Local Company to Plant 2,000 Trees in Santee Along Future River Trail

Employees, family members and friends of a local company plan to plant 2,000 native trees in Santee along a soon-to-be-opened river trail on January 20.

Takeda California plans to plant 20 times more trees than the drug discovery company used in paper during the previous work year. The efforts will benefit The San Diego River Park Foundation and the Walker Preserve in Santee by introducing native Coast Live Oak, Scrub Oak, Engelmann Oak, Laurel Sumac, Cottonwood, Sycamore, Lemonade Berry and Elderberry to land previously used for mining operations.  

“San Diego County is a hugely significant hotspot of biodiversity having more unique species of plants and animals than any other county in the mainland USA,” said Richard Dhu, program manager at The San Diego River Park Foundation. 

“We appreciate working with Takeda over the last four years to restore the natural beauty of our region. We hope more businesses will join us in helping to care for our local environment and helping to revitalize The San Diego River.”

The Walker Preserve was acquired in 2012 by the City of Santee in part to preserve wildlife in the area and to fill a crucial gap in the San Diego River Trail. The goal is to create a 1.3-mile long, multi-use trail along the river with interpretive signs and other public amenities.

“We want to offset our carbon footprint, and our goal this year is to plant 20 times more treesthan we use in paper,” said Keith Wilson, president and chief scientific officer of Takeda California. 

“This should help to make a positive environmental difference in San Diego.”

TCAL will plant a mix of trees native to California and that are naturally found along the San Diego River. In addition to providing shade and removing CO2 from the air, these trees will enhance water quality, habitats and resting areas for birds and other wildlife. They will also help to enhance the visitor experience when this stretch of the River Park System is completed and opened to the public.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring our partners at Takeda California and the City of Santee together to continue to implement the vision of the San Diego River Park,” said Rob Hutsel, Executive Director of the San Diego River Park Foundation. 

“The volunteers from Takeda have shown year in and year out their generosity, dedication to teamwork and making a difference for the community and the environment. We wish to thank them and the City of Santee for their ongoing support.” 

In 2011, Takeda California helped The San Diego River Park Foundation to permanently conserve the 156 acre Peutz Creek Preserve through a $1,000 donation, as well as through an employee matching gift of $1,000. Each year Takeda California conducts several company-wide efforts that support local non-profit organizations, schools, and the environment.

Press release by Takeda California contributed to this post.