TREES, PLEASE! America's First Urban Forest Xylarium - A Legacy Project for Encinitas and a National First in Urban Forestry
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Tim Clancy, for Let’s Talk Plants! July 2026.
America's First Urban Forest Xylarium
Proposal Summary
Encinitas has the opportunity to create what is likely be the first Urban Forest Xylarium in the United States—a permanent collection of wood specimens, tree cross-sections, photographs, and historical records documenting the trees that have shaped our community.
Every year, trees are removed due to age, development, storm damage, disease, or infrastructure conflicts. While the trees disappear, their stories, ecological contributions, and connection to our community are often lost forever.
The Urban Forest Xylarium would transform those losses into a lasting public resource by preserving representative specimens from Encinitas' urban forest and creating a permanent archive for education, research, and community engagement.
What Is a Xylarium?
A xylarium is a curated collection of wood specimens maintained for scientific and educational purposes. The Encinitas Urban Forest Xylarium would focus specifically on trees that have grown within the City of Encinitas, creating a unique historical record of the community's urban forest.
Each accession would include:
• Wood specimen and/or cross section
• Species identification
• Tree location• Photographs
• Size and age information when available
• Historical notes and reason for removal
Why Encinitas?
Encinitas is widely recognized for its commitment to environmental stewardship, urban forestry, and community character. The City's diverse tree population—including coast live oaks, Torrey pines, sycamores, jacarandas, coral trees, palms, and many other species—creates an extraordinary opportunity to document the evolution of a Southern California urban forest.
By establishing America's First Urban Forest Xylarium, Encinitas can become a national leader in urban forestry education, municipal innovation, and historic preservation.
Potential Partnership Opportunities
The City could explore collaboration with the San Diego Botanic Garden and/or the Leichtag Foundation to develop, house, and interpret the collection.
Potential partnership benefits include:
• Public exhibit space
• Educational programming
• Volunteer support
• Long-term stewardship
• Research opportunities
• Regional and national visibility
The project aligns closely with the educational and conservation missions of both organizations while creating a distinctive attraction for residents and visitors.
Community Benefits
• Preserves the history of significant community trees
• Enhances environmental education opportunities
• Supports urban forestry awareness
• Creates a unique cultural and scientific resource
• Establishes a lasting legacy for future generations
• Positions Encinitas as an innovator in urban forest stewardship
Initial Next Steps
Authorize a feasibility assessment.
Explore partnership opportunities with the San Diego Botanic Garden and Leichtag Foundation.
Identify a pilot collection of approximately 25 notable Encinitas tree species.
Develop a long-term accession and management plan.
Establish a public exhibit and digital archive.
Vision
The Encinitas Urban Forest Xylarium will preserve the story of our community through the wood of its trees, creating a living archive that connects residents with the environmental and cultural history of Encinitas while establishing America's first Urban Forest Xylarium.
"When a tree's life ends, its story should not."
