Canopy

Canopy’s volunteers did an amazing job planting our new trees! We are so excited for our trees and for the beauty and shade they will provide as they grow. This non profit is amazing!

Canopy has transformed streets in a number of Bay Area communities by adding thousands of trees. The staff includes experienced arborists, community activists, and over twenty teens trained in arboriculture who have gone on to become community leaders. With nearly thirty years of experience, Canopy knows how to work with city governments and community leaders to make things happen.

Canopy provides an excellent resource for the community!
Professional and well-trained, their staff assesses each site and helps improve properties and our environment at the same time.
Very happy with every Canopy experience!

Canopy is an outstanding group. They are all so wonderfully kind, skilled, and welcoming. My whole family--kids included--enjoy participating in volunteer opportunities and learning more about native oaks in our community. This has been a terrific experience for us and a great way to get kids involved in service. The work Canopy is doing has a really positive impact and we enjoy being a part of it.

Amazing!! So helpful, knowledgeable, and willing to connect interpersonally. I learn so much from them whenever I participate in a tree planting, walk, or otherwise!

When I participated with Canopy on one of their events it was a lot of fun! I signed up and was told all the information to show up on time and ready for the event. At the event all the tools were provided for us and the instructions were clear and easy to understand. The leader of the event, Arlene Nunez Garcia had the best energy as everyone was arriving and she also made herself available to everyone to make sure that the event went smoothly. I feel like that energy was crucial to help us out with planting the trees! Overall it was a great event and I'm glad I participated in it.

Amazing and committed team to a wonderful cause. Never knew this existed before and I even learned quite a bit about tree planting. Was very easy to work with and accommodating, definitely would recommend to anyone and would love to see their beautiful work beautify and bring environmental benefit to my community and the rest of the Bay Area.

Canopy is an incredible community partner! The Palo Alto Art Center has partnered with Canopy on a variety of programs! Their staff are enthusiastic and proactive and excited to collaborate on programs for the community. We've co-hosted Arbor Festivals, fundraising events, tree walks, engaged them in exhibitions, and they recently partnered with us on a Family Day program as well! Years ago, we worked with Canopy on a team-building activity in which we worked with their team to plant native trees on the Art Center property. We love having Canopy as part of our community!

Canopy planted tree at our preschool and they provided a highly professional service, from planning and designing to planting and advising on irrigation and maintenance.
They involved the kids in planting making the beautification of our yard a great educational experience. Thank you!

I was one of the 2021 batch of Urban forestry school program through Canopy. It was a great learning experience. They taught us about the right way of planting the right kind of trees and taking care of them in urban landscape. Through the program, have met many volunteers who share the same passion for trees and nature!

Canopy is doing a great job getting the community invested in urban trees. They offer a free class for people who want to learn more and be involved, as well as opportunities to help with tree planting and outreach.

And, most importantly, they have planted many, many trees over the years!

Canopy is an established organization with experience and a passion for caring for trees. They do a lot to share the benefits and love that trees can spark in a community, impacting the entire region, making the Bay Area a greener and a better place to live.

I love volunteering with Canopy, helping to plant and steward trees with fellow volunteers, and I've learned a lot through their Community Forester program--lots of hands-on education and volunteer opportunities leading to certification. Canopy is expert at tree care and maintenance, plus they engage the community while upholding and promoting policies to protect trees and promote a healthy urban forest for all, especially underserved communities. Canopy is a great nonprofit!

Great people, great projects, great community building, great green results! Let's go Canopy!

Canopy planted few trees on my yard. They are a delight to work with, starting from surveying the perfect spots, choosing the trees, and planting & providing advice to maintain the trees.

Canopy does a great job of starting to level the playing field between the neighborhoods that have been able to maintain their tree canopy and those neighborhoods that have been stripped of their trees. I found the group to be caring and determined and enjoyed the experience of learning to plant and care for replacement trees. I am hopeful that their efforts will leave us all with cleaner air and more beneficial birds and insects.

Recently retired and a life long tree lover, I saw an ad for the Canopy.org Community Forestry school, and suddenly found myself involved with a group addressing all areas of urban forestry in my community, from pruning, to advocacy to working to address Green Gaps in our community. A new world of volunteer opportunities to build an equitable and lovely canopy of trees in the mid-peninsula has been opened to me by this fantastic organization.
Rob O'Connor

We have been volunteering with Canopy for few years now, we started when my boys were young, now, teenagers they are experienced and independent with what ever we are asked to do. We participated in big events, changing the park's landscape , sometimes planting trees around town, always enjoying fellow volunteers and our time. Events are always well planned and it feels real good to give back to our community. It's a pleasure to spend a morning volunteering with Canopy.

I’ve volunteered with Canopy to recruit residents to sign up for trees that they offer for free! The team member that I worked with was kind, knowledgeable, and enthusiastically educated community members of the many free services that they have to offer. I appreciate the passion and dedication that Canopy offers to its communities!!!

