Francisco, FUF supports the health and livability of the urban environment.  For more information, visit http://treedirectory.friendsoftheurbanforest.org.

News

  • Newsletters
  • Blog
  • San Francisco Urban Forest Media Summary
  • FUF in the News
  • Press Releases
    • 2018 Press Releases
    • 2017 Press Releases
    • 2016 Press Releases
    • 2015 Press Releases
      • Ney Street “Neyborhood” wins annual “Most Greenified Block” award
      • Save Our Water and Our Trees! campaign offers tips to help trees thrive
      • Friends of the Urban Forest to plant 50,000th tree August 1
    • 2014 Press Releases
    • 2013 Press Releases
    • 2012 Press Releases
    • 2011 Press Releases
    • 2010 Press Releases
  • Coronavirus Update: Changes in Operations and Programs

Donate Now

501(c)(3) Non-Profit

Donate today and help us continue to increase the number of trees we plant!

Upcoming Events

  • No upcoming events
  • See all upcoming events »

We just can't say THANK YOU enough! This has been such a life-changing, street-transforming, neighborhood-lifting experience."
— Lori Hébert & Thaddeus Homan

INTERESTED IN A TREE? SIGN UP!

Request a Tree

Subscribe to e-­newsletter

Follow Us!

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on FlickrFollow Us on YouTubeFollow Us on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 Friend of the Urban Forest
Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Site Map
Website by MIGHTYminnow