South Pasadena Beautiful, the city of South Pasadena, and the South Pasadena Public Library invite the community to a special event to celebrate South Pasadena’s urban forest. With more than 80 trees on the one square block of the Library Park, the South Pasadena Public Library Community Room is a fitting location to laud South Pasadena’s estimated 21,000 trees.
The free event will take place Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.) at the Library Community Room, 1115 El Centro St. The program features a presentation by arborist and South Pasadena resident Richard McLeod called “Let’s Show the Trees Some Love.” McLeod is an arborist representative working with Bartlett Tree Experts, leaders in scientific tree and shrub care since 1907. Bartlett helps both residential and commercial customers maintain beautiful, healthy trees and teaches people how to care for trees.
McLeod will be speaking about some of the commonly overlooked aspects when caring for trees and the benefits of soil nutrient analysis for providing the best growing conditions for tree and shrub growth. Also on hand will be Arpy Kasparian, South Pasadena’s Environmental Services & Sustainability Manager, and Catrina Peguero, Public Works Operations Manager, to present the city’s perspective on the urban forest. They will be available to answer questions about city regulations regarding tree planting and trimming, share tree rebate and resource information, and talk about the city’s longstanding Tree City U.S.A. recognition.
Finally, adult services librarian Alexis Mendoza will introduce the library’s Interactive Tree Map and provide an overview of “Sowing South Pasadena,” a new library program coming this spring. Sowing South Pasadena, funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the California State Library, will include the launch of a Seed Library, a series of speaker events, and more.
South Pasadena Beautiful is a nonprofit dedicated to planting a sustainable future in our community through such projects as the low-water landscape project at the South Pasadena Post Office and its springtime Garden Tour and Sustainability Fair at the Nature Park (officially The South Pasadena Arroyo Seco Woodland and Wildlife Park). This October event is SPB’s annual meeting. Additionally, more than 70 gardening books will be available for a small donation to SPB. For more information about South Pasadena Beautiful, visit southpasbeautiful.org.
First published in the September 29 print issue of the South Pasadena Review.
