The Woodland City Council approved a resolution designating the location of new landmark and specimen trees at the Woodland Cemetery and Campbell Park.

Council members passed the resolution unanimously during last Tuesday’s meeting, with no opposition or public comments.

According to the report, the city of Woodland adopted the motto “City of Trees” in the 1930s to support the protection of native heritage oaks and to advocate for the planting of new trees.

In 2022, they adopted a tree ordinance defining landmark trees and specimen trees. The report states, “Section 12.48 of the Woodland Municipal Code defines a “landmark tree” as a tree or a stand of trees which is of historical, cultural, or public significance as designated by the city council upon the recommendation of all of the following groups and/or commissions: 1) Parks and Recreation Commission, and 2) Urban Forestry Group.”It further defines “specimen tree” as “any tree of interest because of size or unusual species, other than a heritage tree, which is of good quality in terms of health, vigor or growth and conformity to generally accepted horticultural standards of shape for its species, as designated by the city council upon the recommendation of both the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Urban Forestry Group,” according to the report.

The report also mentions that the Woodland Urban Forestry Group and the Parks and Recreation Commission recommended the following designations for the new trees during the Jan. 27 city council meeting.

The Canary Island Palm Trees located at Woodland Cemetery for Landmark Tree status

The nomination and report state there are a total of 44 Canary Island date palms, Phoenix caneriensis, located in the historic Woodland Cemetery as follows (only 42 are being recommended for landmark tree designation as two are in poor health and will need to be removed):

15 palms planted linearly running east-west facing Cross Street

24 palms lining the north-south paved road in the interior of the Cemetery

One palm located near the east side of this roadway

Two palms located west of this roadway

As stated in the nomination, these regal palms lend structure and elegance to their landscapes. It also states that “they have been widely planted throughout California’s temperate climate zones for much of its history. Additionally, as the name implies, this palm species is native to the Canary Islands, located off the northwest coast of Africa, where it is honored as the natural symbol of these islands.”

The Grove of Italian Stone Pines located at Campbell Park is to be designated as Specimen Trees.

According to the report, there is a grove of 13 Italian stone pines, Pinus pinea, that are located along Thomas Street at Campbell Park and are recommended to be designated as specimen trees.

The Grove of Bald Cypress located at Campbell Park is to be designated as Specimen Trees.

The report states that the location has four bald cypresses, Taxodium distichum, which form a small grove on the south side of Campbell Park.

Additionally, the report includes that the designation of the new trees would result in the placement of signage so the public is aware of the tree species and designation.

The following landmark trees have already been established and approved by the city council in 2005, 2017, 2019 and 2020:

Valley Oak

512 Gibson Road (Gibson House Yolo County Historical Museum)

625 Elm Street (Dingle Elementary School)

520 West Street (Lee Middle School)

525 Granada Street (Douglass Middle School)

810 Hollister Road (Beamer Park) — 2 trees

629 Cleveland Street — (City Park)

Paradox Walnut

629 Cleveland Street (City Park)

American Elm

420 Third Street

London Plane

524 Third Street

Cork Oak

525 Beamer Street (Beamer Elementary School)

526 Marshall Avenue (Douglass Middle School)

Canary Island Palm Trees

250 First Street (Woodland Public Library)

The following specimen trees have already been established and approved by the city council in 2020:

Interior Live Oak — 750 W. Southwood Drive (Ferns Park)

Gray Pine — 750 W. Southwood Drive (Ferns Park)

English Walnut — 750 W. Southwood Drive (Ferns Park)

Canary Island Pine — 1001 Main Street (Freeman Park)

Blue Atlas Cedar — 1001 Main Street (Freeman Park)