New trees are planted at El Centro park on Arbor Day

Kalli Legakes, co-founder of the non-profit organization Tree San Diego, said the fight is on against air pollution during Friday’s Arbor Day ceremony at El Centro’s Bucklin Park.

“Our air pollution levels in imperial county are very high,” Legakes said.

As part of the ceremony, city and state officials helped Legakes plant the last of 344 new trees at the park.

“We are planting lungs in the community,” Legakes said.

More trees are coming for the whole county, she added.

“Our next round of Cal-Fire grants, which the city of El Centro just applied for, we are asking for 1,400 in the Imperial County,” Legakes said.

She wants involvement at all levels.

“The communities, school districts, to do a bunch of community involved events and plant all the trees,” Legakes said.

El Centro Mayor Alex Cardenas said the right trees were planted at the park.

“These particular trees are desert trees which are Sissoo that are going to provide tremendous amount of much needed shade,” Cardenas said.

State Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia said Arbor Day highlights air quality issues.

“We know in Imperial County we have some significant air quality challenges that affect the lives of young children and grown adults. So, for us, it’s one way, and a very practical way, to help addressing the air quality problems that we face here in Imperial County,” Garcia said.

Cardenas said planting a tree was a great experience for him. He’s ready to do it again.

“Being able to get in that hole and get dirty – it was a blast. I want to go home and plant a lemon tree now,” Cardenas said.