OROVILLE – Arbor Day will once again be commemorated during a community festival slated to include live demonstrations, educational presentations and hands-on activities on March 16.
Oroville Botanic Gardens and Educations Center in partnership with the city and chamber of commerce are hosting the fifth annual event designed to educate people on maintaining and expanding natural resources in the community and at their own homes.
“Oroville is an amazing town,” said Raeshae Shane, OBGEC vice president. “We hope the festival helps to bring people a passion for the city they live in and in the betterment of Oroville’s natural resources and all the beauty they have to offer.”
The free community event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Oroville Convention Center, 1200 Myers St.
The event will open with a presentation of the Tree City USA flag by the Arbor Day Foundation to the city of Oroville, which has been Tree City USA for more than four decades.
“We’re very excited that Oroville is part of Tree City USA, “ said Shane. “It’s a big mission for the Oroville Botanic Gardens and Education Center to bring awareness and protection to trees already here and to work on restoring trees that have been lost.”
Presentations during the event include a bonsai demonstration by the Chico Bonsai Society; woodcarving by O’Rourke’s Outdoor Adventures and Cal Fire-Butte County will be there with its smoke house to teach kids fire safety. The Butte County Fire Safe Council will bring a goat to raise awareness about goat grazing for fire fuel reduction. K Organics will be presenting information on bio char and soil health and the Butte County Resource Conservation District will also be hosting a booth. Vice Mayor Eric Smith will do a presentation based on Dr. Seuss’ book “The Lorax.”
The Lake Oroville Area Garden Club will offer a rose propagation activity. The Rainforest Art Project will also be set-up to allow children and adults the opportunity to help create one of the 60 tile mosaic murals slated for installation along a 600-foot wall on Table Mountain Boulevard near the Feather River Fish Hatchery.
Treetop Permaculture will be giving away 5,000 tree saplings to people whose properties were impacted by the North Complex which was made of the Bear and Claremont fires. While trees will be given away on a first come, first served basis, those wishing to lock in receipt of free trees may register in advance at https://forms.gle/Br1Br7TFQi5d1o1XA.
“Although the 5,000 tree giveaway is for Bear Fire survivors, we will likely have plenty left over and, if so, we would be happy to help anyone who is replanting from fire damage,” said Matthew Trumm, Treetop Permaculture founder.
Ready Racoon, Smokey Bear and Sparky the Fire Dog will also be attending the festival as will 45 local vendors and three food trucks including Churros Daisy, Farm To Fork and Will’s Catering. There will also be a beer garden for those 21 and older.
Raffles will be held throughout the day with all proceeds benefitting OBGEC’s gardens, education programs and community work.
“We are encouraging people to come to the festival to meet the amazing, fun educational vendors who will help teach them about how to improve the quality of nature here in Oroville,” said Shane. “We hope that as a result of attending the festival more members of the community will help make the community a better place by volunteering for local environment-related nonprofits, planting gardens and trees at their homes and teaching children to care for the environment.”
