Reforestation FAQ
Which California State Parks will benefit from the funds raised through the ‘Reforest California’ campaign?
Chino Hills State Park in San Bernardino County and Cuyamaca Rancho State Park near San Diego are the primary beneficiaries. Other state parks to benefit from the program include Silverwood Lake State Recreational Area (SRA) and Mount San Jacinto in San Bernardino County and Palomar Mountain Park near San Diego.
Why were these parks chosen?
Many of these parks suffered considerably in recent wildfires. Last November, the Freeway Complex fire ravaged the Chino Hills State Park, burning approximately 95 percent of the park, or nearly 14,000 acres. In 2003, the Cedar Fire burned the majority of the conifer forests in the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, which have not regenerated naturally. Since 2003, seventy percent of the conifer forests in San Diego County have burned.
How will the parks benefit as a result of the money raised from the ‘Reforest California’ campaign?
There will be a reforestation effort at the Cuyamaca State Park and planting of native trees and coastal sage scrub habitat at the Chino Hills State Park. Additionally, there will be a fire prevention education campaign implemented at the Chino Hills, Silverwood Lake SRA, Mount San Jacinto and Palomar Mountain State Parks. There has been an increase in fire frequency throughout Southern California that threatens the natural habitats.
How will the educational and fire prevention program work?
Signage with fire prevention and fire safety messages will be introduced in key areas throughout the parks. There will also be a public education plan to underscore the importance of planting fire resistant native plants on private properties that interface with the parks. Chino Hills is surrounded on three sides by heavy urban development. Homeowners and residents in the surrounding areas can learn more about what they can do to help safeguard their community by choosing fire resistant native plants, and the public education plan will help to do just that.
Don’t forests regenerate naturally after wildfires?
Typically, yes. In the case of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, the 2003 Cedar Fire burned so hot that it burned cones on trees that would naturally have provided seeds to regenerate the forest after a wildfire. Furthermore, many burn areas regenerate with flashy-fuel, non-native species that increase potential fire risk and can choke out native plant species.
Why is it necessary to reforest at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park?
The conifer forests in San Diego County are unique, and those destroyed in wildfires at Cuyamaca Rancho State Parks have not regenerated. To maintain biological diversity in San Diego, it is necessary to reforest.
The new growth in damaged acreage of the Chino Hills State Park has been mainly flashy-fuel, non-native plants that are not fire resistant. A key component of fire prevention is to restore burnt areas with fire resistant native trees and plants.
What kind of trees will be planted?
Incense Cedar, Coulter Pine, Jeffrey Pine and Sugar Pine trees will be planted over time at the damaged acreage at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. The seedlings are grown from seeds gathered locally so they do not introduce outside genetic material.
Similarly, Chino Hills State Park will introduce native Southern California Black Walnut, Coastal Live Oak and Sycamore trees throughout the park that were generated from the park’s seed bank.
Will any other plant species be introduced besides trees?
Yes. In addition to trees, Chino Hills State Park lost many acres of coastal sage scrub in recent wildfires. Coastal sage scrub is an essential habitat for nesting birds, including the California gnatcatcher, identified as a threatened native species by the US Fish and Wildlife service. Coastal sage scrub habitat is comprised of several low-growing native shrubs such as California sagebrush, California buckwheat, white and purple sage.
Is it easier to plant coastal sage brush habitat than trees?
Staff at Chino Hills State Park will propagate and grow various native shrubs previously listed that comprise the coastal sage scrub habitat plant community in the Park’s onsite nursery before transplanting to the burn-scarred areas. All reforestation and restoration of native habitat requires ground preparation in advance and monitoring afterwards until the plants stabilize.
How soon will new trees be planted?
The money from this campaign will be used to purchase saplings, propagate plants, prepare the ground and plant trees and native species, starting immediately. At Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, nearly 100,000 trees will be planted in the first year in areas identified as having the best conditions for tree survival.
On April 25, 2009, volunteer employees from Coca-Cola and Stater Bros. Supermarkets will be part of a special Earth Day-themed restoration event at Chino Hills State Park. The volunteers will clear non-native plants and assist in propagation efforts in the Park’s on-site nursery.
Why can’t more trees be planted each year?
An important goal in reforestation and restoration is to reach age diversity among the trees and plants. The plantings have to be spread over a period of time to ensure a healthy, sustainable forest.
What is unique about Cuyamaca Rancho State Park?