As an arborist and someone that loves trees, I can say Canopy does an exceptional job. The variety of programs and events that Canopy offers to the community surpasses what other organizations do in the area.
I decided to volunteer with Canopy a couple of months ago for the native oak survey (Great Oak Count) and more recently I've been attending the Community Forestry School course and it has been very educational to me. I realized that the staff is very passionate about their work. Also, their events are always interesting and well organized.
It is clear that Canopy cares about the trees and the community, if they plant trees, they take care of them and make sure they thrive. Their work with the community is inclusive and diverse; environmental justice is a key element in their objectives.
I want to mention as well the resources that Canopy shares on its website for the community. You can find plenty of information regarding the benefits of trees, species and tree care guidelines, local tree service companies and certified arborists, and more. They even have a “tree library section”. Canopy is definitely committed on making the world a better and greener place.

Canopy is a terrific organization planting and caring for trees in communities that have fewer resources and fewer trees.

I've been taking the Canopy Community Forestry School course, and it has been very educational, taught by experts with lots of interesting stories! The in-person volunteer events have also been well organized and welcoming.

I've been volunteering with Canopy for the past few years now. No matter how many tree plantings or other events I attend, I always learn something new. It's always a pleasure to work with the Canopy staff.

The folks at Canopy really care! We signed up for a streetside tree planting and got a nice tree delivered. Unfortunately, we had to deal with some family health issues for 3 months and couldn't plant it as planned. The Canopy folks followed up and planted it for us, in an even better spot than we had originally chosen, and have stopped by to check on and even prune the tree during these past 2 years. We've now got a vigorous tree growing near the sidewalk and love watching all the new growth. We wouldn't have this tree without Canopy and the city -- thanks so much Elise & Richard & Canopy!

I have just completed Canopie’s 8 week Webinar course in Community Forestry where we learned how important trees are to an urban community. Their grand canopy helps to naturally cool temperatures, clean the air, improve water quality, increase property values and in laboratory studies have shown to reduce stress and mental fatigue. Canopie’s classes are extremely informative and each week provide an in-depth presentation by expert professionals in their own field with guides to identifying individual tree species, and how to plant, care and maintain them along with the opportunity to work in the field applying what we had learned. My fellow students were all passionate about the environment, nature and trees and were so much fun to work with and learn from. Thank you Canopy, staff, and presenters who made my 8 weeks so enjoyable and provided me with the information to help build a greener, healthier, urban forest in my own community!

I saw so many dead and dying trees that I resolved to get some trees planted in my community.
Canopy helped me make that happen! In fact, their help was essential.
I took their Community Forestry Class, learned about trees and how to plant them, and with Canopy's help created a campaign book of trees, with the emphasis on trees that would be resilent to a warming planet.
Working with GreenTown Los Altos, we launched the 500 Trees campaign. We organized a team of volunteers to visit tree planting sites, select appropriate trees and get them planted. Many of the volunteers were local students, and their excitment at getting their hands dirty and then stepping back to see the tree they had just planted was priceless.
We planted 162 trees.
Thank you Canopy for making my dream come true.
Gary Hedden

I'm an elementary science teacher, and was fortunate to meet Vanessa Wyns in person last school year. We had planned for an in-person lesson with my 4th graders, but unfortunately schools were closed before that was possible. I was incredibly impressed with how Vanessa was able to turn that in-person lesson into an asynchronous one. My students really enjoyed it and learned a lot.
Recently she taught the Tree to Table lesson live with my 4th graders over Zoom. Again, the materials were excellent, and all of my students learned a great deal and were inspired to learn more. Vanessa has such a natural rapport with students, engaging them and making them feel comfortable sharing. They all want her to come back and visit them again!
I'm truly grateful for this amazing organization. The work that they do is inspiring and so very necessary for our students' future.

My class really enjoyed their Canopy lesson with Ms. Vanessa Wyns. They are all interested in science and they loved drawing the parts of the tree. My students were all excited to share their drawings. At some point in the lesson, Ms. Wyns asked my student, Ximena a question and I told her that she did not understood or speak English. Upon hearing this, Ms. Wyns immediately went into Spanish and since I do not speak Spanish, it almost brought me to tears. Ximena was so delighted to understand the instruction and to fully engage in the activity just like the other kids. My students loved learning about trees and were anxious to share what they knew about trees and were also anxious to show off their drawings. I have invited Ms. Wyns to come back to visit our class and do another project. The kids are still talking about her and I know that they will be excited do another lesson/activity with her!
Ms. Rodriguez Costano School East Palo Alto, CA

I am a senior and live in a neighborhood in Menlo Park, California that years ago had been redlined because of residents being primarily Black and Latino.

Because of redlining, the City of Menlo Park diverted investment in trees in my neighborhood and instead directed its investment in trees and green spaces in the wealthier, white neighborhoods.

This negligence has led to the climate burden being disproportionately born by my neighborhood.

And this is where Canopy comes in!

I learned of Canopy through a posting on the neighborhood social media platform NextDoor. I thought their offering was too good to be true. I was wrong.

Canopy has been one of the most impressive nonprofits I have ever worked with!

Here are some of the reasons why:

- timeliness of their response to my inquiry
- detailed education of the types of trees they offer and why
- gently following up when I forgot to let them know the trees I wanted
- arrival on the day of planting at the time they committed to
- weekly emails that remind me to water the trees
- inquiring how things are going and was I happy with the trees
- outreach asking if I knew of other neighbors who would be interested in the program

I now have two trees planted in my barren backyard and look to add an additional tree on the side of my house and another in front of my house alongside the sidewalk.

