SACRAMENTO March 13, 2017 – As trees across the state begin to blossom in anticipation of spring, California celebrates Arbor Week by emphasizing the importance of trees in communities and for residents. Today, officials from CAL FIRE and California ReLeaf, an organization working to preserve, protect and enhance California’s urban forests, announced the winners of the statewide Arbor Week poster contest and new this year, video contest.
“Arbor Week provides California communities a chance to celebrate the superhero work trees do for us all year long,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE director and California’s state forester. “We were pleased to see students show the value and importance of trees through their creative artwork.”
Students from across California in grades 3, 4and 5were asked to create original artwork and new this year, a video contest, based on the theme “Trees Are Superheroes!” (¡Los Árboles Son Superhéroes!).”
This year’s poster contest winners were 3rd-grader Khloe Lee from Temple City, CA; 4th-grader Morgan Becker from Wheatland, CA; 5th-grader Kimberly Lum from Roseville, CA; and winner of the Imagination Award, 5th-grader Mia Alvarez from Temple City, CA. This year’s first ever video award goes to 5th-grader Kate Fakih from Arcadia, CA. The posters will be displayed in the annex at the Capitol the week beginning March 27th.
As part of the department’s mission, CAL FIRE is charged with protecting California’s forests by maintaining the sustainability of the state’s natural resources including both urban and wildland forests. CAL FIRE is encouraging everyone to be a part of California Arbor Week by planting a tree. It’s important that you carefully plan before you plant a tree to help ensure that your tree is drought tolerant and properly placed to avoid growing into power lines, buildings or other infrastructure. Get more tree care tips on the CAL FIRE website at www.fire.ca.gov.
California Arbor Week runs March 7-14 each year. To view this year’s Arbor Week poster contest winners, visit www.fire.ca.gov. For more on Arbor Week visit www.arborweek.org