By: Ann Daniel, Tree Davis
The Tree Davis Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Yael Franco as Executive Director, effective September this year. Franco brings her professional expertise as a certified arborist and tree risk assessment expert and deep roots in Davis. The Board values her personal experience and understanding of the Davis community, her relationships with civic leaders, and experience teaming with the City of Davis. She was born and raised here enjoying the urban tree canopy that she will now provide leadership to protect and enhance for everyone.
Franco left Davis for several years but came back after realizing it is the perfect place to raise her family. She previously worked for Tree Davis for four years, and says, “My connection to Tree Davis is that I grew up here and got to experience the amazing benefits of our urban canopy that people before me were thoughtful to develop and care for. I feel it is my responsibility to continue that legacy as an arborist and a Davis native.”
The mission of Tree Davis is to enhance and expand the urban forest by educating and partnering with community members to plant and care for trees. The City of Davis has lost more trees than it has gained in recent years. The City’s Urban Forestry department oversees tree pruning and removal for City-owned trees in front of homes. However, Tree Davis is the only organization in Davis, public or private, that is planting and caring for new trees.
The Tree Davis goal, at a minimum, is to replace every tree lost in Davis. Doing so requires strong cooperation between Tree Davis, the City of Davis, and community members. Franco says, “Our focus is to build momentum in the community, getting people engaged in our mission. Trees are for everyone. When you plant a tree it is not just for you, it is for the whole block and the whole community. It is a gift to future generations!”
The City of Davis was the second city to be recognized as a national Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation and has stayed on that list for over 40 years. Franco will develop and oversee tree planting and care events for community participation, and also provide the critical care that creates a 95% success rate for trees planted. Rebuilding the Davis urban forest helps make it a healthier, cooler, more habitable home for future generations.
“Given our mission to educate and engage with the community, that is my primary goal,” says Franco. “Community involvement and interest leads to long-term success in urban forests. People who understand the benefits of trees are people who are motivated to care and help maintain them. We need to replace every lost tree here with healthy trees, or Davis will become a hotter, less green, and less desirable place to live. I want to raise my family here – so this is personal.”
During her prior work as Program Manager for Tree Davis, Franco supported the City of Davis when it was awarded a CAL Fire grant, which funded the expansion of the urban forest and introduced new species into the landscape. She helped design and implement this Community Canopy project. It provides more resilience and less threats from new pests as climate change evolves. Franco developed a working relationship with City staff and an understanding of how to move programs forward together.
Franco encourages everyone in the community to come learn about trees and how to plant and care for them. There are 15 events planned so far through April 2026. Anyone interested is encouraged to sign up at www.TreeDavis.org/event-calendar.
Individuals, community organizations, and neighborhood groups are encouraged to contact Tree Davis to join an event and to help identify places in need and opportunities to increase the number of trees. These are fun-filled, engaging team-building experiences for any group!