I am happy I am able to help our neighborhood become a more beautiful and inviting area while at the same time contributing to the reduction of heat.

Thank you Canopy and all the donors who have made this happen!!

Love the great work Canopy is doing! It is an extraordinary nonprofit focused on community forestry. Great outreach programs for volunteers, including an excellent community forestry training program. Wonderful resources online as well.

What a great organization for greening our cities, teaching us environmental concepts, and incorporating youth in their efforts so the next adult generation will be leaders!

I am a strategy consultant serving the nonprofit sector. I've worked with literally hundreds of nonprofits over twenty-plus years.

I have gotten to know Canopy extremely well over the last several years. They are one of the strongest organizations I've ever worked with. They have clarity of the impact that they're trying to pursue and measure their progress in getting there. They have a tremendous combination of heart and head; an authentic and deep passion for their mission and a commitment to smart and continuous operational improvement. One of their core values, Excellence, is not a word that sits on a poster but is an accurate reflection of all that they attempt to do.

Further, several years ago they began engaging in a conversation about racial and social justice. Their conversations resulted in programmatic and operational changes that are helping them better serve those that may otherwise be overlooked.

If you're considering whether or not to support Canopy in some fashion, they are an excellent bet.

I've participated in multiple tree plantings with Canopy as well as in some of their education programs, and no matter what the event, I've found them extremely knowledgable, professional, and kind in the pursuit of sustaining the local environment. It is always a joy to participate in their cause, as they genuinely do care.

I am taking the urban forester course offered through Canopy. The class is informative and brings in guest lecturers with local talent and experience. There are ample opportunities to ask questions of the local experts and the course leader. Although on-line to be respectful of COVID and shelter-in-place, I find the offering on topic, informative, relevant, not to mention interesting. Thank you Canopy
j p Kennedy, Menlo Park, Ca

I volunteered with Canopy to plant over 120 trees in East Palo Alto on MLK Day. The organization employs students in the area, giving them valuable experience, an excuse to be outdoors, and fair compensation. Canopy leads projects on public lands and in private property owners' space. The organization does all the research and training and acquires the appropriate supplies to ensure that projects are environmentally sound. Thank you, Canopy, for making our community greener and more vibrant, and for helping to connect us residents with beautiful and beneficial trees!

My experience with Canopy has been exemplary. I accepted the offer of trees to be planted on my lot. An arborist came to assist me in both tree types and locations. I was kept informed as to planting dates and was able to be present. A crew of 6 arrived on time and placed each tree exactly as I requested and completed the project within two hours. In addition, detailed information was provided regarding care and follow-ups have already been organised.

I'm very impressed by this organization's attention to detail, follow-thru and guidance in this valuable ecological endeavor.

Can you imagine getting nice free trees? - The kind of trees that suit your need and planted for you, without you having to sweat! All you have to do is to enjoy your trees.
To begin with, the crew at Canopy are experts of trees. In my case, I worked with Elise, she knows so much about trees and I am impressed. Elise gave clear instructions and time lines as to what to expect. She helped us to decide where to plant the tree so not to interfere with sewage line and gas line. It has been a very pleasant experience.

The tree plantings are a joy for kids and adults alike. They are a marvelous way to spend a morning while building and helping community. The operation is super-smooth and complete beginners are not only put to good use, but also learn how to plant trees!
The tree walks are a treat, led by knowledgeable arborists, foresters, or local enthusiasts. I hope Canopy will expand its tree-planting activities (and not just tree walks) into Mountain View.

Very responsive, knowledgeable and timely. Our entire process was very smooth and I love waking up every day and seeing our newly planted trees.

Canopy held a tree planting event in my neighborhood, the Ventura neighborhood in Palo Alto. As a member of our community association, I helped with publicizing the event and coordinating the day-of check-in. From our initial contact with Canopy through the flawless execution of the planting day, staff members were well-organized, knowledgeable and very enthusiastic. They truly lived the mission by educating at every contact. The trees that Canopy provided beautified our neighborhood while fighting climate change. Thank you, Canopy, for the great work that you do!

I am so impressed! Completely professional and outstanding work.

Canopy is a fantastic organization for keeping our area more green! As in tree coverage!
They reached out to our neighborhood association about planting more trees in our area as there had many tree removals due to new construction. We worked with Program Manager Elise who was enthusiastic and super organized. Canopy offered our neighbors a wonderful program to get free trees planted in our yards. Elise made appointments with each interested neighbor to do a tree consultation where they figured out which types of trees to plant where. Canopy also organized the planting volunteers so our neighbors didn't have to lift a finger to get the selected trees planted in their yards!

Our neighborhood also used the tree planting as an opportunity to organize a potluck afterwards for both volunteers and neighbors. As a result we got more trees for our neighborhood and a neighborhood social. Win-win!

What a great service!!
The volunteers are knowledgeable, pleasant, gave me advice on the care of my other trees, worked hard and left the area clean!!!
I would recommend the canopy highly!

