The Culver City Woman’s Club recently took their annual walk around the lake at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in Baldwin Hills to raise money for the California Penny Pines Reforestation program.
The Reforestation program began in 1941 by a women’s organization in San Francisco. Seedlings could be purchased for a penny, hence the name “Penny Pines.” At that time, the forest service paid for the cost of site preparation and planting, while donations paid for the seedlings to be planted. In 1964, it was decided that funds collected under the Penny Pines program would be used for reforestation costs other than just for purchasing seedlings.
These funds are now used for site preparation and planting of the seedlings after a fire, as well as maintenance of existing trees. Seven times more forest vegetation is lost annually due to disease and insect infestation than loss due to fires. Money was donated to sponsor the walkers and enough money was raised to fund several acres of replanting. For information about the CC Woman’s Club, call Barbara at 310-391-2098.