Santa Fe CommuniTree Network

Initial CommuniTree Planting Projects

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• Additional 20-30 “clumps” of trees this year in the SF River zone between Frenchy’s Field and Siler Bridge. The process is to bore down to the water table and plant a cottonwood “pole” in there so that its roots are in the wet zone already. Therefore, no additional watering is needed except for a couple of months to help get the tree established. Around each tree, willows would be deep planted as well to protect the trees from erosion and provide shade to the young trees. This method has been used in lower elevation riparian areas in New Mexico.
• Twenty to 30 trees in close proximity to the river bed at Ricardo Rd. Footbridge on the south bank, in addition to small armoring structures. Each tree would require a tree well and staking. Volunteers would be providing the labor to plant the trees.
• Rain garden complex at Brother’s Lane and East Alameda with native trees and other vegetation. The project will commence construction in Spring 2021 with the support of a River Steward Grant from the New Mexico Environment Department, and in partnership with the City of Santa Fe, Watershed West, and The RainCatcher. When completed the rain gardens will divert stormwater from East Alameda and reduce pollution flowing into the Santa Fe River.
• Trees on SF Public School property within a Rain Garden for water collection. The project would entail creating a rain garden on SFPS property as the school district deems appropriate. These are often in parking areas where the impervious surface is greatest and run-off is a problem after storm events. Each Rain Garden would support an appropriate tree with shrubs and grasses for remediation prior to infiltration. The project would entail working with the SFPS to design, landscape, and plant trees and shrubs.
• Trees and shrubs with SF County in the SF River zone between Siler Bridge and San Isidro Crossing. This is part of the County’s Earth Day 2021 project to plant trees and shrubs all over the County. Plant list is established and County will provide, just need outreach and volunteers.
• Trees on private property, some with a rain garden for water collection. The project would entail working with the property owners to design a rain garden of appropriate dimensions to collect enough stormwater to support a tree and shrubs on-site. Targeted locations would be in the “heat island” zone in the downriver section of the watershed. The funding need is for design work, landscape work, trees and shrubs.