Canopy is amazing! They are helping our community save trees and plant new trees. Canopy is helping to educate our neighbors and add more trees to our neighborhood. I was really happy with getting a few trees and getting them planted by volunteers. It made me happy to see my beautiful trees and the volunteers did an excellent job! Elise, the arborist was extremely helpful, knowledgeable and did a great job with helping me chose the right trees for my space. We are so lucky to have them in our community.

Canopy is an excellent organization with capable and dedicated people. We were very grateful to be the beneficiaries of customized advice on which trees to plant and to see the resulting trees planted by a team of expert advisors and volunteers. They planted a tree in our parking strip a few years ago which is going strong. They follow up with practical advice about how to care for the tree until it is established. They also provide friendly reminders. It's a great program. They work will with the City of Palo Alto to create a win-win for the residents.

Canopy just planted 2 trees on my property, and 30 trees in our neighborhood. The entire morning was beautifully organized, and we all learned a great deal from the leaders and volunteers from Canopy. I am very impressed with everything that Canopy did, from outreach and planning, to planting and education about the trees.

Canopy supports the growth of the urban tree canopy though education, tree planting and maintenance, and advocacy. My first exposure to Canopy was years ago through their website, which has excellent information about different tree species, and self-guided tree walks, so that the local public can easily see various mature trees for themselves. More recently, I've been involved in Canopy tree surveys, tree plantings, and been on guided tree walks. All of these Canopy offerings have been extremely well-organized, the educational materials superb, and the volunteer experience extremely satisfying. At a time when it is so important for people to reconnect with nature and to support nature, It is wonderful to have such an excellent resource in our community.

Fresh morning air and volunteer tree planting with Canopy throughout Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Mountain View--I've been a fan for the past 20 years. I support organizations like this one because they quietly remind us that urban and nature aren’t mutually exclusive, that community well-being very much has to do with green spaces, and that appreciating nature isn’t always about trekking afield.

Canopy is an organization dedicated to preserving and building the tree canopy in the Mid-Peninsula (Bay Area). In an era of acute development and climate pressures, trees are vital to keeping our communities livable, for all people. Canopy has demonstrated a history of achieving its mission, to plant trees, to educate and advocate about the importance of trees in our lives.

I live in Fremont where tree ordinances haven't been enforced for years, and trees have disappeared from neighborhoods over time. Iv'e started a Tree Advocacy group this year after taking two classes offered by Canopy. They gave me inspiration to begin! I met with Michael Hawkins, who said that, even though Fremont is not in their cities of support, they would share anything that would be helpful such as printed materials and other resources. He invited our city tree dept. officials to come tour and get a programs overview , which was very helpful. Last month, Michael sent me an invitation to their Tree Stewardship two month program for their communities, despite knowing I would not be "giving back" as the other students would. I have learned so much and now have a group that is anxious to lead in a Urban Forestry program for our city. I don't think I would have been able to "launch" without the support of everyone at Canopy, especially Michael and Natalie Brubaker, the Educational Directer. It is great to know they are a phone call away and will help any way they can.

Photosynthesis,chlorophyll. Their is so much to learn about trees how they grow and the care of every limb. Natalie and her team (Mike,Katie and all speakers)are wonderful informative,passionate and fun. I will take this information to our future my kindergarten class. Canopy has a informative educational way of teaching. Learning about trees should be a way of life for everyone. They are beneficial for everyday life. Beautiful, animals,birds, bugs, creating jobs etc....
Every student in Canopy will be advocates for life. Attend a session and you will be hooked.
Thank you Canopy!!

Canopy helped us plant beautiful native CA trees on our streets. The trees were healthy and tall, and already made a huge impact on our neighborhood.

Canopy gets things done! With the help of our many volunteers. we have planted, cared for and taught people about trees on the San Francisco Midpeninsula. We've planted more than 5,000 trees and we are planting more.

Expert help in choosing the right trees for our yard! Canopy volunteers did a great job planting two (2) trees. Great team, supervised by an expert. And even gave us details on how to insure successful growth. What a great service!

My city (Palo Alto) decided we need more trees in South Palo Alto and started a project to plant new trees in my neighborhood. Elise was my contact. She helped me pick a tree, decide where to plant it and then they came and planted it for me. She was so helpful and flexible. What a great organization!! I can't wait for my tree to grow and thrive. I have a special talent to neglect plants but Elise just sent out a reminder to go water my new tree. I love Canopy!!!

Canopy comes to my high school health class, and takes us on a nature walk around our campus. They share fun facts about the trees we walk by every day and help promote an appreciation for our environment. They also share fun facts about how nature and in particular how trees contribute to our mental health. I have them come out during the Wellness unit so kids understand how to use nature as a free and easy way to maintain a positive, healthy body and mind. We also have a volunteer requirement for our class, and many of the students works with Canopy. Wonderful organization, they always work with me to make these visits happen.

Canopy does an incredible job of building community among volunteers and of empowering volunteers to improve their towns. As a volunteer tree planting leader for over five years and a regular donor, I have been consistently impressed with the work Canopy does.

