Urban Releaf ED Kemba Shakur was recently featured on NBCBayArea’s “Bay Area Proud” community affairs program . Reporter Garvin Thomas interviewed Shakur at the Urban Releaf office in North Oakland and joined the UR team for our recent Earth Day Tree-plantings in Fruitvale and East Oakland. “When the subject is trees in the city of

Urban Releaf founder and Executive Director Kemba Shakur has been honored with the prestigious Morton Award for 2013, the highest honor of the Arbor Day Foundation. The Nebraska-based organization noted Shakur’s “outstanding contribution to tree planting, conservation, and stewardship.” In winning the Morton Award, Shakur joins an elite group of arborists and conservationists including Nobel

Urban Releaf celebrates Earth Day with not one but two tree-planting events on April 20: We will be teaming with the Unity Council AND District 5 City Councilmember Noel Gallo for their Earth Day celebration at Cesar Chavez Park in Oakland’s Fruitvale District, as well as with Communities For a Better Environment, HOPE Collaborative, Acta

Urban Releaf Executive Director and Founder Kemba Shakur was recently featured on KTVU’s weekly public affairs program, “Bay Area People.” hosted by Rosy Chu. Chu notes that Shakur has been “nationally recognized as a woman at the forefront of urban forestry” and asks Shakur why she decided to make it her life’s mission to plant

With 2013 being Urban Releaf’s 15th Anniversary, we thought it would be appropriate to take a look back at some of our most valuable work: tree-planting efforts in Oakland schools. Over the years, Urban Releaf has worked with former state Senator Perata’s office, the Oakland school board, and CAL-FIRE on projects in numerous schools and

On March 16, the Urban Releaf crew teamed with about 75 volunteers from Americorps to plant 10 live oak trees at a location on 85th Avenue and San Leandro St., a heavily-vehicle-trafficked, industrial area which is also adjacent to a BART line and railroad tracks, which is almost practically bereft of a tree canopy. In

The city of Oakland has a tree canopy of just 12% — far short of the 40% mandate required by the State of California by 2020, under AB 32. So why, then, is it cutting down perfectly good, adult trees? In 2003, Urban Releaf planted 36 purple leaf plum, evergreen pear, and aristocrat pear trees

Urban Releaf welcomes Jim Gillespie as our Director of Tree Operations. As a certified arborist with over 9 years experience in urban forestry, Jim brings a high level of expertise in coordinating tree planting and maintenance activities as well as overseeing personnel. We would also like to welcome Jordan Robinson to our team. Jordan will

Urban Releaf has had yet another amazingly fruitful year! From urban forest research to adding even more trees to Oakland’s streets, we look back on 2012 with pride. And since we wouldn’t have done it without our community of supports, we’d like to share our work with you. National Forestry Conference Spotlights UFEST Program On