Who We Are
OneCoolEarth is a registered nonprofit devoted to tree planting as a means of creating a sustainable planet. Over the years we’ve found that we’re not alone in our devotion–many people are eager to plant but don’t always know how, where or what to plant. Our cities, nations, and planet–now more than ever–need trees to sustain our health, livelihoods and spirit. Locating places in need of trees, growing trees, and activating people to plant them, we’ve discovered our organization’s calling. We now maximize the benefits of tree planting by growing our trees with local students through an interactive educational program. Community members then plant the trees where they best serve the locals–human, animal, insect and plant. Approaching tree planting holistically, we attempt to realized five goals in every one of our projects: Education, Restoration, Beautification, Human Utility, and Economy. . . Find Out More –>
Started as one man’s vision of planting a few oaks, the nonprofit itself has done a lot of growing. We currently help plant over 1000 trees each year with the help of hundreds of volunteers, and both numbers continue to grow. We’re also taking on larger projects and find ourselves in need of financial support. Please contact us if you are interested becoming a co-sponsor.
Check out our Project Archive to read more about our past work in the area, or read on for more on our current projects.
If you’re interested with us volunteering with us or know of a good place to plant, check out our Calendar for weekly meetings and events.
What’s Happening
Pennington Creek Restoration and Nature Path
Bordering Cuesta Community College on its western edge lies a little-known gem of the campus: Pennington Creek, a live steelhead trout stream. OneCoolEarth is partnering with the college, student organizations, and local environmental and green job groups to restore a portion of the creek bank, creating a nature path including benches and interpretive signs. Once completed, the project will connect the college to a valuable educational resource, as well as provide a living example of sustainable landscaping practices. The project is currently in the planning stages. Please contact us if you are interested becoming a co-sponsor.
Whale Rock Reservoir
- Lionel and Helper
When you ask a Cal Poly student where his or her tap water comes from, most don’t have a clue. OneCoolEarth has worked for the past several years to connect San Luis with its resources, organizing tree planting and direct seeding of at Whale Rock Reservoir, the water supply for Cal Poly and parts of San Luis Obispo and its environs. Acorns and other native seeds are collected from nearby land and raised in our nurseries or planted directly during the rainy season. Over the years, hundreds of people have helped plant hundreds of seeds in the first steps to stabilize erosion and silting of the reservoir. However, many acres remain to be planted, some of which require summer irrigation to get the trees started. Contact us if you are interested in co-sponsoring this project.
- Repotting Island Oaks
Tree-Based Learning
Local elementary, high school and university students are taking their future into their own hands–growing trees themselves that will be planted on school grounds or around their community. OneCoolEarth donates materials for small native plant nurseries at local schools, facilitating local seed collection, growing and planting. Alongside running nurseries, schools participate in grade-specific tree presentations and activities that range in topic from ancient and modern uses of native trees and vegetation, to global and local tree issues, to professional plant propagation. Our program culminates with an on-campus planting to improve campus landscapes, shade sports fields, replant dying non-native trees, and buffer noise and pollution of bordering highways from school grounds. Donations go to support and expand our current programs at nearly one dozen San Luis Obispo area schools. Contact us if you are interested in becoming a co-sponsor.
