On October 26th, community members and organizations gathered at Bethel Community Church for the San Leandro Urban Greening Summit, an event focused on creating a greener, more resilient city. Convened by San Leandro 2050, the summit brought the Friends of San Leadnro Creek, Homegrown Habitats, The City Tree advocates, and The SL2050 Gardeners together and featured presentations, breakout discussions, and a garden potluck to inspire collaboration for building a better city
Community Organization Efforts for Urban Greening
The summit began with local organizations sharing a bit about their work:
Friends of San Leandro Creek are revitalizing the creek by removing invasive plants and replanting native species, with hopes of restoring local wildlife, including trout and salmon, to enhance ecological health
San Leandro 2050’s Community Garden Initiative supports food sustainability and environmental education through its gardens, which provide residents with hands-on experiences in growing food and learning about native plants and green infrsturture.
Homegrown Habitats who builds native demonstration projetcs to promote native landscaping and offers education (and free plants!) encouraging residents to create healthier ecosystems in their neighborhoods.
San Leandro Tree Advocates work to expand the city’s tree canopy and support the upcoming San Leandro Master Tree Plan, set to be released later this year. Their efforts are to reduce urban heat, and enhance local biodiversity, and are also dedicated to protecting our mature trees from unnecessary cutting
Key Themes and Ideas for more Action
Through breakout sessions, participants discussed ways to expand green spaces, strengthen community engagement, and address climate resilience. Key suggestions included:
Expanding Native Plants and Trees: Ideas included creating mini-forests around large city trees and planting shade trees near bus stops.
Boosting Community Engagement: Proposed strategies included educational videos, outreach in schools, and social media to reach a broader audience
Building Resilience: Attendees discussed the role of green spaces in community resilience, from building biodiversity to improving water conservation. They envisioned a network of spaces where people connect with nature and each other.
Future Goals
Attendees brainstormed their vision for a greener San Leandro, including ideas for funding to support tree planting, tool libraries, a dedicated educational center, . They committed to ongoing collaboration, including the potential formation of a coalition of environmental groups to maintain momentum
Thanks to everyone who attended! We look forward to building a vibrant, green future. For updates on future events, visit our website or follow us on social media.
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