Roseville Urban Forest Foundation (RUFF)
RUFF is a 501C3, non-profit organization formed in 1995 to improve the tree canopy in the Roseville California area through tree plantings and education on the value of trees and how to grow them. The RUFF Board of Directors consists of local residents who value the benefits that trees bring to our community. Through the years, our Board has included local architects, teachers, lawyers, accountants, landscape architects, business professionals, arborists and interested residents. They have developed programs and projects to provide the most benefit from our limited funding.
What We Do
Helping people choose and grow great trees
Trees can add so much to your landscape, if they are good trees planted in the right place. We have helped thousands of families add trees to their landscape and helped them keep their trees vigorous and healthy. The trees are now doing their jobs cooling our homes and neighborhoods, cleaning the air and water, and improving the quality of life in our community.
We provide information on tree selection, how to plant trees, how to prune, mulch, and care for trees, pest and disease management and recommended trees. Use our website resources, participate in a workshop, or contact us to ask a question.
We are available to do presentations for garden clubs, neighborhood associations and service groups
Restore Our Open Spaces and Oak Woodlands
Since 1995, RUFF has organized public plantings of native trees in the City Open Space Preserves. Thousands of volunteers have helped us plant native oaks and other trees. We work in partnership with the City Urban Forester to identify possible locations, plant and maintain the trees. We have planted thousands of trees and acorns and our plantings can be found in most areas of the City, often close to bike paths. If you would like to participate in an open space/woodland event, contact us.
Beautify Our Communities
RUFF has organized public plantings in many of the city’s parks (19 plantings) and schools (40 plantings), the Fairgrounds, and numerous street tree plantings.
Educate Our Young Citizens
Trees and kids are natural partners. We love working with kids at events, schools, or scout groups.
Kids get to plant trees at our Native Tree plantings. The trees are small enough so even young kids can help. Kids love naming their trees. We encourage families to visit “their forest” and see how the trees are growing.
Arbor Day, Earth Days and other festivals give us an opportunity to help children make their own Critter Book. Each page has a clue, photo, and information on critters that live in the oak woodlands of our community. Kids learn to bind their book using a twig and a rubber band.
Our Library Book program provides nature and tree-themed books to all public school libraries. We select new titles each year, deliver and read to elementary school classes. If you would like to participate in the library book program, contact us.
Train Volunteers
Roseville Urban Forest Foundation has trained citizens on proper planting techniques, tree care, species identification and assisting at community planting and tree maintenance projects. This hands-on learning is available if you are interested. To get more information about this contact us.
A Brief History
2016
RUFF contracts with City of Roseville to renew the Roseville Shade Tree Program
2014 - 2016
Roseville “Adopt A Creek” Program – RUFF has adopted a section of Dry Creek behind Adelante High School to continue stewardship projects with the students and nearby communities. Projects include planting, removal of invasive species, mulching, and interpretive trail development
2013
2013-2016 RUFF collaborates with City of Roseville – Open Space, Storm Water departments on city planting, clean-up and mulching projects.
2012
CA Releaf Mini Grant – Provided funding for native tree plantings, signage
2012 - 2015
West colonial Parkway- Planting, Irrigation, maintenance 260 trees. Water, weed, mulch, and monitor other existing planting sites (Antelope II, III, Stoneridge, Miner’s Ravine, Woodcreek North, Johnson Ranch)
2011
Sacramento Tree Mini Grant – To provide funding for education, books, and to develop “Critter Books” to use at Arbor Day celebrations, Earth Day events, etc.
2010 - 2013
CalFire Grant – To provide funding forUrban Forest marketing materials for RUFF
2009
Contract with City of Roseville for the Shade Tree Program ended due to budget issues.
2008
Roseville Alternative Transportation Grant – To fund a three year collaboration project to plant trees and provide maintenance along city bike trails.
2007 - 2016
Library Book Project – City of Roseville Tree Mitigation Funds used to collaborate with Adelante High School Environmental Science Class to select books, create bookplates, organize delivery and read to elementary school children. Over 400 books have been donated to 31 different schools and 3 public libraries from 2001 – 1014.
2006
CA ReLeaf Grant – To provide funding for Parking Lot Research, Education & Consulting
2005
CA ReLeaf Grant – To provide funds for an Oak Regeneration Project and Interpretive signs. Eagle Scout project 125 Oaks planted Woodcreek North Preserve
2004
RUFF started a native plant nursery. Open space plantings included: Woodcreek Nature Preserve with Woodcreek High School students, Adventure Church acorn planting at Woodcreek North
2003
“LaBou Oak” fell. Sierra College Forestry class studied wedges. 135-145 years old. RUFF saved wedges and several seedlings to replant.
