Projects

Current Projects

Tree Partners Foundation Nursery

The Tree Partners Foundation has established a legal partnership with the United States Penitentiary in Atwater, receiving the use of 26 acres of land from them, with access to water, power, storage, some equipment, and very importantly, free labor. The nursery at the prison site has the potential to grow trees for the schools, churches, cities, restoration projects, and other tree foundations throughout the state

Educational Component The use of inmates stipulates that the Tree Partners Foundation have in place by December 2008 a curriculum that will include, but not be limited to, seed propagation and training on how to transfer seedlings to one, five and fifteen-gallon containers and specimen trees into 24-inch boxes. The instruction will also include plant identification, tree biology, tree/soil relations, water management, tree nutrition and fertilization, tree selection (right tree, right place), pruning, and diagnosis of plant disorders. The coursework will lead to a certifiable vocational program for minimun-security inmates.

The nursery has two other components in additions to the containerized stock:

1. The Tree Partners are committed to establishing University Level Research capabilities of California native trees and plants. Plans for a botanical garden on adjacent properties will become an arboretum, serving research and educational venues. It will also become a source for cuttings for future nursery stock.

The prison nursery area has been laser-leveled, most major drains have been installed and a six-inch water source is in place.

We are also developing a small educational nursery facility within the city limits of Atwater. This is to serve local elementary students, Merced County Office of Education’s developmentally challenged students, and will also be available for the underserved youth for after school nature activities.

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Future Projects

• Center for Volunteerism Other future projects include building a Center for Volunteerism in the Ralston Park area at Third and Grove streets in Atwater serving all youth groups in the area. The grounds could be learning centers about native plant stock. Classrooms and meeting rooms for youth and citizens are to be included. Within three to five years, the production from the nursery will help provide sustainable funding. This will come as cities and other non- profit organizations donate monies to the project and we meet the California Department of Forestry's specifications for 15-gallon nursery stock (proper trunk taper, minimum of 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 at the base).

In addition to the trees, the foundation will “grow” Arbor Day memberships in California from the now 25,000 to one million plus in five years because of the quality of nursery stock and carrying the stock Californians ask for. As the valley continues to grow along the Central Valley corridor, thousands of young people, educators and politicians will be introduced to the vision of Arbor Day – to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. This will help restore natural science and nature experiences to our classrooms.

• Robinson Family Project Late in 2006, the foundation partnered with the Robinson Family Project on the Merced River known as “The Robinson Reach.” This particular five-mile stretch of the river provided much of the gravel for the Yosemite Railroad and has, in recent years, through collaboration with the Department of Fish and Game and the Robinson Family Trust, begun to be restored. The history of our rivers, from the time of the Native Americans to the mining of gravel for the railroad, the dredging for gold into the hills and mountains, building dams for irrigation and power and the extensive farming along the banks, all of these issues, have impacted our rivers, yet they still remain one of our greatest resources for educating our youth.

• Nature Center Establish a nature center within the scope of project that will serve students from elementary to university level.