Linda Vista Tree Planting - Celebrate Henry Sanchez

Saturday, August 20, 2011: 10:00am-2:00pm
Linda Vista Public Library
2160 Ulric St, San Diego, California 92111

This volunteer tree planting and educational event will welcome Henry Sanchez - professor of mathematics and environmental engineering from Columbia, S.A. at the Linda Vista Public library. Please join Henry and crews of youth corps members from the San Diego Urban Corps in planting trees at the library and the surrounding neighborhood. Our speaker Henry Sanchez, is running from Argentina to Alaska to bring awareness to protecting and reforesting our planet. As he enters each city, local volunteers and community organizations join him to plant trees, recycle and collect garbage, and present educational talks. He is now ready to bring this eco-message to the United States and he is due to cross the border in San Ysidro on August 18, 2011. This will be his second public appearance in the US, and he will speak to the audience through a translator. Also at this event, CCSE's ISA Certified Arborist Robin Rivet will offer onsite advice about how to choose and plant the best and healthiest trees for your home, school or business. She will be giving a brief tree presentation prior to this event, and provide handouts and FREE workshop information about CCSE's Advice and Technical Assistance Center for Urban Forestry.

Come to the Linda Vista Public Library and join the Urban Corps and invited guests to celebrate Henery Sanchez's efforts to bring awareness to deforestation and climate change. This is a FREE public service educational event.

Henry's ultra-marathon began on June 15th, 2008 and he is about to complete three years, traveling light with only two shirts and a pair of pants. The message is to preserve our natural resources. To date, more than six million trees have been planted and 2,000 tons of garbage removed and recycled. As a Columbian volunteer firefighter, the firehouses in fourteen countries have supported him throughout his journey by providing shelter and food. He has dedicated the last few years of his life to ecological activities. Throughout this journey, his eyes have seen incredible devastation to the environment from glacier melting to pollution. Henry says, “ I have seen cities that have absolutely no pollution control and garbage everywhere. We need to push our governments and corporations to be environmentally responsible, recycle and not dispose their waste in the rivers. I am convinced that we can make a change. If we continue this way we will surely experience an environmental catastrophe.” Henry’s first run and tree planting in Mexico was in November 2010 at the World Environmental Summit. “Losing a tree to me is like losing a part of my body and it hurts. Thanks to trees, they make it possible for us to breathe. They are a true miracle of nature so why do we treat them so poorly.” 

His plans are to run into major cities along the coast of California, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose as he continues on his journey to Alaska. Other cities throughout the United States will be added on his quest to save the environment. His dream is to meet Al Gore and he doesn’t now when he’ll reach Alaska…but he will. “Climate change is obvious in all the countries I have gone to. We have devoured nature with our constructions. We have destroyed nature and trees indiscriminately by the millions of acres. This is why I contribute my time, resources and dedication to this cause. And if one must sacrifice a life to make this happen for the benefit of humanity, I am honored to be the one.” – Henry Sanchez

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