As a Canopy supporter and donor, I recently attended a Canopy-hosted tree talk given by Professor Matt Ritter. He was a wonderful speaker, and shared lots of fascinating information about oaks and other California native plants through his beautiful photos and personal stories. I think the event helped attendees gain more appreciation for our trees and plants, raised awareness about issues faced by our native flora, and also inspired attendees to help protect these precious natural resources. I also really liked the event venue. It was held at Eastside College Preparatory School in East Palo Alto, where Canopy has planted a number of trees over the years. The thriving young trees add so much to the campus, and they give us hope!

I am a volunteer with Canopy. As a former science teacher, I can attest to the quality of Canopy’s 2nd and 5th grade tree education programs in East Palo Alto. Natalie Brubaker, the education leader, develops engaging educational programs and the kids love all the hands-on learning about trees right on their school campuses. The 5th graders are incredibly proud to participate in tree planting as well. Bravo, Canopy!!

My first experience with Canopy occurred after a tree planting in the school yard adjacent to my backyard where I live in East Palo Alto. I had notice that trees had been planted along the fence line between my house , my neighbors houses, and a large grass area on the school grounds. This grass area was often used as a soccer field for youth leagues. The trees in time would provide shade for the parents and family members who came to the games. My yard is located to the south side of the line of trees. I was very happy to see that in the area of my vegetable garden they had planted Strawberry Trees, a short drought tolerant tree from the Mediterranean, so I didn't have to worry about it getting tall enough to shade my garden. Talking to the persons from Canopy who came to care for the trees I found out they had selected the shorter tree to plant along my fence line because they had noticed my vegetable garden. This level of caring from Canopy led me to volunteer for a tree planting in my neighborhood and from there to become a planting leader.

My neighborhood (Greenmeadow) worked with Canopy to plant 30 trees in front and back yards. I’d liken our tree planting day to an old-fashioned barn raising—neighbors coming together to help each other do something they can’t easily do alone. It’s a wonderful community builder. Elise (with Canopy) is a well—organized and energetic leader/partner who taught us how to properly plant trees for best results. We all learned a lot and enjoyed sharing the tasks of planting and breaking bread together afterward.

The promise of growing beautiful trees, the comfort of shade, and a richer environment for birds and other wildlife made this a fun experience. We now have 30 daily reminders of our happy day planting together.

We are excitedly watching our new trees take root and flourish...AND we are planning another planting in collaboration with Canopy this fall!

This is a wonderful organization that is doing great work for the community. The tree walks lead by Natalie and Elise were really appreciated by my high school and middle school students. The students were left with a renewed appreciation for the natural environment around them. Thank you Natalie and Elise!

The tree walks are wonderful! I've done almost all of them, some more than once.

I had a great experience with Canopy on April 21st through a parent-son service organization that I belong to, called Mountain View-Los Altos Service League of Boys (SLOBs). Canopy was doing a tree planting and native plant installation project at Graham Middle School in Mountain View. Canopy's staff was delightful to work with, and the event was very meaningful and satisfying. Nothing like getting your hands dirty to provide more trees and native plants to the Graham students and nearby residents. We even installed sign posts along Castro Street so that passersby can learn more about the different plant species and how they benefit our environment. Thank you Canopy!

I had the most wonderful experience on MLK day. I went with two other friends. There were +170 people and it was super organized, you could help by doing several things and any activity you switched to there was someone to help you. Folks were super friendly. I just had so much fun and had a bit of a workout! I will volunteer with Canopy in the future!

My sons fondly remember planting trees at a Canopy Martin Luther King Jr. Day event and hope to participate in another event soon. They got to help with the whole tree-planting process, from digging the holes to admiring the new trees. Canopy is so right that growing greener communities and empowering youth go hand in hand. Thanks to Canopy for all its wonderful work!

Have you ever paid attention to how differently you feel when you are standing in a wide open, heat radiating, gray and barren paved area or in a park with grass under your feet and lofty, verdant trees providing cooling shade and whispering leaves? Luckily for our community, Canopy not only thinks about this difference, it takes action to grow our urban forest.

I had the good fortune to be able to help with Canopy's landscaping project at Graham Middle School in Mountain View. I was so impressed with how well organized the project was—there were plants, tools, people, and activities to coordinate. Canopy staff and lead volunteers were knowledgeable, kind, and efficient. Also, I was delighted to see that Canopy is developing young leaders among its volunteers. I drive past Graham several times a week and every time I do, I admire the beautiful landscaping and think of Canopy. As the trees we planted grow and mature, so will my thanks to Canopy for its transformative effect on our neighborhood.

I helped Canopy raise money for their recent capital campaign. I was able to see up close that Canopy is an incredibly well run nonprofit. Both board and staff are passionate about their mission of planting and caring for trees and educating youth about the benefits of trees and tree care. Everyone I met was extremely competent, friendly, and willing to go outside his or her comfort zone to raise the money that would move their worthy cause forward. Their results are palpable - more and more trees planted and cared for every year. They are fabulous stewards of the urban forest.