People value the conifer forests in Cuyamaca. It is rare to have a conifer forest located so close to a population center and easily accessible to the public in Southern California. Other pine forests in more remote locations and at higher elevations are Mount Baldy, San Gorgonio, Mount San Jacinto and Lake Arrowhead.
San Diego County is the most biologically diverse county in the continental U.S. with the most plant and animal species anywhere, which results from the diversity in habitats. Some of the different life zones include coastal habitats, broadleaf forests, conifer forests, chaparral and desert areas. Conifer forest is the smallest habitat type, and over 70 percent of it in San Diego County has burned in the past six years.
What is unique about Chino Hills State Park?
More than 200 species of birds and mammals, numerous reptiles and amphibians, and thousands of types of insects and other invertebrates live in the park. Some of these animals, including least bell’s vireo, the California gnatcatcher and the coastal cactus wren, are considered rare, threatened or endangered. The local diversity of native plants and animals found here in the Southern California basin is greater than in any other area of comparable size in the United States.
Chino Hills State Park is often described as an island of tranquility surrounded by a sea of urban sprawl. The Park is a place where people can escape the pressures of urban life and find peace and solitude in a natural setting. Visitors often comment when visiting the interior of the Park, “Am I still in Southern California?” and yet over 15 million people live within an hours drive. To preserve that peace and solitude found here, the Park’s design included many prominent ridgelines and complete water sheds to eliminate the visual impact of nearby urban development. The Park sits in one of the most biologically diverse areas of the country and displays a wide variety of natural habitat, wildlife, plants, birds and reptiles that visitors so much enjoy. Future protection and enhancement of native habitat is needed to ensure wildlife and plant sustainability and for future generations to enjoy.
How many visits do the parks receive each year?
- Cuyamaca Rancho State Park receives in excess of one million visits annually.
- Chino Hills State Park receives 100,000 visits annually.
- Palomar State Park receives 215,000 visits annually.
- San Jacinto State Park receives over 200,000 visits annually.
- Silverwood Lake SRA receives just under 300,000 visits annually.
- All California State Parks combined received 77.2 million visits at 279 park units during 2008.
Is this the first time that California State Parks have done a large reforestation project through a public-private partnership?
Yes, this is the largest reforestation effort that Parks have done in the past two decades, and it would not be possible to do it without the help of Stater Bros. Supermarkets and Coca-Cola.
Do the parks have other public-private partnerships?
Yes, but this partnership is the largest partnership that Parks currently have.
Consumer Campaign FAQs
How can I donate to ‘Reforest California’ while shopping at Stater Bros. Supermarkets?
There are two ways consumers can donate to the ‘Reforest California’ campaign. First, shoppers at Stater Bros. Supermarkets can make a one-dollar donation at checkout towards reforestation efforts in California State Parks. Second, the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Southern California will donate one dollar towards reforestation efforts in California State Parks when consumers purchase ten dollars of participating Coca-Cola products, either branded soft drinks or Dasani water.
Is Stater Bros. Supermarkets the exclusive grocery retailer involved in the ‘Reforest California’ campaign?
Yes, and all 166 Stater Bros. Supermarkets in Southern California will participate in this campaign.
Are there other ways consumers can donate to the ‘Reforest California’ cause, aside from the in-store opportunities at Stater Bros. Supermarkets?
Anyone can visit the campaign Web site (www.ReforestCalifornia.com) and make a donation online. There is also a Facebook cause page (http://apps.facebook.com/causes/254530?m=9ba1f9c6) for Reforest California, which offers the ability to make an online donation, share the cause with friends and engage with fellow social media users.
How long does the ‘Reforest California’ campaign run?
The in-store campaign at Stater Bros. Supermarkets runs from April 8 through May 19, 2009. The Web site and Facebook component will remain active until further notice.
How did the ‘Reforest California’ campaign come about?
The California Department of State Parks has worked for many years with Government Solutions Group (GSG), a unique marketing company that specializes in facilitating public-private partnerships. GSG identified the specific need for reforestation at California State Parks and approached the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Southern California and their client, Stater Bros. Supermarkets to implement the campaign. Both the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Southern California and Stater Bros. Supermarkets are companies with long-standing commitments to the communities in which they do business and supporters of environmental causes.
Why are public-private partnerships so important for this campaign?
Public-private partnerships are vehicles to apply private dollars for public good. In today’s weak economic climate, in which state budget shortfalls are common, the investment of private businesses in local communities is more critical than ever to provide significant and timely solutions.
Contact:
Meg Aldrich
Meg Aldrich Public Relations
(626) 825 0309
meg@megaldrich.com
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