Tree is part of 2004 Olympics
PALISADES PARK — Santa Monica made its contribution to the world and to the Olympics on Wednesday by planting trees.
For the past 24 years, the city of Santa Monica has recognized Arbor Day with a tree planting ceremony at a school or with residents in the community.
But this year, the planting is part of a larger effort. In honor of the Olympic Summer Games of 2004 in Athens, Greece, the Athens Environmental Foundation has created the “Global Olive Wreath” tree planting program — an international effort to plant trees along the Olympic torch route to form a Global Olive Wreath on earth.
The program advocates the importance of urban forestry and its link to an improved quality of life. Organizations and individuals in countries around the world will plant trees in honor of the Olympics. All trees will be registered on the foundation’s Web site, www.athensenvironmental.org.
At the request of the Santa Monica City Council, the city’s open space management division participated in the Global Olive Wreath Program by planting an Australian Tea Tree (Leptosper-mum laevigatum) at the north end of Palisades Park. A favorite tree of Grace Heintz, the author of the last edition of “Trees of Santa Monica,” the Australian Tea Tree was selected for its long life span. Heintz is recognized with a plaque in Palisades Park as a long-time advocate of preserving trees in Santa Monica.
The tree got its common name from the early days of Capt. Cook and his crew sailing — they had run out of vegetables and fruit and were worried about scurvy. They used the tree’s leaves to make tea as a supplement to their diets.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 11, 2004. Read the original PDF.