SMA California Liaison

Dorothy Abeyta
[email protected]

State Coordinators: 

John Melvin , State Urban Forester
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
P.O. Box 944246 Sacramento, CA 94244-2460

(916) 653-9418
(916) 508-2767  cell
(916) 653-8957 fax
[email protected]

https://www.fire.ca.gov/programs/resource-management/resource-protection-improvement/urban-community-forestry/

Deborah Wong, Urban Forestry Analyst
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
P.O. Box 944246 Sacramento, CA 94244-2460 (916) 651-6423
(916) 653-8957 fax
[email protected]

 Other Resources:

• USFS Center for Urban Forest Research, urban forest researchers located in Davis.
• Urban Forestry Ecosystem Institute, at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, urban forestry education and applied research. 
• California ReLeaf, a non-profit organization that coordinates grants to local groups,
• California Urban Forest Council, a statewide non-profit comprised of a diverse membership that advocates for the best possible urban forests in California. 

People you should know:  (Who’s who in your State)

UC Cooperative Extension Urban Horticulture Specialists

Lorence Oki (530) 754-4135 [email protected]

Jim Downer (805) 645-1458 [email protected]

Steven Swain (415) 473-4204 [email protected]

Igor Lacan 510 684 4323 [email protected]

Joe McBride (510) 643-5322 [email protected]

Dennis Pittenger (951) 827-3320 [email protected]

US Forest Service  Greg McPherson 530-759-1723 [email protected]

California ReLeaf Executive Director Cindy Blaine (916) 497-0034 [email protected]

California Urban Forests Council Executive Director Nancy Hughes 415-479-8733 [email protected]

Western Chapter ISA Executive Director Rose Epperson 866.785.8960 [email protected]

Biography:
I am so excited to welcome you to our SMA California State Liaison webpage. I am here to help you navigate through the California programs and policies that involve urban forestry. If I don’t know the answer to your question, I will do my best to help you find it. My professional experience is 30+ years with half spent as a municipal employee and half as a consultant. I managed landscape, trees and stormwater green infrastructure programs for the City of San Jose. I also worked with Davey Resource Group helping cities build urban forestry programs.