As a local teacher, I have partnered with Canopy for several years to offer the Walter Hays Elementary School 4th graders an "interactive field lesson" at El Palo Alto Park. The students spend the morning learning the history and science of our namesake tree, as well as learning about the local ecosystem that supports it. Canopy provides the students with experiences in measuring the height, diameter, and circumference of on-site trees, including the famous El Palo Alto. The students learn a lot about our "living California landmark" and how it has stood the test of time. The students are always fully engaged and very enthusiastic about the lessons. They think it is so "cool" to learn about "our tree!"

Canopy has done a wonder job of serving the Peninsula communities that need trees. They mobilize and organize volunteers and the job gets done! They advocate planting the right tree in the right place and they have a great tree survival rate. In today's world of rapidly expanding urban sprawl, we need organizations like Canopy to ensure that we have the benefits of a tree canopy!

All of the Canopy events that I’ve attended over the years have been top notch, and the Canopy staff have been a joy to work with.

Canopy is also providing wellness campus tree walks to help hundreds of local high school students to de-stress. On these campus tree walks, Canopy education staff teach students about local tree species and trees' many benefits for our physical and mental health. More importantly, they discuss the important connection between nature and wellness, and how spending time in nature can help relieve stress and improve concentration. At the end of the walk, students feel relaxed and recharged, and have re-learned a simple but often overlooked method to take care of themselves. Keep up the great work, Canopy! More stressed out high school students can benefit from this program.

Canopy brings trees to people where trees are needed the most. Canopy has done so for 20 years and now is expanding its services to more communities. Canopy fills an urgently needed role for citizen welfare and parity in our local communities where building and new construction are proceeding at a rapid pace.

I greatly value the work Canopy does to educate youth about the importance of planting and caring for trees.

Canopy is dedicated to planting and caring for trees, making our region a healthy and beautiful place to live, work and play. In addition to delivering on this core mission, Canopy does a wonderful job building community through its hands-on volunteer events and engaging educational programs - such as monthly neighborhood Tree Walks. The staff members are bright, caring and highly effective at what they do.

Canopy is a well respected tree planting, tree care and environmental education organization. Great staff and work for our communities.

We would love for Canopy of Palo Alto to be recognized. The organization is amazing in its efforts to: bring volunteers together, encourage people to do service work, beautify the community and help the environment. I work for the City of Palo Alto in a Community Center that was built in the 60s and has yet to benefit from any type of remodel. It is heavily used and the wear and tear really shows. However, we have been lucky enough to be the recipient of Canopy’s good work. For three years now, Canopy has organized a day where they bring 100 + volunteers to our center and work: digging, weeding, planting and laying mulch. It is the most amazing sight, not just the beautiful outcome but also seeing families working so hard together side by side. I am amazed at their staff’s hard work , not just on the work day but also all the prep up until the day and all the followup making sure our trees and plants are thriving. It really makes a huge difference around here and we are so grateful for their work.

I am happy to be a donor to Canopy. You do excellent work and set a high standard for other urban forestry organizations in the state.

They do great stuff! Love the work with teens and the photography contest, as well as the "book" focused tours with the library.

Elise took our girls scout brownies for a tree walk around the neighborhood. It was a really educational and fun event for all of us including the chaperone parents!

Elise from canopy.org led our 3rd grade Brownie troop and chaperone moms on a one-hour walking tour of the neighborhood around our elementary school. She pointed out ~12 different trees, encouraged the girls to touch the bark and to collect leaves and fallen flowers and to share their observations. She talked about native trees vs. imports and how/why their bark, trunks, branches, leaves/needles and fruits/seeds were different and how the trees have adapted to our climate. It was incredibly educational and because the girls were encouraged to collect their own samples and share their own thoughts, it was highly interactive and therefore, I believe, more meaningful. Thank you.

Good cause, but I didn't have a good experience. I thought it would be a good idea to volunteer on Veteran's Day and help plant trees at the hospital. I wish I could get my time back. The tree planting leaders were unorganized and certain ones were rude and belittling. I felt continuously judged about every little thing: how to take the dirt off the roots, how to hold the tree straight, etc. Then after you plant the tree the leaders pick over your work. It just wasn't a good experience for me. I hope they treat future volunteers better.

Canopy is a wonderful organization with a focused and thoughtful mission, providing service and education in both affluent and challenged communities, and offering opportunities for youth internships and local volunteers. Everything starts with the great people who staff and guide Canopy. This organization is a true gem for the SF Peninsula!

I have volunteered with Canopy and donated to Canopy for the past four years. They are a small team of dedicated, passionate, skilled employees who leverage their fantastic board and volunteers to make a big difference. They serve the community in so many ways--not just planting, not just educating, not just pruning and mulching, not just advocacy-- their full perspective on the urban forest make them a very effective organization.
Also, I really admire how they give jobs and job training to East Palo Alto teens. It makes the organization more effective in East Palo Alto and makes a huge difference for the teens who are part of the program.

Wonderful volunteers, project managers and a very important cause! It's better to dig the planting holes by machine \uD83D\uDE0A

Contributing to the environment and wellbeing of people. Wonderful volunteers. Could drill planting holes by machine rather than by shovel.

We're very grateful to Canopy for planting an avocado tree in our front yard. I ended up volunteering to help with the tree planting, and I was impressed by the organization of the event. Every staff member I met was friendly, knowledgeable, and more than willing to answer tree-related questions. Thanks, Canopy, for the great work!

