The Real Mooney Grove Project, “Grow an Oak Tree,” has been approved by Tulare County General Services and is on to the Parks Advisory Committee for approval. According to the group’s CEO Mary Bryant, Tulare County Supervisor Eddie Valero is on board with the project.
Bryant wrote, “As you are already aware, in the last several years we have lost hundreds if not thousands of native Valley Oak trees in Tulare Co. Many of them at Mooney Grove and Cutler Park.” As a solution Bryant has proposed a community involved annual event to replant our native California Valley Oak trees in Mooney Grove Park, Cutler Park, and other County and Public parks as well.
The Real Mooney Grove Project Inc. team would be visiting elementary schools that were nominated by members of the community. “We will be educating students about our native Valley Oak trees, their history, how Spanish Explorers discovered them what would become known as Mooney Grove Park, The Mooney family’s love of the Oak Grove, to the devastating effect of natural disasters, drought and infestation that have killed many oak trees,” she said.
The project would supply students/ classroom with acorns, containers to grow, mixture of soil and sand, along with instructions. Students will watch their young tree grow indoors over fall/ winter. Spring, when trees are 3’- 4’ tall students trees will be planted at Mooney Grove Park and Cutler Park.
Bryant said, “The students and community will then be able to watch their oak tree grow for the next 100 years.”
Participating in the project students will experience how to grow a native mighty oak tree from a small acorn and see how students and community can come together in peace and harmony with a common goal and give back to their community especially in time of need.
The costs of the program will only include the acorns, plastic pots, potting soil, and will be covered by the organizations fundraising efforts, donations and grants. The county will be designating the planting sites and # of trees to be planted.
Each oak tree planted by volunteers will be recorded, numbered and the records will be maintained by the project. County has agreed to cooperate with regards to maintenance of trees planted.
“We look forward to continuing this event yearly,” said Bryant.
What a great idea! My father’s Eagle Scout project was to plant 100 redwoods in Mooney Park in 1924. I would like to contribute towards re-planting oak trees in your Real Mooney Grove Project. Please contact me.