Trees for Menlo campaign looks to next planting phase Trees for Menlo campaign looks to next planting phase (April 27, 2005)

Members of the Trees for Menlo organization are hoping for a good turnout on Saturday, April 30, when they dedicate a plaque at Menlo Center -- not only to honor their past donors, but to attract a crowd of new ones.

The group has planted 210 trees along El Camino Real, most recently on the sidewalk between Middle Avenue and San Francisquito Creek. Now it's looking ahead to another phase of planting, putting trees in the El Camino median close to Stanford Shopping Center, said Lucile Spurlock, Trees for Menlo secretary.

Stanford University has agreed to pay for the 32 London plane trees, and the shopping center is giving $15,000 toward the planting and other pieces of the project, Ms. Spurlock said. The group still needs to raise about $30,000 to complete the phase, she said.

Later on, another phase of planting would bring London plane trees to the El Camino medians and sidewalks between Middle and Oak Grove avenues, Ms. Spurlock said.

With the trees already planted, she said, "We're seeing the beginning of the arbor-like effect. It calms traffic; it calms people."

The plaque will be placed in the plaza near Kepler's Books and Cafe Borrone, with an official unveiling open to the public at 1:30 p.m. For more information about Trees for Menlo, call 323-5358 or go to www.treesformenlo.com.

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