A great way to get outside, be active, and meet great people who also care about the environment and giving back to the community. I used to work at Canopy and continue to volunteer there because of the people-- the staff and other volunteers really create a sense of community. Canopy provides all the tools and training so it's great for people who are just getting into volunteering, who like hands-on tasks, or students who need hours for school. There are opportunities year round so you can go once or multiple times, but you'll always feel accomplished at the end of the day because you actually do work and get to see the result of your labor at the end. Sometimes there are miscellaneous tasks or opportunities for volunteering in their office, so don't hesitate to reach out to them if you are interested in other tasks besides tree planting. Also, if you are not into volunteering and just need information, they are a great resource to learn about tree species, tree issues, and for drought information. In my experience, the people at Canopy are always happy to hear from the public and answer questions.

Helped plant trees with them this Saturday. They were very nice about teaching me what to do and offering any help I needed. Had a great time!

Canopy is an outstanding example of a tree-focused community-benefit organization.
I have worked with Canopy (for three years, as of Oct 2016) on technical aspects of tree planting and care, and have noticed that they are remarkably proactive and forward-thinking in ensuring that the planted trees survive, grow, and actually provide the benefits that urban trees can provide. I note that Canopy not only has great links and is actively engaged with the local communities they serve, but the organization is also well-connected to local experts and arborists (and, not surprisingly, those two reasons are a part of why Canopy-planted trees look and perform great!).

Today Canopy led a terrific planting event at one of our local middle schools. They brought together volunteers including school parents and children, Canopy volunteers, Boy Scouts and congregants from a local church. The event was perfectly planned from A to Z, putting dozens and dozens of adults and children to work on beautifying the school property. Thanks for your ability to organize so carefully and to make the experience both enjoyable and a good use of our time.

Canopy plants and takes care of a lot of trees! I have been to two of their training programs, and they are approachable and dedicated. I am so glad for the education they provide to children and for the work they do in the world.

I have been a board member at Canopy for a year now and hands-down this is one of the best nonprofits that I have worked with so far. The staff are amazing and dedicated to Canopy’s mission and they do an exceptional job of stretching every dollar donated to the maximum extent possible. The staff work really hard and go the extra mile to make every project a success. Their Teen Urban Foresters program has been phenomenal in cultivating new youth leaders who start playing a very active role in the community and in being great stewards care of the environment at such an early age. Canopy’s tree planting and tree care educational programs have been instrumental in ensuring healthy trees in the communities that they serve. Great programs, Exceptional people, Strong focus on the mission leads to Healthy Trees, Healthy Communities!!

I have been planting with Canopy for some years, but not for some time until this past weekend. In the interim, the organization has become stronger, the staff has gotten even professional, and the volunteers more energized. And many of those were young folks from neighboring schools willing to come out on a Saturday morning, rolling up their sleeves and contributing their efforts to improve our urban canopy. Thank you Canopy.

Canopy is made up of an amazing group of dedicated professionals who know how to plant trees where they are most needed while also educating students and volunteers how to be stewards of the environment. Canopy is also successful at pulling together a variety of groups to leverage resources to maximize their positive impact. Over the last two decades, they have done a lot to improve our urban forest.

I have loved working with Canopy. Their dedicated and skilled volunteers, and their ready partnerships with other organizations, and their follow-through will benefit our Head Start center's children and families for years to come. Though it took over a year to receive all the approvals needed, and jump through all of the bureaucratic hoops of a federal contractor, Canopy was able to plant over 10 trees and rescue several others that had been previously planted incorrectly. It warms my heart so much to think that the children and families and teachers at Laurel will, for years to come, enjoy the trees, have some shade, learn from their seasonal changes and the gifts of fruit they will bring.

I have volunteered with Canopy off and on for nearly 15 years and it all started with a class on trees at Stanford taught by Drew Oman with a guest speaker from Canopy. My budding love of trees leafed and grew because of the wonderful people I met. I love and value the organization for so many reasons: the people who run Canopy, the community and families we touch, the education and fun programs provided, and for all that I have learned. Thank you, Cristy Carlson Osborne

I went to the Trees of Stanford event sponsored by Canopy. This included a panel discussion of tree experts as well as a tree walk of part of the Stanford campus. I am so glad I went - I learned a lot and met a lot of other people passionate about trees. Canopy does a great job at bringing events like this to the public and promoting education about trees. With Canopy's efforts we can continue to build a tree-valuing culture in Palo Alto and beyond. Thanks Canopy!

Canopy works closely with community to invest in urban forestry. I have been to a number of volunteering events in the past 5 years. All the events are very organized and run by a friendly staff. The volunteers I have met are friendly and very hard working. It's a great place to connect with the community and give back. This is an exemplary organization where donations are so effectively converted into lasting impact in our community.

I've volunteered with Canopy for many years, since my children were young. They just get better and better in fulfilling their commitment to plant and care for trees and advocate for the urban forest. They're also a great group of people to work with. It's such a pleasure to work with a volunteer-based group that accomplishes a lot and makes it fun for everyone.

