Save the Elms Program (STEP) Training Session

Protect Sacramento’s historic elm trees by becoming an elm monitor this summer and learning how to spot the symptoms of Dutch elm disease.

Prior to attending this session, you must watch our virtual training video found at https://sactree.org/programs/monitoring-elms/

After watching the training video on your own time, we will gather to learn how to identify elm species in person and how to be a monitor and use our app.

We will meet out in front of the Old Soul at Weatherstone coffee shop, and then walk a couple blocks in the neighborhood to view elm trees.

Register now! The week before this event, we will send a logistics and directions email with detailed information about how to get to the site. You will receive this email ONLY if you are signed-up for this planting.

Who should attend?

This event is open to the general public, you do not need any prior experience to join us. All attendees must watch the training video prior to joining.

Requirements

Register in advance: Space is limited. If your plans change prior to the event, please update your registration status so we are sure to have the necessary number of volunteers.

Youth attendees: Attendees under 18 years of age must have their parent or legal guardian sign their consent form during registration. Attendees under 16 years of age must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. One adult chaperone is required for every 6 youth under 16, or for every 2 youth under 10.

Waiver: All attendees must pre-register and sign a completed volunteer waiver form during registration and BEFORE participating in the event.

COVID safety: Although we encourage attendees to be fully vaccinated, all attendees can choose to wear facial coverings at their own discretion. Anyone who has tested positive for COVID should not attend, unless more than 5 days have passed and they are asymptomatic and have tested negative on day 6 or later – please provide advance notice of cancellation when possible.

Clothes and shoes: Please remember to wear walking shoes, bring a refillable water bottle, and dress for the weather in comfortable clothes.

Arrival: Arrive on time. Check-in begins at 5:30 AM and attendees must be present at the start of the event.

Food and drink: Bring a refillable water bottle.

Skills: No specific skills or tools required. Attendees are welcome to bring binoculars if they have them.

Group registration

At all of our events, we prioritize including people who live or work in the community where the event takes place. Not all events can accommodate groups from outside the immediate project area. If you represent a group of 5+ people, please email volunteers@sactree.org to discuss potential volunteer opportunities.

Getting there

Public Transportation: SacRT bus routes 30 and 38 stop along J Street, roughly 3 blocks from the meeting location.

Parking: Metered and time-limited free parking is available along the streets surrounding the coffee shop.

About this project

At the Sacramento Tree Foundation, we steward our urban forest from seed to slab. Monitoring the health of mature trees is essential to a maintaining healthy canopy that will provide health, environmental, and economic benefits for generations. Every summer, we monitor American, English, and Siberian elms for Dutch elm disease, a deadly fungal disease that devastated the elm population in much of Europe and North America. In Sacramento, we are fortunate to still have nearly 1,800 vulnerable elms, a cadre of dedicated community scientists, and a team of city arborists who work to preserve these stately heritage trees.

Support for this program is provided by City of Sacramento Urban Forestry.

If you have questions about this initiative or would like to get more deeply involved, please contact Pamela Frickmann Sanchez, Education Programs Manager, at pamela@sactree.org or (916) 974-4311.

Make a gift to SacTree

Donate to SacTree to support our work growing thriving communities through stewardship of our urban forest! SacTree relies on the support of friends, neighbors, and volunteers like you to make our work possible.

Questions about volunteering?

Reach out to volunteers@sactree.org with any questions about registering for this event or volunteering with SacTree.