Santa Rosa’s Forgotten Canopy

Why ReLeaf 2.0 Matters Now More Than Ever

Decades ago, Santa Rosa’s tree canopy was growing strong, thanks to the pioneering work of Jane Bender and Ellen Bailey.

In partnership with the city, they launched the original ReLeaf program and planted thousands of trees across Santa Rosa. The city funded the trees, hired local youth to plant them, and built a network of green streets.

In 2000, Santa Rosa ReLeaf closed its doors. The city scaled back its tree program, no group stepped in to fill the gap, and over time, the city’s canopy aged without care or renewal.

More than twenty years later, when Beth Brown arrived in Santa Rosa, even with an untrained eye, she could tell something was wrong: neglected trees, an aging canopy with no young replacements, and signs of decline everywhere. A walk through the Luther Burbank District told the story — 25-year-old crape myrtles planted unevenly, squeezed into narrow strips, while some streets had no trees at all. So Beth began reaching out to neighbors and local activists, and from those first conversations, ReLeaf 2.0 was born.

Every neighborhood has its own tree canopy story — and its own canopy struggles. ReLeaf wants to work with community groups to assess and address each neighborhood’s canopy.

The deeper issue: Santa Rosa has no city arborist, no tree assessment, and no plan to fix these problems — other than place the responsibilities of tree canopy on property owners who generally do not have tree expertise. Many property owners do not understand trees are their responsibility and many are frustrated by the obligations. This has resulted in resentment toward trees. So we see old trees, sick trees, trees too big for their spaces, ugly, hazardous stumps, and many empty tree wells are simply filled with concrete, brick, or asphalt. It sends a clear message: there are no plans for trees here.

Like many cities, Santa Rosa’s tree canopy reflects economic lines: wealthier areas enjoy more shade, while lower-income neighborhoods are left exposed. This inequity is exactly what Federal IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) Tree Funds are meant to address — yet while cities like San Francisco secured millions, Santa Rosa didn’t even apply. The result: No funds, no remedy, and a canopy that keeps shrinking.

All across Santa Rosa, the signs are clear: empty tree wells, old stumps, and gaps where trees once stood. ReLeaf 2.0 is stepping up to fill those empty wells and rebuild the city’s canopy — one tree at a time.

ReLeaf 2.0: A Community Movement Takes Root

Without city support, it falls to regular people to restore Santa Rosa’s canopy — planting trees, watering them, and nurturing them until they can survive on their own. If we don’t, history has shown, no one else will.

With our climate getting hotter, a robust tree canopy is more important than ever.

That’s why ReLeaf 2.0 is stepping up. Our vision is to build a new, climate-resilient canopy — with ecological diversity, smart species selection, and community care at its core. But it won’t be easy: we’re operating with little funding, no city backing, and in a time of political and financial strain.

We’re starting by identifying empty wells, selecting tree species that can handle limited space and rising heat, and recruiting volunteers to water each new tree weekly through the dry summers. So we need a new kind of tree army — neighbors helping neighbors, one tree at a time. Volunteer or Donate today!