This was a great experience. The folks were helpful and friendly. They explained the process real simple for folks with no experience to understand. I felt real good, knowing I was giving back to the community.

I recently led a tree planting with Canopy at the Willow Oaks Elementary school which has a largely Spanish speaking student body – it was inspiring to see these kids getting their hands dirty, fighting climate change and improving the air and environment around their school by planting the trees that will be there for decades (some of the trees we planted can easily live over 100 years). We got my employer and a local law firm to donate to this effort, too.

Re: a Thank you from the Dockters, responding to the Canopy Board Match, Silicon Valley Gives program, connecting people with nature, like your friend, the late Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai: "When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of hope and the seeds of Peace".

Catherine & Board: Thank you for the gratitude email to Eileen and I.

You enable us to be directly involved with nature-based programs in a way that ‘without you’ we would probably not be engaged in a similar way.

You guys are the best at what you do--seemingly always keeping things fresh, up-to-date and on pace with the technology speed of Silicon Valley.

I thank you for the leadership you have utilized thru the 2007-2014 economic season, and support you to flourish in the new season of growth for the community.

Sincerely,

David & Eileen Dockter, Canopy Contributors


Dave Dockter
Urban Forestry Group, ASCA, ISA, APA
City of Palo Alto Public Works - Urban Forestry Section
Email: dave.dockter@cityofpaloalto.org
http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/gov/depts/pwd/trees/default.asp

I remember when Canopy first started, with big ideas and a tiny budget. I’ve had the privilege of working with them off and on ever since—serving as a leader in planting trees in our neighborhood, collaborating with them in persuading the school district to adopt and implement a good tree policy, loaning them my pickup, and working with a Latino mom and her kids in planting trees at an East Palo Alto school as part of a Rotary project. It is totally inspiring to see how they’ve grown and what they’ve accomplished and there are few experiences more rewarding than planting with young people and witnessing their emotional connection to nature.

My involvement with the Canopy Board has been very rewarding. The Board members are dynamic and creative with good communication skills. Canopy has grown considerably since my involvement, not so much in dollars or volume, but in savvy and wisdom. We are really fortunate to have Catherine Martineau as our Executive Director, and our growth is in a large part to her credit.

Canopy has something for everyone, and everything it touches is superbly organized. It provides turnkey volunteer activities such as tree plantings and monitoring young tree health for people who want to spend a few hours. It presents accessible educational programs such as neighborhood tree walks. It offers trainings for people who want to be more involved. It supports neighborhood initiatives to plant street trees. Its programs engage everyone from school kids to older adults. It also brings exceptional environmental leaders to our community from Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai to E.O. Wilson. In short it is a powerful force integrated into our community in countless ways.

I've been very impressed not just with the professionalism of the Canopy staff -- great use of technology -- but also with the creativity exhibited in many of the programs and activities. The scope of what Canopy does is stupendous -- everything from inventorying native oaks to conducting neighborhood tree walks -- but there's never any loss of focus on its mission of protecting Palo Alto's trees.

I'm a certified arborist that helps Canopy out on planting and work days. Working with Canopy has been a great experience. The staff, board members, and volunteer leaders are all committed to educating the public about the numerous environmental and economic benefits of planting trees. We teach all volunteer workers how to plant properly ~ especially important with trees ~ from digging the hole to mulching, staking, and watering. We teach the public about proper tree care and proper tree selection. Planting trees is one of the best things we can all do to help heal the planet. Canopy advocates for trees, helping to assure everyone does right by the trees in Palo Alto and neighboring communities needing help. Fantastic organization!

Canopy has facilitated the planting of many hundreds, maybe thousands, of trees since I have been involved with the organization. People may not see them because of our busy lives, we go by too fast, but those new trees will benefit many generations to come, just as we have benefited from the trees planted by foresighted people 75-100 years ago. Canopy makes a difference and leads the way!

I was very impressed not only by the dedication and professionalism of the staff, but of the volunteers themselves. Everyone takes great pride in their contribution to this historic event. I am very pleased to have been a part of this wonderful organization and I look forward to working together again.

After the clearcutting of the oak trees on California Avenue in Palo Alto, I looked around for an organization that protects trees in Palo Alto. Canopy wasn't hard to find, and I joined it immediately. Saturday's event (the replanting of trees) convinced me that I made the right decision. Canopy shares with residents Fred and Ann Balin the credit for leading the movement to redirect the city's ill-advised replanting plan to what was finally achieved. I think everyone who wishes to prevent another fiasco like last September's tree cutting needs to get involved with their neighborhood association. I believe that if more people had been involved it wouldn't have happened. In addition, please support Canopy.

This was truly an awesome experience! I was so heartbroken, as was so many other people, to see our lovely trees go... Now, my heart is absolutely filled with such joy, gratitude and thankfulness that I was given the opportunity to give back to nature and help heal a little piece of Mother Earth! Our tree was planted directly in front of Bistro Elan and... her name is Linda! Please support her and the other trees and watch how beautifully they grow! Thank you Canopy and our lovely City! This was truly a good deed... indeed!!

Canopy organized a fun and engaging Arbor Day celebration for kids and families in Palo Alto--teaching kids and adults about the value of urban trees through simple activities associated with trees.