What a ReLeaf

Danette Goulet

COSTA MESA -- It was one of those futuristic goals for the year 2000.

Now, after seven years of laboring to beautify the city, members of

ReLeaf Costa Mesa will realize their goal of planting 2,000 trees when

they put the last 38 in at Fairview Park today.

“I think it is a completion of a dream that started seven years ago

with a very persistent and consistent board,” said Liz Meyer, president

of ReLeaf Costa Mesa. “We were able to complete this dream, and I think

it speaks well of the citizens of this community.”

It is a goal that, at times, Meyer and many others doubted they would

ever accomplish.

“To tell you the honest truth, I joined in 1995, I didn’t really think

we’d meet our goal, but by George we have,” said Kris Hagen, the group’s

historian.

ReLeaf Costa Mesa is a nonprofit group that was created seven years

ago with the sole purpose of planting trees in Costa Mesa and educating

people about the importance of trees.

“Besides the fact that they are beautiful, trees reduce pollution,

reduce heat, raise property values -- all those things people don’t think

about when they think about trees,” she said.

The organization has planted trees all over the city.

They are responsible for young saplings that are growing all along

Placentia Avenue from Victoria Avenue to 16th Street, Hagen said.

Early this morning, 33 trees will be put in the ground, leaving five

to be placed in the soil during a ceremony beginning at 9:30.

The last of the 2,000 trees will be planted in front of the train

station on the east side of Fairview Park.

“ReLeaf has been a tremendous asset and has worked tireless on behalf

of Costa Mesa,” City Councilwoman Libby Cowan said. “They are to be

congratulated.”

The community is invited to a short ceremony that will include the

planting of the 2,000th tree, which will be blessed by a Native American.

After the ceremony there will be food provided by Taco Mesa, train

rides offered by the Orange County Model Engineer group and face painting

for children, Hagen said.

“We hope lots of children will be there because they have been

fantastic in helping plant trees,” she added.

FYI

The ReLeaf tree-planting event is open to the community and will begin

at 9:30 a.m. by the train station in Fairview Park.