HONORING A LEADER: GARRETT CLIFFORD
On April 18 at Rotary Park Ojai Trees will honor our retiring President Garrett Clifford with the planting of a valley oak tree.
“One of my biggest pleasures all these years has been answering the calls from people who want trees,” said Clifford, a retired physical therapist. “Meeting people that had the same vision as I did is exciting. Talking to folks that wanted trees and finding them the right tree.Then during the plantings, meeting up with neighbors, the volunteers and our wonderful board. All working together to get the trees in the ground. Often with the family’s kids helping out.”
Clifford has been part of Ojai Trees since the initial gatherings in 2009 under the leadership of Thomas Bostrom, a local landscape architect. Clifford was instrumental in establishing its nonprofit status in 2009 and Bostrom asked Clifford to take over the presidency in 2013. Since then Clifford has steered the organization that has overseen the planting of over 2,000 trees in our valley.
Ojai Trees has four tree plantings each year, two in the spring and two in the fall. They consult with each prospective tree owner to help them select the “right tree for the right place” and source the trees from local wholesale nurseries. The week before planting the trees are delivered to their planting site(s) by Ojai Trees volunteers. Then come planting day volunteer teams return and get them in the ground. Ojai Trees also planted street trees within the city, in our parks and at local schools. Ojai Trees has a website, www.ojaitrees.org, where you can learn more about recommended tree options, order a tree(s) and get answers to frequently asked questions.
According to Clifford, the hardest part of running the organization has been getting enough volunteers.
“With fewer families moving into the valley and our core group of board members and volunteers aging it remains a concern but my hope is that it turns around,” said Clifford. “In the past I can remember having lunch after a planting surrounded by over 30 volunteers. Numbers have been running a third of that now.”
“People have always wanted trees.That has never been the problem,” said Clifford, “but Ojai Trees still need healthy younger people to become involved and be the ‘tentacles’ reaching out into the community.”
Clifford and his wife Annie had been residents of Ojai for the last 36 years and have recently moved to Petaluma to be closer to family. Clifford, being the tree advocate he is, is already planting trees with Petaluma ReLeaf. He says it’s a big organization with dedicated staff that plants in open spaces around their new town. He doesn’t plan on getting involved in the administration this time though adding, “I just want to plant trees.”
Join us in Rotary Park to honor his work and see an old friend of Ojai’s trees.
By Linda Harmon, Board Director