2001
- RUFF began advocating for the hiring of an Urban Forester for City of Roseville. Shayna Carney was hired as an Open Space manager and Michael Neumann was hired as an Urban Forester after 2005.
- “Treasured Trees”: Nominations of treasured native oak trees were made by the community and were displayed in Roseville Libraries.
- 10,000 Tree Celebration: Shade tree recipients were asked to tie a blue ribbon around a tree in their front yard to designate their trees as being part of the 10,000. Blue ribbons were also tied around other RSTP trees throughout Roseville by volunteers.
- Oaks Among Us: A project to highlight Roseville’s oak woodland. Events included: Speakers, “Tools of the Trade” workshops, seminars on native oaks, Oak Ordinance reviews, oak plantings, acorn gathering.
- National Arbor Day Book Donations: 2001 – 2004 RUFF donated books about trees to Roseville schools and libraries. Funded by Roseville Tree Mitigation Education Fund, RSTP, RUFF, CA ReLeaf mini Grant, Sacramento Tree Mini Grants, CalFire, and personal donations.
2000
CA ReLeaf Presentation with Adelante High School students – Adelante Projects for the Environment
“RUFF Presents” – Evening educational presentations in collaboration with Sun City Garden Club 2000 – 2002
1999
Gateway Project – RUFF inspired tree planting on the north side of Atlantic St between Galleria over-crossing and Wills Rd. The trees were planted to fill an empty area left by road construction. After a three year planning process with the City, volunteers planted them in June 2001.
1998
Arbor Care II to XII – Funded by Roseville Electric
1998 - 2003
Collaborate with Adelante High School for “Creek Week” plantings, guest speaker, plant identification workshops
1997
- Worked with City of Roseville on: Tree Issues Response Policy, Nursery Stock Specification Policy, Professional Recommendation Policy, Oak Ordinance Review
- California State Parks Grant: 1997-1998 Collaboration with Adelante High School: Native Plants Restoration Planting Project
- Published – Tree Tips, 1997-2000 – Newsletter “Shady Times”
1996
- RUFF assumed Roseville Shade Tree Program Contract from Sacramento Tree Foundation.
- Roseville Hospital Grant: “Planting Trees for Tomorrow Today”
- Arbor Care I and II – Funded by CA ReLeaf National Urban Forestry Grant Program. The purpose of “Arbor Care” was to provide members of the Roseville Community with stewardship information and to gather information for evaluation of the RSTP. Tree Care Clinics, Volunteer Training, Workshops for Tree Professionals, Data Base
1995
Roseville Urban Forest Foundation (RUFF) Incorporation
1995 - 2009
RUFF provided the expertise and administration for the Roseville Shade Tree program. Roseville Electric provided funding for program coordinators, manager, technical assistants, trees and planting materials, office space, computer, data base, shed for equipment, and a vehicle. During this time the program provided over 15,500 shade trees for residential, business, schools, parks, and churches to provide cooling shade for energy reduction. Each site received a site visit from a community forester, free trees and planting materials and guidance on tree placement, proper planting and care
1993
Roseville Shade Tree Program was founded in 1993, with the support of the City of Roseville Electric Department and Sacramento Tree Foundation to foster community understanding of the value of trees and their role in energy conservation through tree-planting and education projects.
Partners + Volunteers
Volunteers
The volunteers we work with provide the work to get the projects done, they are the ones who actually get the trees in the ground and the mulch spread. Some volunteers we see only once, coming out on a wintery day plant trees. But many volunteers will show up over and over again at tree plantings or at educational events. We have benefited from working with volunteer groups from Hewlett Packard Sustainability Group, Rotary, REI, neighborhood associations, local high schools, and colleges, churches, and scout programs.
Partners
Our partners help make our organization possible and improve our outreach. Our sincere appreciation to the following partners:
City of Roseville
Roseville Electric roseville.ca.us/electric
City of Roseville Parks and Recreation Department roseville.ca.us/parks
City of Roseville Open Space roseville.ca.us/open_space
City of Roseville Storm Water Management Adopt-A-Creek Program roseville.ca.us/stormwater_management
California Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection
California Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection fire.ca.gov
California ReLEAF
California ReLEAF californiareleaf.org
Sacramento Tree Foundation
Sacramento Tree Foundation sactree.com
Dry Creek Conservancy
Dry Creek Conservancy drycreekconservancy.org